One of the values that the Ateneo de Manila University commits itself to is the formation of men and women to the highest levels of service for the greater good. Part of this responsibility is ensuring that the University gives back to members of the local community by providing services, resources, and educational opportunities to empower them. The University accomplishes this in collaboration with the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt).
ACSEnt was established through the collaborative effort of the four schools of the Ateneo de Manila University: Ateneo School of Government (ASoG), John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSoM), School of Social Sciences – Development Studies Program (SoSS – DSP), and the Ateneo Graduate School of Business (AGSB). It was created to strengthen social enterprises in the Philippines, which is in line with the Center’s mission of fostering social transformation and contributing to nation-building. ACSEnt does this by initiating and supporting the research, training, education, and incubation of various social enterprises to kickstart a vibrant and inclusive business community.
The Center also engages in partnerships with various stakeholders such as leaders, practitioners, experts, and advocates from the business sector and the government in order to create programs that support grassroots sectors and communities in the country. In 2019, ACSEnt established three social enterprise clinics to help entrepreneurs develop skills related to resource mobilization, product development, risk management, compliance and governance, and digitization.
Even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Center remains committed to its mission by holding training workshops, educational webinars, and forums on topics such as social entrepreneurship and poverty reduction. ACSEnt also spearheads online panel discussions with government units, academic institutions, and professionals from the private sector to boost the participation of marginalized sectors as major players in the country’s economic development. This entails advocating for laws that promote sustainable livelihoods, decent work, and the need for cross-sectoral collaboration in poverty reduction.
These efforts reflect ACSEnt’s engagement in creating mutual socio-economic and environmental benefits that support national development, alongside empowering marginalized sectors in Philippine society.