Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship

Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship
Name	Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship
Founded	2004
Founder	Jeffrey Skoll
Location	Oxford, United Kingdom
Frequency	Annual

Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship is an annual convening for social entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, philanthropists, and academics that takes place in Oxford, England. The Forum was established to accelerate solutions to social problems by facilitating collaboration among leaders from non‑profit, private, and public sectors, and it gathers participants connected to institutions such as University of Oxford, Oxford Said Business School, Aga Khan Development Network, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Schumacher College. The event is known for high-profile keynotes, panels, and workshops featuring figures linked to United Nations, World Bank, Harvard University, and international civil society networks.

History and Founding

The Forum was founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Skoll, an entrepreneur and philanthropist associated with eBay and Skoll Foundation, with early support from entities including Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at University of Oxford and partners from Ashoka, Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Oxfam. Its emergence drew on precedents such as the World Economic Forum and the Clinton Global Initiative, aiming to create a dedicated platform for social entrepreneurship linked to practitioners like Muhammad Yunus, Paul Polman, Jacqueline Novogratz, and institutions including Acumen Fund and Ashesi University. Over time the Forum expanded programming to include collaborations with United Nations Development Programme, European Commission, International Monetary Fund, and networks such as Global Social Entrepreneurship Network and Social Enterprise UK.

Mission and Objectives

The Forum’s stated mission links to the philanthropic strategy of Skoll Foundation and seeks to scale innovations from laureates of awards like the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and movements exemplified by organizations such as BRAC, Grameen Bank, CK Prahalad-inspired initiatives, and Save the Children. Objectives emphasize knowledge exchange among participants from Bill Clinton-era health initiatives, UNAIDS, Médecins Sans Frontières, and social finance actors including Acumen Fund, Big Society Capital, Kiva, and Ashoka. It aims to catalyze cross-sector partnerships involving actors like UK Department for International Development, USAID, Gates Cambridge Scholarships, and private sector partners such as Unilever and Mastercard Foundation.

Annual Forum Structure and Programming

Program formats mirror global convenings such as TED, Aspen Ideas Festival, and Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, featuring plenaries, panels, masterclasses, and lab sessions. Sessions commonly involve speakers from Harvard Kennedy School, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Columbia University, and practitioners from organizations including Room to Read, Teach For All, Living Goods, and Doctors Without Borders. Side events and workshops often partner with research centers like Oxford Internet Institute, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, and funders such as Omidyar Network, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Skoll Global Threats Fund. Themes have included social finance, impact measurement with tools referenced by Social Return on Investment proponents, systems change drawing from Donella Meadows-influenced frameworks, and scaling models practiced by BRAC and Habitat for Humanity.

Notable Laureates, Speakers, and Participants

The Forum has featured leaders and laureates including Muhammad Yunus, Jacqueline Novogratz, Bill Drayton, Jeffrey Sachs, Ban Ki-moon, Melinda Gates, Paul Farmer, Wangari Maathai-adjacent environmental advocates, and sector innovators from IDEO, UnLtd, Nesta, and Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship winners such as Room to Read, Living Goods, Ecofiltro, Grameen Bank, and BRAC. Policymakers from Theresa May-era UK delegations, Barack Obama administration advisors, and diplomats tied to United Nations General Assembly sessions have participated alongside investors from Fondation de France, Norad, and impact funds like Triodos Investment Management.

Impact, Outcomes, and Criticism

Proponents cite outcomes including new partnerships between organizations such as Acumen Fund and Teach For All, diffusion of models later adopted by UNICEF and World Health Organization, and increased visibility for social enterprises like One Acre Fund and KickStart International. Independent researchers and commentators from The Guardian, The New York Times, and academics at Stanford Graduate School of Business and London School of Economics have evaluated the Forum’s role in agenda-setting and network creation. Critics associated with voices from Thomas Piketty-influenced inequality debates, Noam Chomsky-style critiques, and scholars aligned with Privatization-critical literatures argue the Forum can emphasize market-based solutions linked to corporate partners such as Unilever and McKinsey & Company, raising questions about power dynamics and accountability echoed by activists from Make Poverty History and Global Justice Movement.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding and partnerships involve a mix of philanthropic and corporate supporters including Skoll Foundation, Omidyar Network, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, Unilever Foundation, and academic partners like University of Oxford and Saïd Business School. Collaborative initiatives have connected the Forum with multi-lateral agencies such as World Bank Group, International Finance Corporation, European Investment Bank, and philanthropy networks including Council on Foundations and Philanthropy Australia. Sponsorship relationships with consulting firms like McKinsey & Company and media partners including BBC and The Economist have prompted discussions about influence and independence.

Media Coverage and Publications

Coverage of the Forum appears in outlets such as The Guardian, The New York Times, Financial Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, and specialist publications like Stanford Social Innovation Review and Harvard Business Review. The Forum and affiliated centers publish reports, case studies, and multimedia in partnership with Oxford University Press and research groups at Oxford Martin School, producing resources cited by practitioners at Acumen Fund, Ashoka, Nesta, and academics from Harvard University and London School of Economics. Critiques and investigative pieces by journalists from Al Jazeera, The Intercept, and columnists in The Washington Post have also examined themes of philanthrocapitalism and accountability linked to major donors.

Category:Social entrepreneurship Category:Conferences in the United Kingdom Category:Philanthropy