Our Story
SEED was founded at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg by UN Environment, UNDP and IUCN as a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy. SEED is based on the understanding that the promotion of social and environmental entrepreneurship is pivotal for environmentally friendly and socially inclusive development and poverty reduction.
We work directly with growing enterprises and aspiring entrepreneurs in our Enterprise Support programmes to strategise, optimise and award achievements in eco-inclusive entrepreneurship. All our participating enterprises receive a comprehensive SEED Support Package of tailored business and capacity-building support, networking, and profiling at the national and international level.
Complimentary to our direct Enterprise Support programmes, we offer programmes to build an ecosystem of supporters and advocators necessary to the success of growing enterprises. Our Ecosystem Building activities fortify a global network of local business development services providers and offer platforms for coordination between key local, national and international stakeholders. Our facilitation of multi-stakeholder engagement through SEED programmes generates policy, financing and collaboration instruments that multiply the social, environmental and economic impacts of entrepreneurship. We share extensive evidence of the value of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship to sustainable development with key stakeholders through publications and national and international events.
Our Hubs
At SEED we are expanding our focus on regional capacity building by establishing collaboration centres that fortify partnerships and strengthen the presence and local ownership of SEED programmes in key areas around the globe. Our SEED South Africa and SEED Thailand Hubs are milestones in the delivery of customised enterprise support and the promotion of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship for sustainable development.
Our Team
Our Supporters
Our work is made possible through the generous support and outstanding expertise of our supporters. These supporters help to determine SEED's strategic direction, provide financing, identify innovators in social and environmental entrepreneurship and advise enterprises on business development.
Our Governance
Full responsibility for the SEED programme and its further development lies with the SEED Board consisting of representatives of SEED Partner institutions and experts in sustainable development.
The SEED Team coordinates and implements the SEED Programme.
SEED is hosted by adelphi research gGmbH, a non-profit institution committed to sustainable development and entrepreneurship, based in Germany. adelphi research assumes all legal responsibilities for the SEED programme.
