Partnership is deeply ingrained in Reach for Change's DNA, originating as an initiative by actors from civil society and the private sector. Over time, our reach has extended to include partnerships with the public sector and academia. We firmly believe that this collaborative approach is the most powerful way to address some of the most critical challenges in our world.

The theme "Innovation for a more inclusive Sweden" is the challenge we have chosen to focus on every day. In addition to two insightful panels discussing social sustainability in the private sector and the potential of the social economy globally, we decided to offer the entrepreneurs we have supported over the years the opportunity to share their motivations, challenges, and ambitions for a better and more inclusive Sweden.

From a personal perspective, I left the event feeling a sense of renewed energy, and warmth but also vulnerability. The stories shared during the day touched me immensely and I am so proud of both the entrepreneurs and partners who shared their experiences so openly.

Focusing on the following keywords, I will try to summarize the main takeaways from the event: hope, openness and humility, storytelling and not surprisingly - innovation. 

Hope. In a society with dim headlines on increased polarization and segregation, it is important to remind yourself that there are also so many positive things being done to counterbalance negative trends and developments. That a hundred guests and ten speakers joined us on the 26th for a three-hour session dedicated to discussing what can be done to create a more inclusive Sweden, is a testament to this.   

Openness and humility. No man is an island. We all sit on important pieces of the puzzle to create a resilient and long-term sustainable society. To unite despite differences, and to see how everyone can contribute, we need to understand both where we come from, but also what lies behind the actions of others. Charbel Gabro took us on a journey sharing his personal story, but also expanding it beyond himself to help open our eyes and expand our understanding of how and why cultural differences are crucial to positive change.

Storytelling. Numbers and facts are important to make well-grounded decisions with the potential for high impact. But to convince people to join us on the journey, and to get to the core of a situation, stories speak louder than numbers. During the event, we proudly launched our new speaker series “Change Talks”, where we passed on the mic to Pamela Clemente from Right By Me, John Laselle from Löparakademin (The Runner Academy) and Muna Idow from Mermaid Simskola (Mermaid Swimming School).

These Change Leaders have all chosen to take the road less travelled, to face the discomfort of breaking new grounds, driven by the conviction to change the world for the better. Their stories touched me deeply, showing first-hand what social entrepreneurship is, and why it matters, and perfectly complemented the perspectives shared in the two fireside chats.

Innovation. We cannot do business as usual nor expect old solutions to solve new problems. We hosted two fireside chats with Henrik Lönnevi, CEO of Kivra, Niklas Rönn, CEO of Hogia and Karin Berglund, professor in entrepreneurship at Stockholm Business School to discuss social sustainability in the private sector. Kivra and Hogia have included social sustainability in their business models, and serve as prime examples of how going this route is good for business and society. These are not competing ideas but rather intertwined and mutually beneficial business ideas.

Additionally, we should not solely focus on scaling, but also on dissemination. Not all solutions are made to be scaled to reach millions but they can still contribute to valuable impact locally. 

Further, Adam Gavin, Impact Communication Specialist at the World Economic Forum, and Toby Gazeley, Policy Lead at Euclid discussed the social economy in the EU and the world. They emphasized the strength of adaptability of social enterprises, to quickly respond to situations arising, a clear example like the pandemic.

The social economy is not a negligible player. In Europe, close to 14 million people are employed within the sector, and worldwide the equivalent number is around 200 million. So one clear message is that, though being a social entrepreneur might feel lonely sometimes, you are part of a big movement. 

Despite the significant size of the sector, social enterprises face major difficulties in reaching their full potential. Some hurdles to overcome are access to finance and changes in the geopolitical environment that alter the playing field with increased competitiveness not always including environmental and social values. 

Lastly, the panel drew attention to the need for a national strategy for the social economy. Yes, policy and macro-level issues can seem hard to comprehend and grasp, but there is a lot of potential for the sector if we find the right ways to utilize the possibilities and tools at hand. 

So, to sum up, words from Sara Nazari, one of Sweden's most prominent spoken-word poets, seem fitting: 

And to repeat what I said initially: yes, the event made it clear that many work for a more inclusive society. But there is still a lot to be done. Let us use the inspiration and energy generated on the 26th of September as fuel to reach the next level in our collective efforts to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children and youth, for a more resilient and just society for all. 

All the best!

Reach out to Andréa Råsberg for further conversations and partner with us for a more inclusive Sweden: [email protected]

Photos by Yusuf Hossein, not only a talented photographer, but also founder of Rise and Shoot, and currently participating in our Swedish incubator programme. 

This event was created with the support of the Swedish Inheritance Fund (Allmänna arvsfonden).