Green Economy in South Africa: local sustainable entreprises create jobs and opportunities

Chances and barriers faced by sustainable companies were at the center of discussions at the recent SEED Symposium in Pretoria. In mid-March participants from government, private sector, media, academia, development, and NGOs exchanged their views on how to foster Green Economy in South Africa.

The green economy has taken hold in South Africa, and enterprises are placing more and more focus on innovative products and services. Particularly social and environmental entrepreneurs at the grassroots level have the potential to make the green economy a tangible and sustainable reality. They can be instrumental in creating jobs and livelihoods while at the same time offering business solutions to environmental challenges and climate change. But for such enterprises to enhance their impact, more bridges need to be built with finance, research, and skills building institutions.

These were main messages to emerge from the SEED South Africa Symposium, held on 19-20 March 2014 in Pretoria, South Africa. Over 150 participants from government, private sector, media, academia, development, and civil society organisations, and including around 40 entrepreneurs, came together to exchange experience, knowledge and perspectives that could advance the growth of socio-environmental entrepreneurship in South Africa.

Social Enterprise Fund makes financing easier for für SMME

A major bottleneck that was identified for small, micro and medium-sized enterprises (SMME), especially those operating in the social entrepreneurship space, is to generate financing. In looking for solutions, the Symposium provided the launchpad for a new "Social Enterprise Fund", set up by the Industrial Development Corporation with the support of one of the SEED partners, the Government of Flanders.

The Symposium was part of the SEED Initiative, a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy which is hosted by adelphi.

Please find more information and quotes from the Symposium here.