UP to Host 5th SEAL Asia Conference on Social Entrepreneurship and SDG Action
In line with its commitment to advancing social innovation for nation-building, the University of the Philippines (UP) will host the 5th Social Enterprise Advocacy and Leveraging (SEAL) Asia Conference from August 12 to 14, 2026, at the GT-Toyota Asian Center in UP Diliman, Quezon City.
The three-day regional conference is organized by the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), in partnership with UP and in cooperation with the Japan Foundation, Social Value Japan, Association for Progressive Communications, Oxfam Pilipinas, Manila Observatory and the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship Coalition.
Carrying the theme “Critical Social Entrepreneurship Pathways in the Last Five Years of Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals: Addressing the Digital Divide, Climate Crisis and Women’s Economic Empowerment,” the conference will explore how social entrepreneurship can help accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Discussions will focus on critical challenges confronting the Asia-Pacific region, particularly the digital divide, the worsening climate crisis and persistent barriers to women’s economic empowerment. The conference will also examine how universities and governments can foster stronger social enterprise ecosystems through research, education, policy development and cross-sector collaboration.
The event is expected to gather social enterprise leaders and stakeholders, civil society organizations, responsible businesses, development agencies, policymakers and members of the academe from at least 12 countries. It will provide participants with opportunities to exchange knowledge, share innovations and develop collaborative strategies for addressing poverty, inequality and other pressing development challenges.
The conference comes at a critical juncture for the region. Asia and the Pacific is projected to miss 88% of its measurable SDG targets, placing the region roughly three decades behind schedule. Rapid technological change and the escalating climate crisis are further widening existing social and economic inequalities, particularly between rural and urban communities.
Against this backdrop, social enterprises can play a vital role in creating community-based solutions, strengthening resilience and ensuring that marginalized groups participate in and benefit from economic development. Advancing women’s economic empowerment will also be emphasized as a cross-cutting priority in building more equitable and sustainable communities.
The Philippines’ role as ASEAN Chair in 2026 further underscores the conference’s relevance. Building on major national advocacy initiatives, including the Konektadong Pinoy Act and the proposed Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship Act or PRESENT Bill, the 5th SEAL Asia Conference will serve as a platform for promoting community-centered connectivity and social entrepreneurship as pathways to reducing poverty and persistent inequalities.
Organized by ISEA, the SEAL Asia Conference was envisioned as a regional platform for advancing social enterprises as key actors in poverty reduction, inclusive development and sustainability.
The inaugural SEAL Conference was held in Makati City, Philippines, from November 25 to 27, 2014, under the theme “Transforming Economies through Social Entrepreneurship: Towards a Post-2015 Development Agenda.” It was followed by the second conference in Bali, Indonesia, in September 2017, which focused on addressing inequality and building a just economy. The third conference, conducted virtually in September 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted cross-sector collaboration and the recovery of social enterprises as part of efforts to build back better and leave no one behind. The fourth SEAL Asia Conference was held as a blended event in Bangkok, Thailand, from March 22 to 24, 2023. With the theme “Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Partnerships: Towards Inclusive Recovery and Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals,” it underscored the importance of innovation and collaboration in advancing an inclusive recovery.
Building on the gains of the previous conferences, the 2026 gathering seeks to deepen regional cooperation and mobilize social enterprises, universities, governments and development organizations toward concrete action during the final five years of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.