Social
Venture Network 2010 Innovation Awards:
Applications Now Being Accepted Until April 15,
2010
(Press
Release) In
a partnership with Utne Reader, Social Venture Network (SVN),
the country’s leading network
of socially responsible entrepreneurs, announced today that
it is accepting applications for the 2010 SVN Innovation
Awards. The Innovation Awards program supports the “next
generation” of socially responsible business and nonprofit
leaders by providing access to the people and resources
that can help them to develop and grow their enterprises.
Past Innovation Award Winners include Peter Liu (New Resource
Bank), Brenda Palms Barber (Sweet Beginnings), Priya Haji
(World of Good), Tim O’Shea (CleanFish) and Ron Gonen
(RecycleBank).
“SVN is, for the fourth year, inviting the next generation
of socially responsible leaders to apply for the SVN Innovation
Awards,” said Deborah Nelson, executive director of Social
Venture Network. “Even in these challenging times, innovative
entrepreneurs are proving that business can help build a more
just and sustainable world. We look forward to highlighting
our 2010 winners later this year and welcoming them into the
SVN community.”
SVN
is accepting Innovation Awards applications now through
April 15th, 2010 at: www.svn.org/awards.
A group of finalists will be selected and announced in June.
After a second round of judging that will include
phone interviews with each finalist, the Innovation Awards judging
panel will select the 2010 Innovation Award winners in July.
Winners will be honored during an Awards ceremony during the
2010 SVN Fall Conference at the Ocean Place Resort, in Long Branch,
New Jersey, October 21 - 24.
The 2010 winners
will each receive a one-year
membership in SVN as well as waived conference registration,
travel expenses, and special recognition at the invitation-only
2010 SVN Fall Conference. During the Awards ceremony,
the winners will have the opportunity to share their story
with an audience of 250 successful socially responsible business
leaders, investors and nonprofit leaders.
This
year, the Innovation Award winners will also be featured in a
special six-page section in the November/December 2010 issue
of Utne Reader. In addition, winners will be promoted for
a full year on the SVN Website, in several other media outlets, and
will receive free registration to the 2011 Spring SVN Member
Gathering.
“Being
honored as an SVN Innovation Awards winner made a huge difference
to my organization. I’ve made a lot of
great connections, received mentoring from several SVN members,
and have partnered with a number of the network’s leaders
who helped me think strategically about how to achieve greater
social impact,” commented 2007 winner, Morgan Simon, the
co-founder of Responsible Endowments Coalition (REC).
The
2009 SVN Innovation Award Winners are: Brent Baker
(Tri-State Biodiesel), Shannon Boase (EarthCycle Packaging), Mark
Hanis (Genocide Intervention Network), Gregg Keesling (Workforce,
Inc.), and Sam Goldman and Ned Tozun (D.light Design). The 2009
SVN Innovation Award Honorable Mentions are: Joseph James (Corporation
for Economic Opportunity) and Ben Powell (Agora Partnerships).
“To receive the SVN Innovation Award was a tremendous
honor. The Award validates our beliefs and strengthens our sense
of purpose. The SVN network consists of highly committed members
dedicated to creating social change--we have already looked to
many individuals and companies as role models while reaching
out to others for advisory and strategic help,” noted Shannon
Boase, founder and CEO of EarthCycle Packaging.
About Social Venture Network
Founded
in 1987 by Josh Mailman and Wayne Silby, Social Venture Network
(SVN) is a member organization of 500 CEO’s,
investors, and nonprofit leaders committed to building a
just economy and sustainable planet. SVN believes in a triple
bottom line for business, one that values people, the planet
and profits. SVN members are part of an expanding network of
pioneering entrepreneurs who share this vision and are helping
to transform the way the world does business.
SVN
has nurtured the growth and prevalence of initiatives
such as socially responsible investing, sustainable
economies, fair trade and organics. Notable SVN members include Ben
Cohen (Ben & Jerry’s), Ahmed Rahim (Numi Tea), Eileen
Fisher (Eileen Fisher Inc.), Jeffrey Hollender (Seventh Generation),
Amy Domini (Domini Social Investments), Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins
(Green for All) and Gary Erickson (Clif Bar Inc.). These entrepreneurs
have prioritized the environment, social concerns and profitability
to create successful businesses. To learn more, please
visit www.svn.org.
2010 Annual
Innovation Awards Eligibility:
To
be eligible for the 2010 Innovation Awards, applicants
must currently hold positions as C-level executives (CEOs, executive
directors, founders, etc.) of businesses or nonprofit organizations
implementing an idea that is having a positive social or environmental
impact on the business sector. Eligible applicants will be
leading an organization that has been operating for
more than 6 months and less than 5 years.
For
a 2010 SVN Innovation Awards application,
complete program information and eligibility guidelines, and
additional information about SVN, visit: http://www.svn.org/awards.
