Replicating Eco-Inclusive Business Models: A Contribution to Sustainable Low-Carbon Economies
Published: 01 February 2016 Akash Uba, Dr. Christina Tewes-Gradl, Mariska van Gaalen, Tendai Pasipanodya
In the face of climate change, we urgently need to find pathways to a low-carbon economy. Only then can we improve the well-being of nine billion people by 2030 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Developing countries have to leap-frog to a low-carbon economy while continuing to improve well-being. Innovative eco-inclusive enterprises are already implementing low-carbon solutions while also providing social and economic benefits to those who need them most. This study shows how the replication of eco-inclusive entrepreneurial solutions tackles the double challenge of mitigating climate change and improving well-being, therefore arguing that they should be strategically incorporated in global and national plans for achieving a low-carbon economy. Read more
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Financing for the ‘Missing Middle’ in South Africa
Published: 12 January 2016 Jana Rudnik, Mirko Zürker
Financing! 20k-200k USD is needed for the ‘missing middle’ is one of ten critical aspects that SEED emphasises as crucial for the growth of SMMEs. Read more
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The role of finance in addressing climate change—but where is the conversation around SME’s?
Published: 07 December 2015 Allison Robertshaw
It would be an understatement to say that finance is one of the big issues being discussed at COP21. I’ve managed to pop into a number of side events on the topic and it comes up in even the most casual of conversations. Read more
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The climate negotiations in Paris - What does it mean for the green SME community?
Published: 25 November 2015 Allison Robertshaw
In just five days, politicians, policy makers, NGOs, businesses, entrepreneurs and activists will head to Paris, for the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP), to see whether the world can hammer together an agreement to move the world away from catastrophic climate change before time runs out. Will they be successful? Read more
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SEED Africa Symposium 2015
Published: 09 November 2015
More than 500 entrepreneurs, researchers, policy makers and representatives of the civil society from 30 countries joined the SEED Africa Symposium on September 9-10th, 2015, in Nairobi, Kenya. Read more
Shaping Sustainable Development Policies to Scale the Impacts of Eco-entrepreneurship
Published: 20 October 2015 Amélie Heuër
A few weeks ago I was in Nairobi where we (SEED) held our annual SEED Africa Symposium. The event was the biggest one yet, with over 500 representatives from government agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations and academic institutions from 34 countries; all gathering to build bridges for impact. Read more
SDGs:
SEED Africa Symposium 2015: Building Bridges for Impact
Published: 19 October 2015
Building Bridges for Impact was the goal of the 2015 Africa Symposium. More than 500 entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, practitioners and policy makers examined emerging trends in the green and entrepreneurship space and looked into ways of constructing new bridges to amplify the impact of social and eco-enterprises. Special attention was also given to the role of eco-entrepreneurship in the Post-2015 agenda. Read more
SDGs:
Boosting support for social and environmental entrepreneurship in Namibia
Published: 15 October 2015 Julia Rohe-Frydrych
Small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) contribute an estimated 12 per cent towards Namibia’s gross domestic product and employ about 20 per cent of the country’s workforce. Read more
SDGs:
Setting the Stage for Green & Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship
Published: 02 October 2015 Carolin Ehrensperger, Jana Rudnik
"Where many conventional start-up enterprises fail after only two years, more than three out of four SEED Winners have not, that is the major outcome of this flagship report“, Ibrahim Thiaw, UNEP Deputy Executive Director and UN Assistant-Secretary-General. Read more
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Celebrating 10 Years of SEED Awards (2005-2015)
Published: 22 September 2015
Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in New York, 5 enterprises received the first SEED Awards. They were chosen, from a pool of over 260 entries from 66 countries, for their potential to advance sustainable development in their communities and contribute to the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Read more
Case Study: Claire Reid Reel Gardening
Published: 07 September 2015
Reel Gardening addresses food insecurity among low-income household and children by offering bio-degradable paper strips embedded with organic seeds that can be used by all to produce a wide range vegetables and herbs. Read more
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Case Study: Muliru Farmers
Published: 07 September 2015
Muliru Farmers establishes sustainably-farmed supplies of medicinal plants and raises awareness about forest management which reduces the pressure on Kenya’s last remaining rainforest. Read more
