How is elea raising awareness?

In order to embed the practical work of elea in an appropriate framework for reflection from an academic perspective, the elea Chair for Social Innovation has been created at the IMD Business School in Lausanne. In accordance with the activities of elea, this new and innovative kind of professorship in Switzerland will particularly deal with the impact of entrepreneurial activities and market mechanisms in tackling social problems, and thereby contribute to the identification and promotion of societal innovations. As per January 2018, Prof. Vanina Farber has been appointed to IMD to assume elea’s Chair for Social Innovation.

In addition to specific investment activities, elea is also actively involved in the further development of the entrepreneurial philanthropy sector, as well as the strengthening of its own profile within this field. For this purpose, elea regularly takes part in conferences, specialist lectures, and meetings with partner institutions. It also publishes the knowledge it has acquired, such as its self-developed method for systematic impact measurement (eIMM).

Participation in the annual St. Gallen Symposium is an integral element of this goal to raise awareness. elea supports the International Students’ Committee (ISC) that organizes this event by assisting them with the development of themes for the conference agenda, such as fighting poverty and impact investing. elea also selectively participates in debates at the St. Gallen Symposium by taking part in workshops and informal discussions. The opportunity to share information with other impact-oriented institutions, young social entrepreneurs, as well as business leaders and politicians from around the world promotes the understanding of global developments and their implications for regions in which elea is actively engaged.

The new Impact Finance Forum creates a space for constructive dialogue between decision-makers and opinion leaders on sustainable investing in Switzerland. At elea we aim to raise awareness for investment in social enterprises and help the sector as a whole reach the next level. In this long-term partnership, we will apply our expertise gained from 15 years in impact investing. By doing so, we will support the strategic positioning of a responsible financial center.