With over 10 million social enterprises operating globally, generating US$2 trillion in revenue annually, and creating 200 million jobs, these businesses are effecting sustainable societal change by putting people and planet first.

With the world in a state of polycrisis – a term describing the simultaneous occurrence of several catastrophic events such as conflict, poverty, unemployment, and climate change – social enterprises are more critical than ever. These organizations, like Faces Up Uganda, Elli Cares, Key Farmers Cameroon, and Alexa Goodman Consulting, are a powerful force for change, and although it may seem like a recent trend, MovingWorlds reports that social enterprises have been around for over 600 years.

However, despite their growing impact, these organizations face a number of hurdles. Limited access to financing, lack of public awareness and recognition, lack of government support, inadequate legal or fiscal frameworks, and restricted access to procurement processes can all hinder their ability to thrive.

At SAP, we actively support social enterprises through our comprehensive corporate social responsibility strategy, which includes knowledge and skills transfer from employees and social procurement. Through this strategy, we facilitate pro bono consulting, mentorships, and coaching opportunities to help support social enterprises to scale their businesses, as well as connect them with new B2B markets like SAP Business Network. This approach can empower social enterprises to overcome business challenges, scale their impact, and achieve their ever-important missions.

Pro Bono Consulting: A Win-Win for Social Enterprises and SAP Employees

Building on more than a decade of experience executing pro bono consulting programs, SAP introduced a new way for more employees to share their expertise and experience with social enterprises through the Acceleration Collective initiative. The initiative is hosted on the TRANSFORM Support Hub, a global platform launched in partnership with MovingWorlds, Unilever, and the TRANSFORM program as a resource for social enterprises to access free, ongoing, bespoke support to scale their business.

Last year alone, 120 SAP employees leveraged their expertise on the platform, completing 51 projects and generating an in-kind contribution of $458,835. This initiative can not only offer growth for the social enterprises but can also foster SAP employees’ development through valuable experiential learning.

Employees Creating Change and Being Changed

SAP employees tap into skills from their day-to-day role and harness this expertise to create a solution to a real business challenge their social enterprise client is experiencing. Through this collaboration, employees contribute to the social enterprise’s mission while given the opportunity to flex and grow valuable leadership skills like cross-cultural collaboration, active listening, and a greater understanding of the challenges that small businesses face. To bring that to life, here are a few inspiring stories from employee participants of Acceleration Collective:

Collaborating with a Youth Art Education Organization on Its Strategic and Funding Plans

David Elliott, a technical communication specialist at SAP UK, collaborated with Faces Up Uganda, a youth development NGO supporting young people from vulnerable backgrounds. The organization uses arts and crafts education to help young people overcome psychosocial challenges and develop essential personal and professional skills.

Elliott reviewed the organization’s website and strategic plan, enhancing the communication of its vision, mission, and values, and wrote grant applications to help secure funding. His work included regular meetings with the organization’s founder, Ssekitto Kalule Emmanuel, who praised David for making “every word count” and inspiring the team.

“My experience with Faces Up revealed the potential of my skill set,” Elliott added. “Clarifying grammatical rules and style taught me about the impact of language in specific contexts, which has influenced my role at SAP. Seeing my work’s impact and receiving gratitude has motivated me to donate many hours to these projects.”

Partnering for Growing an App Supporting Independence for People Living with Dementia

A team of SAP employees from across the Asia, Pacific, and Japan (APJ) region – Binh Pham, senior value advisor; Sandra Chang, senior commercial business partner; and Summer Zeng, delivery manager, Product Engineering – worked alongside Elli Cares, a startup focused on supporting people with cognitive impairments. The team brainstormed with the founder, offering insights and recommendations on scaling and growing to take the business to the next level.

Pham found the experience fun, insightful, and humbling, as the team learned the challenges that startups like Elli Cares face and provided recommendations and solutions. “I was pleasantly surprised that my skill sets from my day-to-day job were transferrable and applicable to the case of this organization,” Pham said.

