Social Enterprises and Economic Inclusion: Hype or the ‘Real Deal’?
VIEW EVENT DETAILSJ.P. Morgan – Asia Society One Step Ahead Series
Background
Economic inclusion and addressing wealth inequality is a large and intensifying challenge for emerging economies across Asia. In Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most developed economies, wealth inequality has continued to worsen and upward mobility for the poor and disadvantaged is increasingly constrained, creating structural poverty among the working poor. The challenge for Asia’s emerging economies will be to balance growth with inclusivity, so as to create jobs and increase wealth for the poor and disadvantaged. To this end, social enterprises are seen as one part of the solution for inclusive economic growth. The buzz surrounding social enterprise in Hong Kong and across Asia has been intensifying, with the movement spurring the launch of many start-ups, funds, impact investors, incubators, accelerators and training programs all promoting social entrepreneurship.
The purpose of this roundtable is to reflect on the activity to date and assess how effective social enterprises have been toward creating economic inclusion in Asia. The roundtable will do this in two panels: the first panel will look specifically at Hong Kong and provide a definition of economic inclusion. The second panel will invite regional comparisons in Singapore, Korea and China to understand what has worked / not worked regionally. The panellists will discuss an honest and pragmatic view of where social enterprises can make the biggest difference in promoting inclusive economic growth (and where social enterprises may not be the answer), and how successful models could be supported to reach scale.
Supported by
*This program is by invitation only. For program enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Luncheon Menu
36 Hour Pork Belly – slow-cooked with chickpea ragout
Lemon Herb Crusted Sea Bass with vine ripened tomatoes and butter bean puree
Pistachio & Raspberry Trifle with layers of sponge cake and cream
Vegetarian Menu
Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Tart with caramelized onions
Romesco Eggplant with charred broccoli and creamy labneh yogurt
Pistachio & Raspberry Trifle with layers of sponge cake and cream
Event Details
Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, Hong Kong