Across the world, millions of people are creating better ways to tackle some of the most challenging social problems of our times. “This is European Social Innovation – A call for inspiring stories” proves that Europe is no exception.

World Diversity Leadership Summit (WDLS) Europe was organized by Beatrice Achaleke, between 24-25. March 2011 in Vienna. Petra Radeschnig presented the Prize SozialMarie. 

At present it is most satisfactory to note that social innovation becomes a topic of high interest world-wide. In Europe it even forms a building block in future innovation strategies on several national and international levels, particularly in the framework of the Innovation Union, one of the seven Flagship Initiatives of the Strategy Europe 2020. 

Prepared by Josef Hochgerner (Zentrum für Soziale Innovation, ZSI)

Despite—or perhaps because of—the fact that Austria has been a follower of innovation for a long time, social innovation has not become a key issue in national policy debate until recently. Nevertheless, many innovations have been introduced to stimulate social development throughout the 20th century. 

Social innovations are new concepts and measures to resolve societal challenges, adopted and utilised by social groups concerned.

(ZSI - Centre for Social innovation)