Sustainability Entrepreneurship

Sustainability entrepreneurship contributes to solving social and environmental problems, particularly in emerging and developing countries. adelphi supports the development of sustainable business models.

Green & Inclusive Business, Social & Environmental Entrepreneurship, Social Business, Low Carbon Business Models are key words for new approaches in international development cooperation. They have in common that entrepreneurial approaches are used to solve social and environmental problems and that a positive contribution is made to sustainable development.



Goal: Sustainable economic activities and new sources of income



adelphi summarises these concepts under "Sustainability Entrepreneurship" or sustainable entrepreneurship. In this context, social and economic aspects are equally important as ecological aspects.



Sustainability entrepreneurship acts at the interface of politics, business and civil society to mobilise new resources and aim at a structural change towards socially and environmentally sound economic activities. With its innovative business models, they develop new markets, generate new sources of income – particularly for socially disadvantaged population groups – and contribute to a sustainable approach to economy (Green Economy).



As producers of innovative products and services, they tap new low-income buyers at the "Base of the Pyramid", especially in emerging and developing countries. Frequently they realise their projects in cooperation with actors from the international development cooperation, national and global private sector and in cooperation with governments, research institutions and civil society groups.



SEED in the centre of adelphi's activities



With international projects and activities, adelphi promotes and supports the design and development of sustainable business models and enables the dialogue and the dissemination of the approaches in national and international forums.



The project management of SEED is the core of the activities. So far, adelphi has organised the selection of over 90 social and environmental enterprises and worked with more than 80 laureates on their business development. In 2013, 34 other companies were selected. It is planned that there will be more than 40 additional winners in 2014. All are accompanied during the process of the development of business plans, marketing strategies and indicator systems for impact measurement and the development of their partnerships and networks.



Currently, SEED and adelphi are working with grants and on behalf of the European Commission, the International Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the Flanders International Cooperation Agency, UN Women and UNIDO.



To facilitate the dialogue between stakeholders at the national and international level, adelphi designs and organises accompanying events. In view of SEED, we support the international dialogue and policy development, especially regarding the framework conditions for social and environmental companies. As part of the G20 Challenge on Inclusive Business Innovation, adelphi developed a process of dialogue between the 15 laureates and other stakeholders and implemented it in workshops that took place in Berlin, Medellin, Mumbai and Nairobi.



Furthermore, adelphi is accompanying the activities of German family-run businesses and multi-national companies that want to develop and expand their cooperation with and commitment to sustainable enterprises.