Vision: A world of gender equality. Action: Some campaigns portray the feminist cause as “man-hating.” By involving both genders in the #HeForShe campaign, Watson hopes to abolish the “us vs. them” mentality. She has launched a campaign that aims to galvanize one billion men and boys to end female inequality. As she’s said to men, “It’s your fight too.” www.HeForShe.org
Vision: A world where those who think outside the box don’t have their thoughts bullied back in to a box. Action: Created The 99 superhero comic series, based on the values that Islam shares with humanity. The idea was fought by zealots in both the East and West as it competes for mindshare. It became the first intellectual property from the Muslim world to go global. www.Al-Mutawa.com
Vision: A world in which there is no “them” – the most dangerous four- letter word in the English language. Action: Leads delegations to countries that are understood only as adversaries and that are traditionally difficult to access to hear local perspectives and gain understanding beyond the headlines. He uses photography to convey his message around the world. www.DickSimon.com
Vision: A world in which business becomes a global force for positive social change. Action: Mainwaring wrote We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World. He started speaking around the world and writing for industry magazines to share these ideas. www.WeFirstBranding.com
Vision: A world that deals with global challenges through social enterprise and impact investing. Action: Skoll believes that you should be as entrepreneurial in impact investing as you would in any other form of investing. He founded the Skoll World Forum, made award- winning movies and started the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. www.SkollFoundation.org
Vision: Democracy depends on a citizenry that is highly informed and deeply engaged in the issues that affect their lives. Action: First Look’s insistence on editorial independence has already attracted some of the most fiercely independent journalists around. Omidyar seeks to improve society through journalism and technology, and to hold those in power accountable. www.FirstLook.org
Vision: To make science, technology, engineering and math accessible to diverse groups. Action: Klawe is closing the computer science (CS) gender gap and having stunning success in getting more women involved. She’s not concerned with filling quotas or being nice either. Content is designed around problems women can relate to. Female majors in CS have increased by 300 percent. www.HMC.edu
Vision: Solving the world’s energy problems through smart energy means, and solving social problems while you’re at it. Action: Ideas are a necessary first ingredient – and the bigger the idea, the better. He’s turning municipal sewage into usable methane gas, generating 40 million litres of ethanol fuel per year. www.GrowingPower.com
Vision: A society that nurtures tolerance and understanding among all people. Action: The Archbishop Emeritus has identified essential human values as the building blocks for sustainable peace: Love, hope, tolerance and courage. His role as a spiritual leader has transgressed all cultures and religions as he’s made the world aware of our shared humanity. www.Tutu.org
Vision: Long-term business sustainability and a deeper understanding of true profits are key. Action: Realizing that farming practices around the world basically require the same skills, regardless of the produce, Overton combined salmon farming practice in Scotland with plant oil farming in Rwanda to help rural African farmers become self-sufficient and earn more than the national average income. www.Aquascot.com
