A curated list of pioneering social enterprise founders and business leaders who are leveraging innovative business models to address climate change. These individuals combine profit with purpose, tackling issues from carbon capture to sustainable agriculture.
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Former Unilever CEO who championed the Sustainable Development Goals and net-zero emissions within supply chains. He co-founded the Intentional Capital Fund to invest in businesses that generate measurable social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
CEO of B. Labs, the nonprofit that created the B Corp certification, which holds companies accountable to high standards of social and environmental performance. Her work has accelerated the mainstream adoption of stakeholder capitalism globally.
Author and activist who focuses on food sovereignty and climate justice, advocating for systemic changes in agricultural practices. He works with numerous NGOs to promote sustainable farming methods that reduce carbon footprints while supporting local communities.
Founder of Community Food Junkies and the Good Food Revolution, she empowers communities through sustainable urban agriculture. Her work includes training residents in growing food and reducing waste, directly tackling climate change through local food systems.
Late Kenyan activist who founded the Green Belt Movement, planting over 50 million trees to combat deforestation and soil erosion. Her model of community-driven environmental conservation remains a blueprint for social enterprises addressing climate resilience.
Co-founder of Mission: Possible, a social enterprise that provides free career resources to help people transition into green jobs. His platform addresses the skills gap in the renewable energy sector, facilitating a just transition for the workforce.
Founder of Patagonia, who gifted the company to fight climate change and donated over $100 million in dividends annually to environmental causes. His business model demonstrates how corporations can lead in sustainability and regenerative organic agriculture.
Former CEO of Unilever North America who became a vocal advocate for corporate climate action and circular economy principles. He now consults for companies seeking to decarbonize their operations and align with net-zero goals.
Late founder of The Body Shop, who pioneered ethical trading and campaigning against animal testing and environmental degradation. Her legacy inspires modern social enterprises to integrate human rights and environmental stewardship into core business strategies.
Coined the term 'Triple Bottom Line' (People, Planet, Profit), providing the theoretical framework for sustainable business. He advises governments and corporations on creating regenerative economic models that account for environmental costs.
Co-founder of Karma, a technology company that helps supermarkets and restaurants sell surplus food at discounted prices. This social enterprise reduces food waste, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting local charities.
Founder of Pango, a Chinese social enterprise providing free vocational training for disabled young adults in the digital service sector. Her model demonstrates how inclusive hiring practices in the tech industry can drive both social equity and business efficiency.
Co-founder of Fairphone, which designs and sells ethically sourced smartphones to reduce e-waste and exploitatior. His enterprise challenges the tech industry's supply chain practices, promoting mineral transparency and repairability.
Executive Director of the Story of Stuff Project, which educates the public on the environmental and social impacts of consumption. Her advocacy drives policy changes and consumer behaviors that mitigate climate change through reduced waste.
Climate scientist and founder of The Nature Conservancy’s climate outreach initiatives, bridging science and social action. She helps organizations and individuals translate climate data into actionable business strategies for mitigation and adaptation.
Co-founder of Oxfam’s business engagement programs, focusing on fair trade and sustainable supply chains. His work helps large corporations integrate smallholder farmers into global markets, reducing poverty and promoting climate-resilient agriculture.
Fashion designer and inventor of BioCouture, creating clothing from grown bacterial cellulose as an alternative to synthetic materials. Her work inspires the fashion industry to adopt biological manufacturing processes to reduce carbon emissions.
Author of 'Regenerative Organic' and founder of Drawdown, compiling the most substantive plan for reversing global warming. He consults for enterprises aiming to implement regenerative practices that sequester carbon and restore ecosystems.
Founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which champions the circular economy to eliminate waste and pollution. Her framework is widely adopted by social enterprises to redesign products and systems for long-term environmental sustainability.
Author of 'The Zero Marginal Cost Society,' advocating for the collaborative commons and renewable energy integration. His theories influence social enterprises to develop platform cooperatives that share resources efficiently and reduce carbon footprints.