SOCIAL INNOVATION JAPAN
Everyone can be
a changemaker.
We build practical social innovation, and help others do the same.
From learning programs and partnerships to real-world initiatives, we help people and organisations turn social and environmental ambition into practical action.
WHAT WE DO
Different ways to turn ideas into action.
We work with companies, universities, governments, and international groups in Japan and around the world.
Build
Initiatives & Programs
We create and run practical social innovation initiatives, ourselves and with partners.
Learn
Learning & Immersion
We turn experience from practice into talks, workshops and immersive learning programs.
Co-create
Advisory & Partnerships
We work with organisations to shape new initiatives, programs, partnerships and impact ideas.
WHY SIJ
Our work is grounded in doing. We build impact in fun, unique and creative ways.
Since 2017, we have created initiatives, built partnerships and worked across sectors to turn promising ideas into things people can actually participate in, use and sustain. That experience shapes every program, workshop and partnership we design with others.
FROM PRACTICE
We build and co-create in the real world.
Some of our best learning comes from creating things ourselves. Our own initiatives give us a place to test ideas, build partnerships and learn firsthand what it takes to move from concept to implementation.
mymizu
Circular Hydration: The world’s leading water refill app
What began as a simple idea in 2019 has grown into Japan’s largest free water refill platform, bringing together technology, businesses, communities and public partners to make reuse easier.
750,000+ downloads · 15,000+ refill spots in Japan · 2,500+ partner businesses
HELENA POWERS
Helping women turn promising ideas into action
Co-created with L’Oréal Japan, HELENA POWERS is an intensive social entrepreneurship program supporting women to develop, test and strengthen ideas designed to create positive change.
8-week program · Practical venture-building · In partnership with L’Oréal Japan
OUR WORK
What this looks like in practice.
Our work takes different forms depending on the challenge. Here are a few examples of how we have worked with organisations to make complex issues relevant, practical and actionable.
Making sustainability personal at scale.
For a major Japanese technology company, we designed a company-wide sustainability session that connected environmental challenges with people's everyday lives, choices and work.
98.6% said the issue became personally relevant
From waste streams to new value.
For a major Japanese beverage company, we combined company-wide learning with a cross-functional workshop exploring how waste streams across the value chain could become sources of new value.
Understanding social innovation in Japan, in context.
We design learning experiences for international universities and leadership groups, combining local perspectives, practitioners and real-world examples of how change is happening in Japan.
OUR IMPACT
More than engaged. Ready to act.
We design our work to do more than communicate information. We want people to understand why something matters, see their own role in it, and feel able to take the next step.
“An excellent opportunity to re-evaluate my current lifestyle. Highly practical examples made the concepts easy to visualize and act on.”
“The session by Social Innovation Japan was the highlight of our 10-day program in Japan.”
TRUST & RECOGNITION
Trusted by partners. Recognised globally
We’ve worked with
Our work has been featured in
COMING SOON: ECOSYSTEM REPORT
Hidden in Plain Sight: Social Entrepreneurship in Japan
Japan has a substantial social enterprise sector that receives surprisingly little international attention.
Our new report brings together data, case snapshots and practical insights for anyone looking to better understand the ecosystem or work with it, from funders and businesses to practitioners, researchers and students.
Sign up and we'll send you the report when it launches, along with occasional updates from Social Innovation Japan.
WHO WE ARE
Social innovation, built from practice.
Social Innovation Japan was founded by Mariko McTier and Robin Lewis in 2017. Between us, our experience spans social innovation, strategy, entrepreneurship, program design, partnerships, communications and taking ideas from concept through to implementation. We work alongside a wider network of facilitators, specialists and collaborators, bringing together the right people for each project.
What are you working on?
Whether you're planning a workshop, bringing a group to Japan, developing a new initiative, or exploring something we haven't listed here, we'd be happy to hear what you're working on.
If it feels like something we can help with, we'll suggest the most useful next step.