Enhancing the Funding Strategy for an Organization Empowering Rural Agricultural Communities

A Germany-based pro bono team – Fabio Westphal, solution advisor; Cansu Günay, enterprise customer success partner; Charlie Vu, specialist solution advisor; and Lilly Selzer, customer success partner – focused on strengthening Key Farmers Cameroon’s investor and donor outreach. This enterprise empowers rural communities through sustainable agriculture and vocational training. The SAP team refined the organization’s pitch deck and social media presence, enhancing its chances of securing funding. Westphal highlighted that he learned the importance of clear, trustful communication and concise storytelling in conveying complex ideas.

Scaling the Online Presence of a Consulting Firm Dedicated to Addressing Environmental Challenges with Creative Scientific Communication

Jaime Atilano, digital solution advisor, and Mallory Rioux, Customer Success, used their expertise in technology, brand building, and customer success to assist Alexa Goodman Consulting. Founded by scientist and environmental activist Alexa Goodman, the firm offers services in environmental education, science communication, professional development, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and team building.

The SAP team optimized the organization’s website SEO to drive traffic and grow its online presence. “This experience was eye-opening. It’s one thing to learn about moving from empathy to action, but this opportunity allowed empathy to thrive,” Atilano shared. “I learned new skills, collaborated with a great team, and supported an entrepreneur working to save our oceans and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. It brought SAP Corporate Social Responsibility to life and confirmed that there is good in this world, and we can be part of it.”

Looking Ahead

The challenges we face in today’s world may be vast, but the potential for change that is created when social enterprises and professionals come together is even greater. As we move toward solutions, social enterprises have emerged as a springboard to a more just and sustainable future. Through collaboration and the power of collective action, we can further enable these changemakers to create innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges, all while bolstering the skills and expanding the perspectives of our own employees.

Are you inspired to utilize your skills for good and join the pro bono consulting movement? SAP employees and alumni can find more information through the Acceleration Collective launch page, and professionals from other organizations as well as social enterprises can learn more through the TRANSFORM Support Hub.

Hemang Desai is global program director of the Pro Bono Consulting Portfolio for Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP.

Historically, procurement teams have not been granted the same access to strategic decision-making as other departments. They’ve been limited within the scope of the supply chain and forced to make choices based on company policy. That is finally shifting as procurement executives have more input in long-term company planning.

In a broad study sponsored by SAP, Economist Impact examines procurement’s growing role, interviewing 2,307 C-suite executives from January to March 2024, spanning multiple countries, regions, and industries. The report finds that external pressures have compelled procurement teams to break down silos and collaborate with other departments to deliver value toward organizational goals. This is not only enhancing cross-functional collaboration but also positioning procurement as a key function in shaping and executing business strategies.

The report, “Across the procurement-verse: Changing trends in the procurement function,” touches on what trends are impacting the growing expectations for procurement.

“The 2024 survey results unmistakably point to an expanding role for procurement in businesses and a growing perception of the function as a value generator,” the report states. Interviewees cite lasting effects from the pandemic, inflation rates, and other supply chain disruptions as reasons for the increasing reliance on procurement.

Effective Collaboration with Chief Operating Officers

With macroeconomic conditions constantly fluctuating, procurement teams are increasingly reporting to chief operating officers (COOs) rather than chief financial officers (CFOs), reflecting the expanding scope of procurement beyond just cost reduction to operational risk management. According to the Economist Impact survey, 75% of respondents agree that procurement collaborates effectively with the rest of the organization to achieve the company vision, a significant increase from the previous year.

However, with only 18% of strongly agreeing, there is still room for improvement in procurement’s collaboration and value creation. “Procurement has often operated in this bubble that was in service of its own goals as opposed to in service of the goals of the wider business,” the report states.

Fortunately, the survey suggests that procurement executives are increasingly focusing on generating insights that align with the needs of various stakeholders, fostering cross-functional collaboration to improve outcomes across the organization.

