Richard Branson on entrepreneurship contributing to a better world

STOCKHOLM 22 APRIL -2010, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group and the foundation Virgin Unite, is coming to Stockholm April 29 to participate at the Postcode Lottery’s event on social entrepreneurship. 'When I can get out there and show other entrepreneurs how to contribute to a better world, it will hopefully inspire others to do the same', says Richard Branson. The Swedisch Minister for Enterprise, Maud Olofsson, will also participate in the event and talk about what she wants to do to create better conditions to act for social entrepreneurs in Sweden.

The world faces several global challenges that have to be solved. Social entrepreneurs are able, and willing, to contribute to a better world. Distinguishing features for social entrepreneurs are creating social innovation and bring changes to a number of different areas such as environment, climate, healthcare and research, education and fighting poverty.

'There is a need for business leaders and politicians to understand that commercial initiatives can create sustainable solutions to social and global problems', says Niclas Kjellström-Matseke, CEO of the Swedish Postcode Lottery.

Theme of the evening is: Social entrepreneurship - creating a better world through an innovative approach. Professor Willem van Riet from Peace Parks Foundation will attend the event and talk about how they work to create peace and sustainable development in several African countries. Peace Parks Foundation is currently working on its establishment in Sweden. All speakers participate pro-bono, due to their are engagement in the topic of social entrepreneurship.

About the Swedish Postcode Lottery’s engagement in social entrepreneurship
The Swedish Postcode Lottery wants to increase and spread the knowledge about social entrepreneurship to show that this can contribute to sustainable development in society.
The Swedish Postcode Lottery’s vision is to contribute to a better world for people, animals and the environment. The Postcode Lottery operates as an enterprise, gets its revenue from selling lottery tickets and donates the surplus to charity. We call the model Market-Driven Charity, since commercial tools are used for charitable causes.