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Key Partners
Status
Start year of the initiative:
2013 – still ongoing.
Next steps of initiative:
Regional expansion: To generate more developed market entries and to reach those entrepreneurs who are tackling transformational and systemic change.
Impact
Country(ies) of impact:
90 countries globally.
Number of people impacted annually:
7
Time to intended impact:
Less than 2 years
Metrics:
- Successful launch of the initiative
Benefit to organization:
- Indirect benefit to organization
Key Partners
Status
Start year of the initiative:
2013 – still ongoing.
Next steps of initiative:
Regional expansion: To generate more developed market entries and to reach those entrepreneurs who are tackling transformational and systemic change.
Impact
Country(ies) of impact:
90 countries globally.
Number of people impacted annually:
7
Time to intended impact:
Less than 2 years
Metrics:
- Successful launch of the initiative
Benefit to organization:
- Indirect benefit to organization
Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneurs Awards
Submitted by Unilever
Objective
To encourage entrepreneurship and innovation among young people and help them start up and scale initiatives that tackle some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
Overview and Main Activities
This annual global programme recognizes young people aged 30 or under who have developed innovative and practical solutions that address one of the areas of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, such as water, waste and nutrition. Developed in partnership with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), and run in collaboration with the non-profit social entrepreneurship organization Ashoka, the awards are closely aligned with Unilever’s company purpose of making sustainable living commonplace. They serve to demonstrate how sustainability can provide opportunities for young people, and that when sustainability is hardwired into the DNA of an initiative it is good for businesses and communities.
As a first step, candidates submit details of their initiatives online following an intensive period of awareness raising, mainly though social media. A Unilever and CISL assessment team then shortlists 20 candidates based on leadership qualities of the entrepreneur and robustness of the initiative. The final judging panel selects seven finalists and is made up of representatives of NGOs, academia and the private sector (including Unilever) with a wide range of experience across sustainability issues.
Finalists take part in a four-week online development programme where they receive tailored mentoring and a two-day accelerator workshop in Cambridge delivered by CISL and supported by Unilever and external speakers. They learn how to develop a business – from financial management to business plan development, team to HR matters to marketing and branding – to prepare a pitch to the final judging panel for the programme’s overall Prince of Wales prize. Judging takes place at Unilever in London and is followed by a Prize Event, which connects finalists and their initiatives to a wide range of influencers.
Each partner brings specific expertise. Unilever provides its business know-how, financial support, promotion and marketing as well as business connections. CISL takes the lead on the assessment and mentoring phases, and the top prize through its patron, HRH the Prince of Wales. Collaboration with Ashoka provides social entrepreneur expertise, networks and a specialist competition platform to target and reach young entrepreneurs with inspiring ideas around the globe.
Finalists and the Prince of Wales prize-winner are supported for a year through a mentoring programme involving Unilever and CISL. Additional media and promotional support is provided by Unilever and, where possible, Ashoka.
Success Factors and Challenges
Most critical success factors:
- Close collaboration between Unilever and CISL
- Full support from Unilever’s CEO
- Support to maximize the development and scaling of finalists’ initiatives
- Media coverage and visibility
Main challenges:
- Achieving true global reach
- Using social media to reach potential applicants and raise visibility
Recommendations for Others
Any initiative of this type requires sponsorship and commitment at the most senior level in order to be championed throughout the entire business.
Though it is a significant resource commitment to support finalists for a year with a mentoring programme, mentoring is often rated above the financial reward and visibility of an awards programme. Programmes that do not provide mentoring may have limited ability to truly influence sustainable growth of an initiative. It provides tangible support for scaling and developing ideas to deliver real impact.
Replicability and Scalability
How easily could other organizations implement this initiative?
Difficult
How easily can this initiative be expanded to include a larger number of participants?
Easy: It is essentially budget dependent.
About the Organization
Website: www.unilever.com
Sector: Agriculture, Food and Beverage
Size (number of employees): 100,000+
Headquarters: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
For Further Engagement
Contact name: Ella Mayhew
Contact position: Corporate Campaigns Director
Email: [email protected]