AI as a Driver for Digitalization

AI has shown that it can increase efficiency across many business use cases. Within procurement, AI and generative AI can optimize spend, enhance supplier management, create cost savings opportunities, and allow procurement professionals to focus on value-adding activities.

The Economist Impact data suggests that AI is a significant driver of digital transformation. Accelerating digitalization is tied as the top procurement priority over the next 12-18 months, with 44% of respondents identifying AI as a crucial technology focus. Respondents anticipate that AI would bring about significant enhancements in two areas: the automation of procurement processes (48%) and improved guidance and optimization (45%).

Chief procurement officers (CPOs) are seeing direct impacts on business outcomes through increased technology investment. However, to realize the value of AI, procurement executives must create a road map for change management, adopt new ways of working, and invest in developing new skills for their workforce. The survey cites that 69% of respondents believe a lack of vision and business alignment poses a major change management challenge in procurement transformation.

Inflation’s Lasting Impact

Cost management continues to remain a high priority on procurement’s agenda, especially as high inflation rates become a growing concern for CPOs, with 49% of executives citing monetary uncertainty as their top priority compared to other procurement risks – a 29% jump from 2023. Even while inflation rates have dipped, costs for materials and items remain high.

It is no surprise that 71% of the CPO respondents identify macroeconomic risks as one of the primary external factors influencing their organizations’ strategic priorities over the next 12-18 months.

It is difficult to predict when and if the economic turbulence we are all experiencing will settle down. But, once it does, procurement executives expect to shift their attention to risk management, as 40% cite supplier diversification as a priority over the next three to five years. However, “diversifying from suppliers is not as easy, especially if the supplier is the sole provider of the goods or service, or if they are deeply embedded in the supply chain,” the report states.

Technology can help procurement teams easily identify alternative sources of materials, ensuring supply chain resilience and minimizing the risk of disruptions.

The Sustainable Buyer

As external pressure mounts from internal stakeholders and regulators for companies to act on environmental issues, procurement teams have placed a larger emphasis on sustainability.

In fact, 70% of executives say legal and regulatory non-compliance is a key external risk. Procurement teams have responded accordingly, as 32% of executives list sustainability as a top priority, a 7% increase from 2023. Additionally, the top priority for sustainability among executives is compliance, demonstrating an increased focus on regulatory risks.

The increased attention on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) has been successful, as 68% of executives express confidence in procurement consistently meeting ESG goals, an increase of 21% from the 2023 survey. With long-term sustainability measures in place, procurement teams may serve as a model for regulatory compliance.

Shaping the Procurement Function of the Future

The Economist Impact research indicates procurement’s growing value within organizations, with CPOs and their teams gaining a seat at the table. However, to maintain this position, procurement must address critical areas for improvement, such as spend management and cost control capabilities, where a third of C-suite executives lack confidence in procurement’s abilities.

The survey points to deeper issues, including gaps in procurement’s visibility into stakeholder risks and priorities, limitations in creating accurate spend data, developing clear road maps, and forging deeper relationships with stakeholders. Collaboration and improved communication are crucial for building trust and sustaining engagement with procurement’s insights.

Investing in procurement technology, such as SAP Ariba Procurement solutions, can help address priorities and enhance the procurement function. These solutions can span various aspects of procurement and include new integrations and generative AI features to help automate and streamline processes. Additionally, enhancements to SAP Business Network aim to reduce silos between and within organizations and can result in significant time and cost savings.

Through in-depth interviews and targeted research, the Economist Impact report provides a broad analysis of the state of procurement. View the infographic and download the report.

Baber Farooq is senior vice president for Market Strategy Procurement Solutions at SAP.

Worldwide, women-owned businesses foster equality and economic development that helps lift communities, reduce poverty, improve environmental sustainability, elevate diversified consumer choices and voices, and contribute to more balanced, equitable, and holistic decision-making on broader issues.

