The purpose of the Awards is to accelerate collaborative systems change by celebrating the individuals and organisations that make it possible. The Awards are an important tool to fuel the movement and to celebrate the journey towards achieving the SDGs.

The four categories for 2024 celebrate Corporates, Donors and Special Recognition that support social entrepreneurship as a means to achieve the SDGs.

Everyone can submit nominations, but Catalyst 2030 members choose the finalists.

• Your nominee should be aligned with Catalyst 2030’s values.
• Your nominee should treat social entrepreneurs with respect, encourage diversity, promote collaboration and support systems change.
• This award is only open to donors, philanthropists, governments, bi-/multilateral organisations or corporates that have been working closely with social entrepreneurs, towards the SDGs and systems change. Catalyst members are not eligible.
• Catalyst 2030 Awards winners from 2021 and 2022 may not be renominated. However, 2021 and 2022 Awards finalists are eligible.

The Jury members are chosen and appointed by the Catalyst 2030 Awards Committee for a one-year period. During this time they will objectively and impartially review and approve shortlisted nominees, paying close attention to the evaluation criteria. Jury members are not affiliated to Catalyst 2030, are independent and have a deep understanding of the SDGs. They also show great interest in systems change and the work of social entrepreneurs and social innovators.

• When: 13 March 2025
• Where: Bogotá

Catalyst 2030 was started in July 2019 by leading social entrepreneurs from Ashoka, Echoing Green, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Skoll Foundation and other other global networks of social entrepreneurs and social innovators. The movement was officially launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020. A month later more than 80 co-founders held the inaugural meeting of Catalyst 2030 at the Althorp Estate in Northampton (UK) to craft a collective roadmap for the years ahead. It is currently being incubated by the One Family Foundation in Amsterdam (NL).

The Secretariat of Catalyst 2030 is currently housed at One Family Foundation in the Netherlands. To learn more visit the One Family Foundation website here.

Catalyst 2030 is its membership – engaging and working together on progressing towards common goals.

Components:

• General Assembly is made up of all members and is the cornerstone of Catalyst 2030 – it sets its direction and celebrates successes
• Board develops the strategic plan based on agreed policy direction and drives its execution
• Chief Facilitator is the shepherd of Catalyst 2030 and is working in the background; responsible for day-to-day operations
• Local Chapters are member groups which take responsibility for part of the Catalyst 2030 mission in a country/region
• Working Groups, consisting of members, set the direction and guide (a part of) a Catalyst function (e.g. Comms)
• Impact Clusters cross-connect WGs within a core function
• Task Forces are temporary member groups which take on a specific task for Catalyst 2030 (e.g. writing a report)
• Issue-Based Groups arose from Issue-Based collaborations between Catalyst 2030 members.
• Secretariat supports the organisation

For an overview, visit the Organisation page.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They include 169 targets that UN Member States have agreed to work towards achieving by the year 2030. More information on the SDGs can be found here.

Social entrepreneurship is the combination of commerce with social issues. Social entrepreneurs aren’t only concerned with profits. Success is also defined by how their business improves the world. Unlike nonprofits, social entrepreneurship still earns a profit, but the focus is placed on the social or environmental change made while earning that profit.

Being a growing collective of social innovators, Catalyst 2030 will facilitate the building of meaningful partnerships across regions, sectors and causes, amongst multiple stakeholders.

Catalyst 2030 has a dual objective of both changing the ecosystem and catalysing collaborations supported by a solid movement foundation.

• Catalyse Collaboration: Improve connectivity and transparency between social entrepreneurs to achieve more partnerships and projects that accelerate progress of the SDGs.
• Change the Ecosystem: Advocate with system partners for improvement of the ecosystem and changing the wider appreciation of what social entrepreneurs can bring.
• Fuel the Movement: Engage external stakeholders to showcase achievements of the movement.
• Build and Maintain the Movement Foundation: Co-create and operate the Catalyst 2030 support infrastructure, keep the movement thriving and members focused on impact.