The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has named Christoph Sutter and Renat Heuberger as the winners of the 2011 Switzerland Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. The award recognizes the work of their company, South Pole Carbon Asset Management, which combines local commitment to sustainable development in emerging and developing countries with solutions for global climate change.
The idea behind South Pole Carbon is to confront climate change using market-based approaches. In Switzerland, for example, the reduction of one tonne of CO2 costs nearly 10 times as much as in Vietnam. Therefore, Switzerland can reach its reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol by investing in climate change projects abroad.
With 10 offices around the work and operations in over 20 countries, the company enables the implementation and operation of high-quality emission-reduction projects that address climate change and sustainable development, including in the areas of waste management and reforestation of degraded tropical forests. The projects allow companies or individuals to compensate for their emissions that cannot necessarily be reduced at source. In addition to fighting climate change, South Pole’s projects also generate jobs, protect the local environment, transfer sustainable technology and boost local economies in developing countries.
Since 2005, the Social Entrepreneur of the Year prize is awarded in Switzerland every second year by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group. Candidates for the award are judged based on three main criteria: innovation, sustainability and direct social impact of their work. An independent panel of pre-eminent judges met on December 13, 2011, to determine the winner among three finalists.
The other finalists are:
Roman Bleichenbacher, Codecheck
Codecheck is an online guide that helps consumers with their purchasing decisions. It provides them with a website and free apps to access background information and expert opinions on a range of products.
Codecheck is an online guide that helps consumers with their purchasing decisions. It provides them with a website and free apps to access background information and expert opinions on a range of products.
Martin Spirig and Beat Drittenbass, POINZZ
POINZZ rewards young people when they consume little or no alcohol. It gives young people the opportunity to do a breath test after an evening out. Depending on the result, they receive a certain number of points, which can be redeemed on the company's website for such gifts as CDs, DVDs, and concert and theatre tickets.
POINZZ rewards young people when they consume little or no alcohol. It gives young people the opportunity to do a breath test after an evening out. Depending on the result, they receive a certain number of points, which can be redeemed on the company's website for such gifts as CDs, DVDs, and concert and theatre tickets.
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