Chair Message
Mrs Rebecca CHOY YUNG
Chair, Organising Committee of Social Enterprise Summit
This year, the Social Enterprise Summit (SES) celebrates 15 years of accelerating social innovation. The occasion also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR government.
2022 has been a pivotal year for us to reflect on our remarkable journey. But we have also identified how important social innovation is in rebuilding our world after COVID-19.
I am very proud to see how SES grew from a local conference to a prominent movement and platform over the last 15 years. SES has fostered cross-sectoral collaborations with over 100 organisations in Hong Kong and beyond. It has engaged over 1,000 thought leaders from different sectors and developed a community of 70,000 participants around the world.
Our theme for SES 2022 is “Bounce Forward Together”. We have curated a special programme to empower and mobilise all change-makers to act and respond through social innovation. The International Symposium features over 70 distinguished global speakers. Our two keynote speakers will explore impact investing and sustainability transformation. At the "Policy Dialogue", policymakers and social innovators will discuss how we can improve Hong Kong's social well-being by tapping into our collective power as a society.
Delegates can deepen their understanding of Web3, talent development in Asia and channelling resources to rebuild resilience through 3 different tracks. Passionate young social innovators will share their thoughts and showcase their startup projects at the “Youth Summit”. We will harness the power of community entrepreneurship at the “Concluding Session”. We will also bring delegates closer to China through the online session “China Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investment Exchange”. Delegates participating in our social innovation visits can experience different transformative innovations.
What’s more, our Community Programmes have been proven to effectively mobilise social capital at a district level. This year, we extended our programme reach to 10 districts. At the SE Programmes, aspiring innovators can experiment with pilot actions through in-depth training. At the SE Labs, they can also take part in dynamic conversations about critical social issues.
This year, we will conduct our first social impact assessment for the “International Symposium”. Please share your thoughts with us by filling in a survey form and chatting with our independent assessors. Your feedback is important for us to understand the impact of the event.
The incredible growth of SES could not have been possible without the enduring trust and support of our Advisors, Sponsors, Partners, Supporting Organisations and everyone involved. My special thanks go to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the SIE Fund for their continuous support. This collaboration also highlights how a public-social partnership can generate effective and positive social change.
Looking ahead are more challenges but also exciting opportunities to come. But our belief for the next 15 years stays the same as 15 years ago – that everyone can be a changemaker, and every business can be a social business.
Together, we can change the world for the better.