Panel Sessions

Social Business Day panel sessions are designed to give an in-depth look into cutting edge topics in the world of social business. By taking part in these interactive panel sessions you will become involved in the social business movement as an agent of change.

You are welcome to attend any of the panel session listed below. No pre-registration required.

Speakers will be announced shortly

1) Academic World: What's coming up next:
Social Business in mainstream education, through academic course development, research, workshops and seminars, student action groups, interaction with business community and others. Expected participants are:  Universities from Bangladesh and other countries, Research institutions, and Business Schools.

2) Fighting Youth Unemployment with Social Business: Nobin Udyokta (“Young Entrepreneur”) Initiatives of Grameen Companies

Description: Grameen companies will present their experiences of how second generation of Grameen Bank borrowers are being guided to become job-givers instead of job-seekers. Participants will find out how the “Nobin Udyokta” programme works; the selection process, preparation of projects, project implementation, mentoring and follow-up. The panel will discuss how young people can become entrepreneurs with equity investments and social business funds from Grameen companies.

3) Innovative Financing for Social Business: Example of Crowd Funding, Loan Guarantees and Others.

Description: Experiences will be shared on how promising social businesses are getting funded through innovative means: Crowd-Funding, Loan Guarantee, Sponsorship, Design Lab Platform and other methods. This workshop will bring out how different instruments can be used to finance social businesses at start-up stage as well as for scaling up.

4) Social Business Pedia

Description: How far has the Social Business Pedia gone to give people all information on the vast world of social business? The Team behind the Social Business Pedia will give the latest status, seek ideas, suggestions and contents on how the platform can be built to be a one-stop resource centre for social business needs worldwide. The workshop will discuss on how social businesses can use and update their information on SB Pedia and how to best use SB Pedia to promote the social business movement.

5) Introducing some Interesting Social Businesses from Around the World.

Description: This panel will present the first hand knowledge of new and interesting social businesses are operating around the world.

6) Social Business in Marketing

The panel will share experiences of Grameen Distribution, Grameen Danone Foods Limited and JITA on how they have set up a network to sell products in rural areas with sales force of young women and men. Also they will share the experience of marketing companies which are created to by-pass the chain of middlemen to bring the products from the producers directly to the ultimate consumers, and by doing that enhance the price and quality of products to increase the income of the producers.