Canadian Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Hey everyone,

We've just announced the call for nominations for the first Canadian Social Entrepreneur of the year award. Help us find some amazing nominees! See below or visit http://www.marsdd.com/socialentrepreneurshipsummit for more information.

Canada is ready to join eighteen countries from around the world in presenting the prestigious Schwab Foundation ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’ award and we want to hear from YOU!

The Schwab Foundation is actively seeking to recognize and award leading Canadian social entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their communities. Selected finalists will be invited to attend the Canadian Social Entrepreneurship Summit that will take place on December 4, 2007 in Toronto at the MaRS Centre. This event is being organized by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in partnership with MaRS, the Centre for Social Innovation and the Toronto City Summit Alliance.

The award process is being coordinated by The Boston Consulting Group with the support of our media partner The Globe and Mail and research partner Corporate Knights. Finalists will be profiled in a special supplement in The Globe and Mail and be invited to participate in the Summit with the winner being named at the Summit’s closing dinner. The winner will also be invited to join other award winners at the Global Summit for Social Entrepreneurship in Rüschlikon, Switzerland to showcase their success in addressing some of the world’s biggest social, environmental and economic problems.

To apply and view the selection criteria, the benefits and the selection process, go to http://www.marsdd.com/socialentrepreneurshipsummit Deadline for applications is November 10, 2007. If you would like to nominate a candidate, please send the name and details to Charmian Love (love.charmian@bcg.com).

Benefits of receiving this recognition include:

• profile in the Globe and Mail (winner plus four finalists);
  a 3-5 minute professionally-made promotional video highlighting your work (winner plus four finalists);
• travel and accommodation for the Social Entrepreneurship Summit in Toronto on December 3-4th (winner plus four finalists);
• a formal award presentation at the closing dinner of the Summit on December 4th;
• recognition as a Schwab Social Entrepreneur; and
• an invitation to attend the Schwab Foundation Global Social Entrepreneurship Summit, taking place in Switzerland in January 2008.

What is a social entrepreneur?

Social Entrepreneurship is about creating and leading an organization that is aimed at catalyzing systemic social change through new ideas, products, services, methodologies and changes in attitude. Social entrepreneurs are innovators who implement practical and sustainable solutions to address challenges in numerous areas including health, education, environment, access to technology and job creation.

Whether they are set up as for profit or not for profit organizations, social entrepreneurs’ primary focus is transformational social change.