It has been challenging, though, for women entrepreneurs and their businesses to be visible in the global marketplace. Equally, it had been difficult for buyers dedicated to diversity and inclusion to identify best-in-class women-owned suppliers.

Not-for-profit WEConnect International, with help from SAP partner Premikati Inc. and SAP experts, worked to develop a solution to expedite and simplify connecting member-buyers with member-suppliers and vice versa while reducing barriers and opening doors for women entrepreneurs to the international value chains.

Connecting US$4 Trillion in Purchasing Power with Women-Owned Businesses

Women own 33% of all privately held businesses worldwide but earn only 1% of the total spend. Many organizations have a clear mandate and mission to seek out women-owned companies. Still, organizations have no easy means of discovering qualified women-owned suppliers in the vast international marketplace. Similarly, women-owned businesses have no clear path to a seat at the table in the conventional system dominated by legacy corporate giants and complex, often rigid government agencies.

WEConnect, helmed by CEO and co-founder Elizabeth Vazquez, stepped in with a vision to bridge the gap with a solution connecting a formidable member-buyer network with a collective annual purchasing power of $4 trillion with women-owned businesses in 135 countries.

A Solution to Lower the Barriers to Supplier Onboarding

Vazquez realized the original WEConnect solution did not allow suppliers and buyers to find each other easily, it was cumbersome for suppliers to apply for certification, and the staff had problems registering and certifying global businesses because the solution only supported one language, English. A new solution had to eliminate those barriers and provide targeted, comprehensive, user-friendly searching for buyers while integrating seamlessly with buyers’ existing technology.

As a lean nonprofit with no IT department, WEConnect relied on the expertise of Premikati, a wholly women-owned business, and SAP, a member-buyer, to design and build WECommunity, the organization’s new, mobile-enabled solution, which helps deliver on its mission to drive revenue to women-owned suppliers around the world. “We wanted to go straight to, what platform is the most commonly used amongst our member buyers for managing their suppliers?” Vazquez recounts. “And it was an obvious decision that SAP was the go-to platform for most of our member-buyers. They use some form of SAP or multiple SAP offerings.”

Improved Search Increases Supplier Onboarding

WECommunity is a trusted self-service solution that allows “buyers and suppliers to find each other efficiently and effectively,” Vazquez explains. In addition to accomplishing that essential goal, WECommunity makes the organization’s robust network of worldwide member-buyers available in 10 of the most common languages among members. The mobile-optimized solution also includes a portal that enables women supplier members to easily register their businesses and initiate requests for certification using just their smartphones.

All the improvements, including added security features, have driven a 95% increase in certified and registered women-owned businesses in the WEConnect database. WECommunity’s streamlined, user-friendly functionality has also made WEConnect more appealing to buyers, and the organization has seen a 91% increase in membership.

100% Increase in Spending on Women-Owned Businesses

Since the launch, WECommunity-tracked spending with women-owned businesses outside the U.S. has doubled, from $4 billion to $8 billion, and the impact of those dollars has rippled far beyond the pockets of business owners. “I am obsessed with moving as much money into the hands of women as quickly as possible because of how they reinvest in their employees, families, and communities,” Vazquez says. Proving her point: in 2021 alone, the certified women-owned businesses in WEConnect’s network created 24,000 new jobs.

Preparing for a Future of Innovation

WEConnect, a 2023 SAP Innovation Award winner, looks forward to scaling its solution to accommodate more suppliers and buyers while continuing to leverage data analytics to empower women-owned businesses. But WEConnect won’t stop there – AI and machine learning are next for added efficiencies, accuracy, and automation as the organization and its membership expand. Vazquez explains that the organization is actively conversing with SAP and other member-buyers: “How do we all collaborate? How do we use AI and machine learning to find the women suppliers of the world, get them up to speed on what it takes to compete for larger contracts, and make it easier for them to connect with buyers?”

With boundless ambition and limitless imagination, the future is bright for women-owned businesses and the families and communities they support.

Timo Elliott is vice president and global innovation advocate for SAP BTP at SAP.