Membership and Functions
The Social Entrepreneurship Center engages in several national and international scientific associations, societies as well as advisory boards and supports various projects and initiatives with its expertise.
EUCLID Membership
The Social Entrepreneurship Center has been a member of EUCLID Social Enterprise Network since early 2015. EUCLID Social Enterprise Network unites 19 European capacity building institutions and policy makers working on the subject of social entrepreneurship. As part of the EUCLID membership the team participated in several international workshops on topics such as the development of social entrepreneurship within the European Union and its institutions, and contributed to the list of demands for the new GECES group (Commission Expert Group on the Social Business Initiative).
Social City Wien
Social City Vienna identifies and supports social innovation and development projects in Vienna with a focus on youth, education/qualifications/employment and social issues/the elderly/care. The independent initiative is a hub for social innovation and links projects with potential funding bodies, thus setting up a base for future cooperation. The Social Entrepreneurship Center supports Social City Vienna on a regular basis through consultancy by Reinhard Millner, a member of the expert advisory board.
Austrian Development Agency
Cooperation in the conceptualisation and initiation of the first call for projects on Social Business of the Austrian Development Agency for 2015/2016. Participation in the ICMPD and ADA symposium on diaspora entrepreneurship.
TRIGOS
TRIGOS is an Austrian award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Assessment is primarily based on the engagement of participating enterprises in the social and ecological sector. Great value is placed on a holistic approach, in which social responsibility is seen as the company philosophy and strategically considered in all corporate actions. The TRIGOS award plays an important role in the review and evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility in Austria. Every year since 2004 leading CSR enterprises are put into the spotlight.
UN World Summit Awards
In 2017 the World Summit Award published a preliminary call for applications in order to find, connect and reward the best digital solutions and applications in Austria. The Social Entrepreneurship Center has been a cooperation partner of the UN World Summit Award (WSA) since 2017 and co-hosted the Austrian WSA Award 2017 on “Social Innovation with Social Impact”.
The Social Entrepreneur Center was also involved in the selection of the winning projects.
People for the Planet
Mars Austria, part of the internationally represented Mars Group, is one of Austria’s largest suppliers of food. At the end of 2016 Mars Austria started the initiative “People for the Planet” in order to support the establishment of non-profit projects with social, ecological, cultural or technical goals. “People for the Planet” also supports for-profit initiatives of social entrepreneurs.
The Social Entrepreneurship Center assisted “People for the Planet” in its selection process.
Pro Bono for Social Change
trainconsulting supports executive staff in their efforts to turn their organisation into a workplace that encourages commitment and contentment among staff, thus increasing the social impact of the organisation. Since non-governmental and social profit organisations are essential promoters of social change, it is important to the trainers at trainconsulting to acknowledge, reflect on and participate in these impulses for change. This is why trainconsulting offers pro bono consultancy for selected projects on a yearly basis.
The Social Entrepreneurship Center cooperated with trainconsulting in the selection of projects for pro bono consultancy.
I2b Business Plan Competition
Assessment of business plans in the category "Students and Technology"
Membership in Scientific Associations
ARNOVA
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
ISTR
International Society for Third-Sector Research