SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS | SDG Impact Stories

Bertrand Gacon
Co-Founder & CEO

Problem

Efficiently measuring businesses' overall impact on people and the planet is essential, but complicated. Which metrics to use ? Should we rely exclusively on data from the companies themselves? How do we avoid greenwashing and measure the real impact of a company?

Solution

Impaakt is an impact measurement platform that relies on a community of 50k certified impact raters and analysts, to assess the social & and environmental impacts of major companies worldwide, looking beyond ESG metrics. The goal is to create the ultimate resource of objective, quality impact information for investors and consumers.

Impact

Since 2018, Impaakt has trained over 50k impact raters and about 600 certified analysts, translating into 35k impact analyses and over 1M impact ratings, covering the impact of 5000+ companies. Notably recognized as "Best ESG Fintech" by Global Finance Magazine in 2022. (Source: Impaakt, 2022)

Kitro

Interview

Naomi McKenzie
Co-Founder & CEO

Problem

Every year, roughly 1/3 of the food we produce is wasted or lost. It accounts for around 1.3 billion tons of food waste and is the equivalent of USD$1 trillion, which would be enough to feed 3 billion people. Much of this waste occurs in the hospitality industry.

Solution

Kitro developed an AI-integrated device that photographs, identifies, and records every food item you throw away in a kitchen. The device generates precious data that can then be used to highlight questionable cooking practices, better make orders, and adapt the daily food offer.

Impact

With its automated food waste management system, Kitro helps restaurants, canteens, hotels, and others reduce food waste by up to 60% and save up to 8% of their food profit margins. They've received multiple awards, including the TOP 100 Swiss Startups 2022 recognition.

Mater

Chef Walter El Nagar
Founder & Head Chef

Problem

In 2019, about 13% of people in Geneva confessed they struggle to put food on the table each month. And the numbers have been growing steadily since 2014. This includes not only undocumented and unemployed individuals, but also underpaid workers, foreigners with official work permits, and even students.

Solution

Mater is serving healthy meals to people living in situations of precarity at Refettorio Geneva, for free. Simultaneously, the Refettorio offers a unique culinary experience for the paying clientele. During the whole week, the restaurant also serves as a training facility, and a space for local artists to express themselves.

Impact

Every year, Mater translates into 20k meals offered, 10 people fed for each paying customer, 5’140 hours of voluntary work, 24 guest chefs cooking for people in need, and 10 tonnes of food saved. Over 800 chefs and volunteers have already been involved.

Tyre Recycling Solutions (TRS)

Staffan Ahlgren
Co-Founder

Problem

Each year, there are around 2 billion tires that reach the end of their useful life. End-of-life tires (ELTs) are difficult to eliminate or recycle due to their complex mix of materials that are all compacted together – notably, natural and synthetic rubber, fiber, and wire.

Solution

TRS collects and transforms used tyres into a precious natural rubber powder that can be used as a substitute for a wide range of materials in multiple industries. For example, this powder can be used to extend the life span of roads, make shoe insoles, or produce fresh new tyres.

Impact

Every day, TRS receives between 1300-1400 tyres at their main factory in Yvonnand, Switzerland. About 5k tons of rubber powder is sold every year. Currently expanding to other parts of the world, notably in the Middle East and China. (source: TRS, 2022)

Impaakt

Interview

Problem

Efficiently monitoring and measuring businesses' overall impact on people and the planet is essential to accelerate change, but it’s complicated. Which metrics to use ? Should we rely on data from the companies themselves or do we make our own assessments? How do we avoid green washing and measure the real impact of a company ?

Solution

In 2018, Impaakt launched a peer-review platform to measure the true level of sustainability of major companies worldwide. Thanks to ratings and analyses made by the +20’000 certified community members, they’re building company scores with the goal to create the ultimate resource of objective, quality impact information for investors and consumers.

Impact

Since 2018, 40’000 people joined the Impaakt community. 400k ratings have been made covering the impact of over 1500 companies.

Too Good Too Go

Alina Swirksi
Country Manager at TGTG Switzerland

Problem

2.6 million tons of food are wasted in Switzerland each year, that's 190kg/pers. It’s estimated that 2/3 of it is avoidable. In addition to the millions of families suffering from food insecurity, food waste accounts for about 10% of GHG emissions worldwide.

Solution

Founded in Denmark in 2016, TGTG developed an app, which allows bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, and other businesses to save food surplus. It’s a triple win: 1) Users get food at an attractive price 2) Local businesses sell their surplus close to break-even while reaching new customers 3) The planet’s resources are better optimized.

Impact

Currently, TGTG is the world's #1 app for fighting food waste. They have 2 mio users in CH and 52 mio users worldwide, across 17 countries. Together, they've saved over 5 mio meals in Switzerland and about 119 million meals globally. TGTG was notably named SDG Pioneer by Reuters in 2021. (source: TGTG, 2022)

Babette

Andi Handke
Head chef & Co-Founder

Problem

Our food system is broken. Among some of the biggest issues, we can cite child labor, animal welfare, and food waste. Numerous practices such as monoculture, mass production, and overseas imports have serious social and environmental consequences.

Solution

Babette is a restaurant that helps people reconnect with food and learn about topics such as organic farming, the complexity of biodiversity, and sustainable gastronomy. All the food is organic, local, and almost always sourced directly from the grower, scraps are reused and waste is limited.

Impact

Co-founder Andi Handke regularly organizes workshops, and advises the government on creating meaningful change. Andi is also a contributor to the Chef’s Manifesto, a global hands-on guidebook with practical actions to help chefs achieve the SDGs.

