About SEWF

Canada is hosting The Social Enterprise World Forum! October 2 – 4, 2013

Leveraging Markets and Innovations to Solve Social Problems

A Global Gathering

The 2013 Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) will bring together 1,200 individuals from more than 30 countries and speakers from more than 20 countries. Attendees will come from diverse backgrounds – social enterprise practitioners from all sectors, traditional non-profits, for-profit businesses, philanthropists, intrapreneurs, the public sector, support agencies, funders and investors, consultants, indigenous groups, and students – but all share a dedication to resolving the world’s most complex and confounding social challenges.

With a Local Flavour

While celebrating social enterprise successes from around the world is important, SEWF offers so much more. Each year it gives a different host country an incredible opportunity to celebrate and nurture its own social enterprise movement. 2013 is Canada’s year to shine!

This special occasion has led to an historic collaboration. Event host, TRICO Charitable Foundation, is partnering with the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, Social Innovation Generation, the Social Finance Forum and the Canadian Community Economic Development Network to make this THE social enterprise event in Canada.

And an Ambitious Agenda

SEWF 2013 will be a watershed moment, galvanizing the social enterprise movement, propelling it into the mainstream, and raising social impact to new levels. To achieve this end, the forum will focus on three key elements: collaboration, the power of great ideas, and a systemic approach to change. Strategic initiatives will include:

An extensive communications strategy, including partnerships within the social enterprise sector and mainstream media
Pre- and post-event articles and online discussions
17 main stage speakers and more than 80 breakout session panelists
Numerous platforms and opportunities to network, celebrate success, share insights, collaborate, discuss and analyze the latest trends, and explore policy options
Topics exploring and nurturing the entire range of impact, from service delivery, to scaling, to pattern change, to the ultimate level of innovation, systemic change
Efforts to convene and facilitate dialogue across all sectors devoted to enhancing social impact, from social enterprises to policy makers, private sector leaders, social good businesses, not-for profits, philanthropists and intrapreneurs.

More About SEWF 2013

The History of the Social Enterprise World Forum

The inaugural SEWF met in Edinburgh, Scotland. Since then it has been to Melbourne, Australia; San Francisco, U.S.A; Johannesburg, Africa; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A Steering Group oversees the operations of SEWF. Consisting of national social enterprise leaders committed to collaborating internationally to advance social enterprise development, the 13-member group includes representatives from Canada, the USA, Scotland, England, Germany, South America, South Africa and Australia.

Click here to learn more about SEWF and its steering group.

Event Program

SEWF 2013 will focus on six program tracks (click on link to learn more):

Each track offers its own breakout sessions with panel presentations and opportunities for engaging dialogue. A total of 36 breakout sessions!

Each session will be recorded and posted online so that the discussions and insights can be consulted, referred to, and used again and again by everyone dedicated to the advancement of social enterprise.

For more information contact us at or connect with us here.