Despite the challenging global context, when it comes to methods for scaling impact, 74% of social innovators prioritize diversification and over 80% put expansion and practice adoption before duplication, policy transformation or social mobilization. This approach has borne fruits for innovators, evidenced by the ways in which they have grown their impact over the past year. These successes are explored further below. Social innovators report a sustained level of visibility over the past year, with 54% receiving at least one recognition, 74% authoring or being featured in publications and close to 90% speaking publicly. The Schwab Foundation itself published 15 reports over the last two years, all featuring social innovators as key case studies of innovative solutions or as best practice in their sectors. Across social media during the past year, the Foundation doubled its impressions, making it twice as visible compared to the previous year. Nurturing an ecosystem of actors Through its ecosystem platforms, the Foundation convenes 130 actors in support of social innovation, including 55 companies and more than 30 policy actors. Of the members of the Corporate Leadership Council, 27 have also signed the Rise Ahead pledge to enhance the social economy by 2030. In the first two years of reporting, the signatories contributed over $500 million in support of social innovation.The areas that ecosystem members sought to enhance the most over the past year include social procurement, the standardization of data collection on social enterprises and outcome- based or innovative finance – suggesting an intent to operationalize or mainstream innovative models once considered niche into broader organizational practices. More than half of the organizations surveyed or interviewed view the work of the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship as extremely effective or very effective . Around two-thirds believe it has helped to raise the profile of social innovation as a driver of social and environmental impact, foster new partnerships and strengthen organizational learning. Organizations particularly value the opportunity for organizational learning and peer exchange, noting that participation in the platform has helped them form new or deeper partnerships and apply best practice within their own operations. The Alliance’s activities were also seen as effective in advancing the mainstreaming of social innovation across both the private and public sectors. About one-third of respondents rate its influence on social procurement and data on social enterprise as significant or very significant . Credit: FabricAID Schwab Foundation 2026 Awardees and Impact Report 14

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