The 15th Social Enterprise Summit (SES 2022) International Symposium was held successfully in a hybrid format under the theme “Bounce Forward Together”, the SES 2022 invites more than 70 speakers from various countries and regions, including famous social entrepreneurs, leaders from the business, non-profit organisations, government bodies as well as academic sectors, to explore different dimensions in rebuilding the society in the post-pandemic era, and to promote collaboration between different sectors in order to build a restorable and renewable society and economy.

The four-day International Symposium features plenaries, sessions on various topics, including Policy Dialogue, Keynote Speeches, Youth Summit, Asia Youth Entrepreneurship Exchange,  Social Innovation Visits, networking activities, and more. Delegates are able to gain experience, exchange ideas and deepen their understanding of the latest trends in social entrepreneurship.

Mrs Rebecca CHOY YUNG, Chair of Social Enterprise Summit Organising Committee, said: “Since its inception, SES has made a significant impact in driving social innovation. I am very proud to see how SES grew from a local conference to a prominent movement and platform over the last 15 years. It has fostered cross-sectoral collaborations with over 100 organisations in Hong Kong and beyond. It has also engaged over 1,200 thought leaders from different sectors as speakers and developed a community of 70,000 participants around the world. We have also identified how important social innovation is in rebuilding our world after COVID-19.”

Guest of Honour Mr Chan Kwok-ki, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, said that the 15th anniversary of the Social Enterprise Summit, coupled with the growth in the number of social enterprises to over 700 at present, speak for the resilience and vitality of Hong Kong’s social fabric.  To support, promote and facilitate social innovation and entrepreneurship, the Government has been implementing various initiatives such as the Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme and the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund, including the launch of an “SE tree mark” programme to make social enterprises more easily identifiable to the public with a specially-designed tree logo.  He added that the Government will keep reviewing and enhancing efforts to provide more opportunities for social entrepreneurs to drive positive social change.

The Grand Opening was followed by a Policy Dialogue entitled “Social Innovation as a Source of Opportunities in the Post-Pandemic Era”. Panelists Mr Chris SUN, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, The Hon Dr Stephen WONG, Member of the Legislative Council, and Ms Ada WONG, Founder and Chairperson of Make A Difference Institute, discussed and expounded on the role of social innovation towards more effective and interdisciplinary design and implementation of future-ready policies and services for sustainable development.

Keynote Speaker Ms Peggy LIU, Chairperson, Joint US-China Collaboration on Clean Energy (JUCCCE), shared her dedicated journey to accelerate the greening of China and the Asian region for a liveable world; while respondents, Ms Vanessa CHEUNG, Group Managing Director of Nan Fung Development Ltd., and Mr Raymond MAK, Co-founder, and CEO of Farmacy Hong Kong, shared their insights on the role of enterprises in promoting sustainable transformation. Another Keynote Speaker, Mr Cliff PRIOR, Chief Executive Officer, Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), UK, expounded the impact journey of bringing together private and public sectors to shift economies towards positive outcomes for people and the planet. Ms Belinda HSIEH, Executive Director, Head of Treasures Investment Product & Advisory, Consumer Banking Group & Wealth Management, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, and Mr Donald CHOI, Executive Director and Group CEO, Chinachem Group, HK, responded on how corporations have played a key role in accelerating socio-economic impact.

Day 2 of the International Symposium revolved around three main topics. Track 1, “meta-good: Exploring Web3 Components for Impact”, explored the development of the social innovation sector through the lens of innovative technology. Track 2, “Intercity Alliance: Reshaping the Future of Work”, gathered international insights on collective impact. Track 3, “Channelling Resources for Resilience”, examined how resources can be shared and better utilised in order to align actions with beliefs.

The “Youth Summit” on Day 3 aimed to instill social entrepreneurial spirit in the younger generation by providing an opportunity for them to share their ideas and projects, as well as to learn from accomplished social entrepreneurs. In the Young Entrepreneur Showcase, over 30 young innovators were featured in the outcome of their projects launched with the support of the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund). The Concluding Session “A Better Tomorrow”, focused on creating liveable, workable and learnable communities. Chairpersons and representatives of the SES Community Programmes in 10 districts shared their thoughts and experience in promoting social innovation in the community and exploring its future development.

Day 4 of the Summit combined theory with field experience. Including the “China Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investment Exchange” which took place in a virtual format to engage delegates in Hong Kong and Mainland China to explore the development of social entrepreneurship in China, the trends of impact investment, as well as the cooperation mechanism of China and Hong Kong’s social enterprises. In addition, three Social Innovation Visits on the day provided delegates with immersive experience via three routes, namely Inclusive Employment Route, Green Community Route and Mental Well-being Route.  

You may re-visit the Summit by subscribing to our YouTube channel “SESummitHK” and get the latest updates from our social media pages.
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