Accelerating sustainability through youth-led innovation
Be part of a coalition of the world’s leading businesses enabling youth-led innovation and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Be part of the
Social Shift.
‘Social Shifters’ are the next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who are solving the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges, today. This generation is the first in history that can eradicate poverty, and the last who can reverse climate change.
Now more than ever – young Social Shifters need your support.
OUR Global
Innovation
Challenge
The Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge is a fast, effective and scalable way of mobilizing young changemakers from every part of the world, and accelerating new solutions to defined challenges linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.
1. DEMONSTRATE BRAND LEADERSHIPand conversation on pressing global issues.2. INTRODUCE IMPACTFUL MICRO-VOLUNTEERINGto engage 1000’s of employees worldwide.3. BRING CORPORATE SUTAINABILITY PRIORITIES TO LIFEthrough supporting youth-led action.
Why back youth-led action?
“SAP is a proud supporter of this incredible Challenge programme. All of the amazing ideas we’ve seen inspired us and motivated us - from driving down significant inequalities that we see to today all the way to addressing the imminent threat of climate change. It is my strong belief that young people aren’t just the changemakers of the future, often they are also changing the world today.”
Alexandra van der Ploeg, SAP, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility
Our
Impact2023
3 MILLIONREACHED
Our campaigns reach and inspire young people, helping them to connect with their passion and take action.
5,412EDUCATED
Our world-leading learning experiences enable young leaders to learn together, develop new skills, and get ideas off the ground.
1,325STARTUP PROJECTS
Our innovation challenges find and fund the most promising youth-led solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.
Since 2022 we have partnered with Amazon to support their global disaster relief efforts; delivering a co-designed Global Refugee Challenge alongside a highly successful international employee volunteering programme.
848
young people from 90 countries
354
solutions submitted
1,774
employee volunteers
Creating impactful
volunteering experiences
Our high-impact micro-volunteering experiences harness the potential of skilled volunteers and ensure that corporate employees can learn alongside young leaders and make a difference.
99%of employees satisfied with the volunteering experience
76%of employees develop new insights into world issues
70%of employee volunteers motivated to contribute more
Meaningful micro-volunteering
Contributing to the Global Innovation Challenge as virtual judges and mentors, your employees will come away better informed, feeling inspired, and with a renewed sense of purpose.
“I WAS INSPIRED BY VISIONARIES WHO DREAM BIG AND GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO BE A PART OF THEIR MISSIONS AS A SOCIAL SHIFTERS GLOBAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE VOLUNTEER THIS YEAR. FROM SUSTAINABLE FARMING TO WOMEN'S HEALTH, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, CARBON OFFSETTING, TACKLING SYSTEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT AND MORE, THESE FOUNDERS AND TEAMS ARE BRAVELY TAKING ON THEIR COMMUNITIES' SCARIEST REALITIES. THANK YOU SOCIAL SHIFTERS FOR SUPPORTING THESE ENTREPRENEURS, AND PROVIDING A PATHWAY TO GETTING INVOLVED. WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER!”
Kristyn Fons, Innovation Portfolio Manager, Amazon Web Services
“I found the opportunity to participate as a volunteer both humbling and rewarding. Some of the ideas I had the privilege to learn about were innovative and inspiring and I'm so excited to see which ones get chosen to progress with the support of Social Shifters!”
Sarah Prestt, Global Talent Manager at Aesop.
“I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRESSING WORLD ISSUES AND GOT BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THEM. I'M TRULY MESMERISED BY THE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT THESE YOUNG AND PASSIONATE CHANGEMAKERS BROUGHT TO THE PLATFORM. I'M DEEPLY HUMBLED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE INVOLVED.”
Debarpan Mukherjee, Senior Project Manager, Amazon India
“MY TIME WITH SOCIAL SHIFTERS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY REWARDING JOURNEY. I WAS EMOTIONALLY TOUCHED BY THE CHALLENGES FACED BY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD. THROUGHOUT MY VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WITNESSING THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS CAN MAKE. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE POWER OF TEAMWORK, RESILIENCE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS NOT ONLY ENRICHED MY LIFE BUT HAS ALSO INSPIRED ME TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THIS NOBLE CAUSE. ”
Lee Gruben, Change Manager, Capita
“Contributing to Social Shifters is the easiest way to help make a difference to thousands of young people and the societies in which they live. Watching the pitches for innovative ways to drive social change was a pleasure, and being able to express my opinion on them was an honour. The judging is easily manageable in the time given - anyone can find two hours over three weeks. I would recommend this to everyone.”
Andy Bennett, Head of Regulatory Training, Fitch Learning
Our incredible
partners
Social Shifters couldn’t exist without the support of our incredible partnership network. Massive thanks to all of the organizations that help us to accelerate the work of young changemakers.
