Social intrapreneurs work inside major organizations to drive social and environmental change. They apply entrepreneurial principles to address challenges where traditional approaches have stalled. Examples are provided of social intrapreneurs at companies like Vodafone, Citibank, and Nike who have helped their employers address social issues through innovative solutions. A competition is announced to support and recognize social intrapreneurs, offering benefits like consulting support, attendance at conferences, and networking opportunities to help further their work and impact.
3. Yet, many are struggling. Even leaders are scratching their
heads...
4. Social intrapreneur, n. 1 Someone who
works
inside major corporations or organizations
to develop and promote practical solutions to
social or environmental challenges where
progress is currently stalled by market failures.
2 Someone who applies the principles of social
entrepreneurship inside a major organization.
3 One characterized by an ‘insider-outsider’
mindset and approach.
6. Chances are, you recognise some of these secret change
agents...
Social Intrapreneur | On-top-of-my-day-jobber
Passionately adding to their daily challenges for the good of the world
Social Intrapreneur | Secret change agent
Working tirelessly outside of the spotlight
Social Intrapreneur | Super-connector for a better world
Building relationships for world changing impact
7. Let’s take a look at a few social intrapreneurs...
Susie Lonie Bob Annibale Sam McCracken
Vodafone, M-Pesa Citibank, Microfinance Nike, N7
8. We have made a short film to help tell the story...
11. CAN WE DO FOR SOCIAL INTRAPRENEURS
WHAT ASHOKA, SKOLL AND SCHWAB HAVE
DONE FOR ENTREPRENEURS?
12. CAN WE DO FOR SOCIAL INTRAPRENEURS
WHAT ASHOKA, SKOLL AND SCHWAB HAVE
DONE FOR ENTREPRENEURS?
13. Who should enter?
Any social intrapreneur is eligible to enter the
competition. Entries will be judged based on the
level of innovation, the degree of social or
environmental impact and the financial
sustainability of the project.
What are the benefits?
Pro-bono consulting support from Accenture
An invitation to attend the Skoll World Forum
Press coverage (if desired)
Intrapreneurs’ Toolkit
Curated network of talented change-makers
What are the key deadlines?
Final entries are due 15th January, 2013.
Winners will be announced in April 2013.
14. Would you like to know more?
Get more info from the competition homepage!
changemakers.com/intrapreneurs
Join the League of Intrapreneurs on Twitter:
@SocintLeague!
Follow the hashtag #socint
The term ‘Social Intrapreneur’ first entered the lexicon with a research report published in 2008. This ‘Field Guide’ identified individuals inside business developing scalable solutions to some of the worlds most intractable problems – from health, to education, to the environment.
Long-term economic ‘stagnation’ is creating risk of a ‘lost generation’. Future growth predicated on natural resource depletion. We have to take carbon emissions to zero in next 16 years to avoid catastrophic climate change. It’s time for a radical rethink on how business - and fundamentally our economy - operates to ensure companies, customers and communities can survive and thrive in a world of increasing constraints. Radical innovation is needed.
Social intrapreneurs, like social entrepreneurs, are motivated to change the status quo. Looking over the horizon, they see opportunity in the face of great challenge.
Social Intrapreneurs are a lot like social entrepreneurs – using entrepreneurial methods to develop practical solutions to social and environmental challenges. They see a suboptimal status quo and work to deliver new products, services and business models that will deliver system-wide shifts. Operating inside an organizational ecosystem (corporate, government etc.), Social Intrapreneurs leverage assets – such as brand, people and technology. Perhaps, most importantly, they’re modeling behaviors – such as systems- thinking, collaboration, and prototyping – that will be key to delivering game-changing innovation.
Vodafone: M-Pesa - Susie Lonie and Nick Hughes developed Vodafone’s M-Pesa initiative, a mobile payment offering targeting low-income customers in Kenya. In just 5 years, M-Pesa has reached 17 million subscribers. Nick and Susie not only pioneered a specific innovation, but also helped Vodafone to re-frame its role as a platform solution to broader societal issues such as access to finance and health care. Bob was inspired by the idea of the bottom of the pyramid. He looked at the triangle, turned it upside down and said – ‘This isn’t the bottom of anything; it’s the majority of the market.’ From that insight, he set about to extend Citibank’s finance products to very low-income customers. He found ways to adapt Citibank’s approach to reach individuals who couldn’t meet traditional requirements, such as collateral criteria or who had low or no literacy. Sam McCracken is the GM of Nike’s Native American business. Sam – a member of the Sioux tribe – was working in the company’s warehouse when he realized he had the ability to solve a problem in his community: rising obesity and diabetes. Sam found a way to leverage Nike’s brand to drive athletic participation among Native American communities – first by providing access to discounted product and then by developing appropriate and affordable products.
Start with a SOCIETAL NEED not the message or margin Ask, am I solving a real problem? Contextualize your actions through your VALUES Ask, am I making a difference? Take pride in QUESTIONING business as usual conventions Ask, can this constraint become and opportunity? COLLABORATE and SHARE your ideas across networks and silos Ask, who can help me to evolve my idea and bring it to life? DO IT to prove it Ask, how can I test my idea quickly and learn? Look over the HORIZON Ask, how can I play a role in shaping the future? Work to ALIGN societal need with organizational objectives Ask, how can I create alignment between my organization and my community? Tell STORIES Ask, how can I inspire through good storytelling?
In essence, how might we create a movement of social intrapreneurship?
The League of Intrapreneurs is a movement to identify, support and build a global network of social intrapreneurs who are well equipped to deliver sustainable innovation and social impact. The League of Intrapreneurs Competition is using Ashoka Changemakers platform to identify, connect and celebrate leading social intrapreneurs. League of Intrapreneurs (15 members) – to be announced Feb 2013 The top 15 competition entrants will form the inaugural League of Intrapreneurs, becoming part of an elite global network of changemakers. These entrants will also receive media and press recognition and will be featured in the publication of a globally distributed intrapreneur toolkit. Winners (4 winners) – to be announced April 2013 Of the League, the top 4 winners will be profiled in Fast Company’s blog, Co.EXIST and will receive consulting support from Accenture Development Partnerships to further their work. Three (3) of these winners will be chosen via a shortlisting process and judging panel, while one (1) ‘Peoples Choice’ winner will be chosen by online voting.