Sustainability entrepreneurs are primarily active at the interface between politics, business and civil society. They provide access to new resources and work to initiate structural changes by applying economic approaches that account for social and environmental concerns. They use innovative business models to create new markets, generate new sources of income – particularly for socially underprivileged sections of society – and help cultivate green economies.

As providers of innovative products and services, they tap into the potential of new groups of low-income buyers at the base of the pyramid, in particular in emerging and developing countries. When implementing their projects, they often join forces with stakeholders from the field of international development cooperation, from the private sector at national and international level, and they work closely with governments, research institutes and civil society groups.

adelphi's international activities foster the creation and development of sustainable business models, facilitate dialogue and enable the dissemination of these approaches in national and international forums. The SEED Award, which acknowledges the efforts of up to 30 sustainability entrepreneurs across the world each year, is one such support mechanism. adelphi consults the award recipients as they compile business plans, develop marketing strategies and impact assessment systems, and expand their partnerships and networks.

adelphi's project AdaptCap in India helps municipalities develop private sector investment models for climate adaptation measures. In another project on eWaste, we provide advice and training to electronic waste recycling companies on how to develop sustainable business models.
Within the scope of the International Business Forum, adelphi is currently assisting the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in the development and organisation of a dialogue process between government, the private sector and civil society. The dialogue series, running from 2010 to 2012, focuses on a range of topics, including successful strategies for sustainability entrepreneurship and the base of the pyramid.

By organising accompany events, we enable dialogue between stakeholders at national level with the aim of harnessing sustainability entrepreneurship to tackle global poverty and resource shortages. By organising discussion forums on conditions for success, opportunities to implement strategies on a wider scale and financing options, adelphi aims to place sustainability entrepreneurship firmly on the economic and development policy agenda.