How COVID-19 can be the Great Reset toward global sustainability

The authors advocate for a 'Great Reset' that prioritises the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by integrating social entrepreneurs into global recovery efforts. They argue that existing systems are failing and that sustainable progress requires 'silo-busting' collaboration and a significant increase in funding for the social sector, which has been largely overlooked despite trillions in pandemic stimulus.

• The document asserts that the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at risk, citing a Social Progress Imperative report that estimated the 193 countries involved would not meet these goals by 2030, but rather by at least 2073.
• Social entrepreneurs are presented as essential partners for world leaders because they work directly with vulnerable populations and possess the trust of people who have been failed by existing systems.
• The authors argue that effective systems change must be human-centred and holistic, avoiding top-down plans in favour of 'silo-busting' approaches and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
• Despite the deployment of trillions of dollars in emergency pandemic responses, the authors claim that very little funding is reaching social entrepreneurs and the social sector, which are instead facing severe cutbacks.
• Catalyst 2030, a meta-network including the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Ashoka, Echoing Green, and Skoll Foundation, has identified practical ideas to address SDG challenges, including climate change, corruption, and mental health.

APA

Bishop, J. B. M. (2020). How COVID-19 can be the Great Reset toward global sustainability. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/how-covid-19-can-be-the-great-reset-toward-global-sustainability/

Chicago

Bishop, Jeroo Billimoria, Matthew. How COVID-19 can be the Great Reset toward global sustainability. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/how-covid-19-can-be-the-great-reset-toward-global-sustainability/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Bishop |first1=Jeroo Billimoria, Matthew |title=How COVID-19 can be the Great Reset toward global sustainability |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=30 July 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/how-covid-19-can-be-the-great-reset-toward-global-sustainability/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{bishop2020how, author = {Bishop, Jeroo Billimoria, Matthew}, title = {{How COVID-19 can be the Great Reset toward global sustainability}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/how-covid-19-can-be-the-great-reset-toward-global-sustainability/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }