ASCI a finalist in Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards

The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative has been recognised as a finalist in the Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards 2025, which will be announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 2025. Every year, these awards recognise social change leaders across a diversity of social innovation models, and ASCI is one of just four finalists of Collective Social Innovators.

Since 1998, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has been at the forefront of bringing together the world's leading social innovators across the most diverse sectors and geographical boundaries. At the core of its agenda is its intent to recognise every year the most inspiring social innovators worldwide through its Social Innovation Awards.

The Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards finalists | World Economic Forum  

The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative is a unique multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together governments, civil society and private sector across West and Central Africa, with African leadership for African priorities. ASCI puts producer countries in Africa at the forefront of defining principles for the sustainable development of commodities, in a way that improves livelihoods and protects natural resources.

ASCI includes ten countries in Central and West Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Edo State in Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone. The collective progress demonstrates the political will and potential across the region with agreed principles that include governance for international investment; inclusion of under-represented groups and protection of Indigenous rights; and investment in smallholders to boost productivity.

Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative

"After ten years working in ten countries across West and Central Africa on responsible production of agricultural commodities, partnering with public and private sector and civil society, it is great to see ASCI considered among the pioneering social innovators driving systemic change and improving the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide," said Ali Merifield, Director of Communications and Knowledge Management at Proforest.