The creation of a collaborative network with more than 70 organizations in 14 countries to monitor land use, promote sustainable management of natural resources and combat climate change led to Brazilian Tasso Azevedo, 51, being recognized among the Social Innovators of the Year in Davos , in Switzerland.
Co-founder and coordinator of MapBiomas, the forestry engineer is one of the 16 socio-environmental leaders awarded for their innovative approach and potential global impact in a ceremony this Tuesday (17th) at the World Economic Forum.
“The 2023 Social Innovators represent a generation of leaders of social and environmental change who demonstrate that innovative models of cooperation and inter-sectoral action are essential to move forward in the face of the complex challenges we face”, said Hilde Schwab, president of the Schwab Foundation, to the announce the winners.
The awards recognize social entrepreneurs, public sector managers, corporate leaders and thinkers in four categories. The novelty in 2023 is the Collective Social Innovation category, in which Azevedo was awarded, also quoted for the future position of Climate Authority, one of the novelties of the new management of Marina Silva (Rede), at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
“This award will help us to gain even more credibility to expand our operations beyond the 14 countries where local partner networks already monitor transformations and land use”, says Azevedo, finalist of the 2022 Social Entrepreneur Award, held for 18 years by Sheet in partnership with Schwab. “We hope to reach Africa especially.”
For Azevedo, the award in Davos is even more special because it is also the first time that collective impact is recognized in a specific category. “That’s exactly what MapBiomas is, designed as a collaborative network to generate impact.”
In addition to the Brazilian, the 2023 list of Social Innovators includes a Nigerian who supports small farmers to increase profits and turn at-risk youth into entrepreneurs and a pioneer in “open hiring” in New York, which helps unemployed people find work without barriers. such as background checks and submitting resumes.
“Complex problems cannot be solved by organizations alone. This year’s awardees showcase new models of collaboration across sectors using innovative technology, resources and shared expertise,” said François Bonnici, executive director of Schwab and head of social innovation at the World Economic Forum.
“Many social innovators have a long history of working collaboratively, but the ambition now is to create systemic change through collective efforts.”
Those chosen by Schwab Foundation board members will join a community of more than 450 global social entrepreneurs who have impacted the lives of nearly 1 billion people in 190 countries.
Schwab’s selection committee includes Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and social innovation expert Johanna Mair, professor at the Hertie School of Governance in Germany.
This year’s annual meeting in Davos marks the 25th anniversary of the foundation focused on social entrepreneurship set up in 1998 by Hilde Schwab, together with her husband Klaus Schwab, Chief Executive of the World Economic Forum.
Since 2005, the Sheet indicates the Brazilians who will be submitted to the Schwab Foundation board to join the international network, chosen among winners and finalists of the Social Entrepreneur Award.
This year, Schwab also recognizes the work of Mariano Cenamo, one of the winners of the Entrepreneur 2022 in the Innovation in the Environment category, at the head of Idesam (Amazon Development Institute).
The Brazilian was selected for the course “Leadership for Systemic Change: Promoting Social Impact at Scale” at the Harvard Kennedy School.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to be at a leading university and be able to interact with other social entrepreneurs”, says Cenamo. “I hope to bring solutions inspired by other realities and make new connections to build a new economy in the Amazon, which is our mission.”
The course on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, USA, will run from March 18 to 25, with all shorts covered by Schwab, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and David Rubeinstein.
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