Ynsect

Jean-Gabriel Levon
Co-Founder

Problem

Industry experts say food production must be raised by 70% by 2050. In that context, it is crucial to rethink the way we produce food, for both animals and humans, increasing productivity and reducing the negative impacts on people and the environment.

Solution

Ynsect transforms beetles into premium, high-value ingredients for animals, fish, crops, and even human beings, in vertical farms fully automated by robots. Their natural alternative protein to traditional livestock farming uses 98% less land and 50% fewer resources.

Impact

Each year, Ynsect produces around 2k tonnes of protein and natural fertilizer. +30% to 300% increase of yields on wheat, corn, or vineyards compared to chemical fertilizer. Ynsect is one of the world's leading food tech and has already earned over 60 innovation and impact awards.

Goodvest

Joseph Choueifaty
Co-Founder

Problem

Saving accounts money is currently massively invested by banks in harmful sectors such as fossil fuel, weapons, or the fashion industry, and accounts for 11 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Today, only 0.2% of all investments are considered to be aligned with the Paris agreement.

Solution

Goodvest developed the first investment app aligned with the Paris Agreement. Customers can choose to invest in sectors such as climate transition, biodiversity, and access to water. Harmful sectors are excluded. Goodvest experts help you build a personalized portfolio according to your investor profile and your values.

Impact

Over 2500 people have already chosen to invest with Goodvest, directly contributing to the growth of 1000 purpose-driven companies, without compromising on returns. Since 2021, Goodvest has earned 12 awards, including the "Best ISR contract 2022". (source: Goodvest, 2022).

GoodPlanet

Ninon Gouronnec
Sustainable eating advisor

Problem

CO2 emissions, rising sea levels, the degradation of biodiversity, increasing inequalities....While some progress has been observed in the past few years, only a few world leaders and companies are doing what is necessary to radically change the narrative.

Solution

GoodPlanet is dedicated to raising awareness about social and environmental challenges. They provide advice to companies and governments on how to shift towards more sustainable practices such as reducing carbon emissions, putting in place responsible food policies or monitoring the social impact on local communities.

Impact

Since its foundation, GoodPlanet supported 61 projects across 22 countries, positively impacting over 270k people. They notably enabled the construction of 20k biogas tanks, the installation of 12k solar cookers, and the plantation of 2 mio trees. (source: Good Planet, 2022)

Design-a-Thon

Source: Think.org

Emer Beamer
Founder

Problem

A big misconception is that only adults are able to drive change. Most education systems aren’t really designed to enable children to design a better world for themselves and for the planet, be part of the change, and take action. Current education systems still follow principles that emerge in the 19th century.

Solution

With the help of facilitators, policy-makers, and impact-driven organizations, Design-a-thon created a unique education model to empower 8 to 12-year-olds to drive change. Students learn how to design, create and present their solutions to accelerate 17 SDGs to companies and government bodies.

Impact

Since 2014, Designathon has reached about 115k children with the help of 2k facilitators through 45 different countries. Students have already designed over 30k solutions to tackle global challenges. Schools using the Designathon method have observed significant change and municipalities have started to use children’s solutions. (source: Design-a-thon, 2022)

Fairphone

Noud Tillemans
CFO & Managing

Problem

Every year, 1.4 billion phones are sold worldwide and most aren’t built to last or be repaired. The telecom industry is likely to account for 14% of global CO2 emissions by 2040. In addition, the mining of key materials to produce lithium-ion batteries poses numerous human rights concerns such as child labor and poor working conditions.

Solution

Since 2013, Fairphone is committed to building the most ethical smartphone on the market. The concept is simple: produce easily repairable smartphones from materials sourced as transparently and ethically as possible. They went on producing other types of electronics such as headphones.

Impact

Their latest release, the Fairphone 4, scores 85% in ecology (best in the industry), is currently the easiest smartphone to repair on the planet (9.3/10 on IFixit), and is the first e-waste-neutral device on the market (reusing or recycling as many phones as you sell). Fairphone was notably featured in Time’s list of best innovations in 2022. (source: Fairphone, 2022)

Winnow

Source: linkedin.com

David Jackson
Marketing Director

Problem

Roughly 1/3 of the food produced every year, is either wasted or lost. In addition to the dramatic social and environmental impacts, food waste costs the hospitality industry over 100bn annually. Professional kitchens waste up to 20% of the food they purchase.

Solution

Winnow helps professional kitchens run more productively and sustainably by cutting food waste in half. Winnow has developed an AI-enabled device that allows to identify food items as in real time to pinpoint waste and take better decisions.

Impact

Winnow has already produced analytics for over a 1k kitchens in over 40 countries, building a massive database. Winnow has been collaborating with big firms to scale their impact. They helped IKEA UK save 1.2 mio meals and allowed Hilton hotels to save 65’000£ in food purchases. (source: Winnow, 2022)

Thred

Jenk Oz
Founder & CEO

Problem

Gen Z is often dismissed as lazy or inexperienced, yet they’re at the forefront of social and environmental justice, aligning their careers and spending with their values. Despite this, they lack opportunities to be heard and turn their ideas into action. It’s time to empower them to lead change.

Solution

Thred is the UK’s leading digital media platform by and for Gen Z, founded in 2017 by then 12-year-old Jenk Oz, UK’s youngest CEO. Thred empowers young, creative minds to explore topics like tech, culture, and entrepreneurship through authentic and engaging content.

Impact

Thred reaches readers in 17 languages across 180+ countries, including places like Tajikistan, Fiji, and Bhutan. While there isn’t really tangible analytics to measure the influence on readers every day, Thred will continue to create content relevant to Gen z, inspire people globally so they can have an impact locally. (source: Thred, 2022)

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