Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

History

thumb|Hilde Schwab at the WEF Social Entrepreneurs Wrap-up in 2018 In 1998, Klaus Schwab and his wife Hilde decided to create the independent not-for-profit Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. Its mission was to promote social innovation. This new foundation was complementary to the World Economic Forum, founded by Klaus Schwab in 1971.

Pamela Hartigan, who joined in October 2000, was its first managing director. The Foundation is financed from the initial endowment provided by the Schwabs plus grants and fees for services provided to individuals, foundations or companies.

Activities

The Foundation identifies rising social entrepreneurs under the age of 40 through its Forum of Young Global Leaders and encourages the activists it recognizes to work together as a team. In this collaboration, ideas are shared and possible funding is attracted from companies, universities, or INSEAD. The activists can also win support from corporations and political and academic leaders. The activists (260 people in 2013) serve on the Forum's Global Agenda Councils. Case studies on specific social entrepreneurs are provided to leading academic institutions to incorporate into undergraduate and graduate-level courses. Winners include Mikaela Jade, for innovation in indigenous edu-tech.

Allegations of employer misconduct and harassment at WEF

On June 29, 2024, The Wall Street Journal published an article, authored by staff reporters Shalini Ramachandran and Khadeeja Safdar, stating that WEF Founder Klaus Schwab is accused by former WEF employees of having engaged in two instances of sexual harassment. The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a wholly separate organization from WEF and is neither mentioned or the subject of the published Wall Street Journal article.

Board of directors

, the organization's Board of Directors consisted of:

• Hilde Schwab (Chairperson, Co-founder)
• Pascale Bruderer, Founder, Chairwoman, Swiss Stablecoin AG
• Mirai Chatterjee, Chairperson, SEWA Cooperative Federation, Self-Employed Women's Association
• Ernest Darkoh, Founding Partner, BroadReach Group
• Charly Kleissner, Co-founder, Toniic
• Johanna Mair, Professor of Organization, Strategy and Leadership, Hertie School
• Queen Mathilde of Belgium
• Subi Rangan, The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court Endowed Chair in Societal Progress, INSEAD
• Nicole Schwab, Co-Head, Nature Positive Pillar; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Geneva
• Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Director, Thorning Schmidt Global Ltd

References

References

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10. "Announcing the Social Innovators of the Year 2023 – Motsepe Foundation".
11. Forum, World Economic. "2023 Social Innovation Awards: The Power Of Collective Change".
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14. "Our people".