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Case Study: Dichung
Published: 07 September 2015
Dichung reduces urban traffic congestion, fuel consumption and in turn GHG emissions by providing ride-sharing opportunities for city residents. Read more
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Case Study: Muthi Futhi
Published: 07 September 2015
Muthi Futhi protects local biodiversity by cultivating and processing endangered indigenous medicinal plants. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Alternative Energy Source for Heating
Published: 06 September 2015
Alternative Energy Source for Heating provides briquettes made from rice husks as an energy source for both urban and rural households. Families are consequently less dependent on charcoal or fuelwood, and deforestation and air pollution are reduced. The initiative also promotes youth entrepreneurship. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Masole Ammele
Published: 06 September 2015
Masole Ammele breeds and grows fish through permaculture techniques in ponds managed by local communities. Each village responsible for a pond receives training on organic fish breeding and generates income from selling the fish, while the enterprise earns a commission. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: P.E.A.C.E. - Thinana Recycling Cooperative
Published: 06 September 2015
P.E.A.C.E. - Thinana Recycling Cooperative engages with local communities in the implementation of a waste recycling network in Senwabarwana, Limpopo Province. The enterprise trains waste collectors and has established a purchasing scheme and collection point network for waste collected in the semi-urban community and its rural environment. Read more
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Shaping Sustainable Development through Eco-entrepreneurship
Published: 01 September 2015 Amélie Heuër, Bart Slob, Helena Posthumus, Rainer Agster, Roger Bymolt
Small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) that pursue a triple bottom line approach offer one concrete means of achieving this shift to a Green Economy. This report highlights grassroots eco-enterprises, the types of impact they are achieving and the challenges and opportunities they face. Read more
SDGs:
Growing Green and Inclusive Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in South Africa
Published: 01 September 2015 Amélie Heuër, Dr. Mira Slavova, Rainer Agster
SEED has worked closely with the Gordon Institute for Business Science in 2015 on a study that integrates for policy-makers the findings of five case studies in South Africa. As concerns with accomplishing SDG goals have become inextricably lodged within social and policy debates, scholars studying SMMEs have developed understandings of enterprises embedded within complex institutional environments. The current study has looked how SEED Winners in South Africa progress in achieving their triple bottom line objectives, taking into account challenges they encounter along the way, and success factors that have enabled them to move forward. Read more
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The next challenge for impact investing: Scaling up support to early stage social enterprises
Published: 13 August 2015 Bertil van Vugt, Mirko Zürker
The growth and success of green and inclusive business models with high impact potential is central to the challenges many emerging economies are facing. Read more
SDGs:
Water for Life – innovative and entrepreneurial ways of storing water in semi-arid regions of Brazil
Published: 30 July 2015 Carolin Ehrensperger, Daniele Cesano, Thais Corral
Access to water is not only about meeting basic human needs; it is critical to sustainable development, too. Read more
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SEED South Africa Symposium 2015
Published: 30 July 2015
On May 27th the SEED South Africa Symposium 2015 was held in Johannesburg in cooperation with the 3-day International Conference hosted by the University of South Africa on “Innovation for Sustainability under Climate Change and Green Growth/Economy”. Read more
SDGs:
Taking action and inspiring change towards food security not only on Mandela Day, but every day
Published: 18 July 2015 Mirko Zürker, Rest Kanju
“It’s in your hands now”: with this sentence, Nelson Mandela passed on his legacy to make a difference in the world to a new generation at his 90th birthday. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Black Gold Farm Manure
Published: 06 July 2015
Black Gold Farm Manure sells natural fertiliser produced from chicken manure and farm residues acquired from local smallholder farmers to households and farms in Malawi, providing training and employment to women and farmers from local communities. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Botanic Treasures
Published: 06 July 2015
Botanic Treasures Ltd is a social enterprise empowering over 500 smallholder farmers to grow Moringa oleifera, a highly nutritious edible plant. Improving the livelihoods of farmers with additional income, the enterprise produces nutritional supplements and fortified foods that combat malnutrition and degenerative diseases, and support food security. Read more
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