footprint founders take Skoll social entrep. prize
This just in: Mathis Wackernagel and Susan Burns, founders of the Global Footprint Network, are the recipients of a three-year, $1,015,000 matching grant award from the Skoll Foundation.
Global Footprint Network is one of only 10 organizations, honored with the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, a prize presented by the Foundation to recognize the most innovative and effective approaches to resolving critical social issues.
As you will infer from other posts in this blog, I believe the concept of the ecological footprint is the single most important aspect of our learning to think about sustainability is new ways, and this Skoll prize gives the footprint a huge boost.
Global Footprint Network joins a prestigious group of entrepreneurs who are working around the world on issues that have a global impact.
Said Sally Osberg, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation, “Mathis Wackernagel and Susan Burns are tremendous additions to the community of Skoll entrepreneurs. They have demonstrated those key characteristics of successful social entrepreneurs: inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage and fortitude.”
“Like all the organizations in our portfolio, Global Footprint Network is tackling a complex social problem with a sustainable, scalable solution. We believe their work has the potential for transformational benefit in the area of ecological sustainability, and we’re honored to support their continued commitment to systemic change.”
Said Burns and Wackernagel:
“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our 75 partner organizations, our donors, and our dedicated staff and volunteers who have worked so hard over the past 3 years to achieve the significant progress that we have. This grant marks a new chapter in our organization’s history, allowing us to build the foundation necessary to achieve ‘Ten-in-Ten:’ institutionalizing the Ecological Footprint in at least ten key nations by 2015.”
With this investment from the Skoll Foundation, the Global Footprint Network will:
- Build worldwide commitment to ending overshoot by expanding our partner network to include new national governments and international agencies;
- Give governments the tools to make ecological limits central to decision-making by supporting core research and improvements to National Footprint Accounts for 152 nations; and
- Increase the comparability and quality of Footprint applications everywhere by developing the next generation of methodological standards.
Building a sustainable society will require new economic, social and technological innovations as we learn to live well on a smaller Footprint. We are honored to have the support of Skoll Foundation as we move toward a future where everyone can live well within the means of nature.
Susan and Mathis are formally accepting the award at a special ceremony on March 28 at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University.
You go gang!
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.