Social Innovation

Social Innovation

In 2003 ?What If! launched our Social Innovation Foundation - it's purpose was to use
?What If!'s core skills to help make world changing social projects happen. Over the last few years we have supported a host of the world's most exciting social innovators and this work has become a key part of ?What If!'s culture and purpose.

 

Projects and how we work with them

We offer projects the full range of ?What If!'s innovation skillset from product and brand development to capacity building, and we're constantly looking for new projects to partner with. We work with projects which:

  • Are an innovative solution to a social issue
  • Deliver social impact on a significant or scalable level
  • Have the human and financial capacity in place to best use ?What If!'s support
  • Have a current 'step change' challenge for ?What If! to tackle

Our social innovation team operates in ?What If! offices around the world so we work with projects on a global scale. We review new projects once a quarter and are generally over subscribed so please consider our Social Innovation application guidelines before getting in touch (please note we are not a funding body).

 

Driving social innovation

Our 15 years of commercial experience has given us unique access to senior business and government circles; we use this influence to advocate, facilitate and drive social innovation. Over the last few years this has undertake several initiatives:

  • Hosting regular Social Innovation Forums bringing together leaders of industry and the voluntary sector with government ministers to target specific social issues
  • Facilitating policy development brainstorms
  • Creating new funding streams
  • Designing social entrepreneurship curriculum for schools
  • We have written the first book to tell the stories of UK social entrepreneurs to a mainstream audience - Everyday Legends.

 

How the Foundation works

The management team is funded by a cash investment from ?What If!, whilst projects are worked on by senior ?What If! consultants who apply to take up short term placements in the Foundation. Over the last three years this contribution has amounted to a commercial value of over £1m.

We do this not just because it feels like 'the right thing to do' but because it's undeniably good for us! Working on these projects gives us genuine and continual freshness, it's a key part of what attracts, retains and develops great people at ?What If!, and it gives us a wealth of very real insight at a time when the commercial world is beginning to seriously address issues of sustainability. Social innovation is now an integral part of ?What If!.

If you'd like to know more please contact james.baderman@whatifinnovation.com