The SEED Initiative founded by UNEP, UNDP and IUCN at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg has been established as a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy. It supports innovative small-scale and locally driven entrepreneurships around the globe which integrate social and environmental benefits into their business model.
It has annual international competition call the SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development designed to support locally led, innovative, entrepreneurial partnerships in developing countries, which have the potential to make real improvements in poverty eradication and environmental sustainability.
The award offers “assistance and advice on developing and improving the initiative’s business plan; a two-day in-country business-oriented workshop, involving all partners, and covering the key elements and factors needed to build a successful social and environmental enterprise; high-level profiling of the initiative nationally, regionally and internationally; access to relevant institutions, organisations, businesses, including SEED winners and alumni, SEED Partners, SEED Supporters, and SEED Associates; developing a support plan; and a financial contribution of USD5000 towards implementation of certain item(s) in that support plan, as agreed between the winner and SEED.”
This year, as part of a larger project funded by the European Union on the Green Economy, the SEED Awards will have a special focus on Africa.
- 10 awards will be made in South Africa
- 20 awards will be made in 6 countries in Africa, namely, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Senegal
- 5 awards elsewhere.
The deadline to make submissions for the awards is 16 August 2010. For more information, visit this link.
