At a recent Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) forum, “In Their Shoes”, organized by the Faculty of Business and 5Alive, an international staff team initiated by the School of Accounting and Finance of HKPU, Yuxin Hou was invited to share his thoughts and experiences on social innovation.

The “In Their Shoes” Forum is designed to help students gain insights on the professional life, give them a broader vision, and offer them different perspectives of exploring their careers. An international group of guests from design and advertising industry, social enterprise and education joined for keynote speeches and discussions to share stories as well as their view of future development.

Representing GIFT and the social enterprise sector, Yuxin gave an overview of the development of social enterprise, spread the vision of sustainable development and social innovation that was beyond textbook and classroom teaching. Raising examples of carbon footprint mapping, carbon trading and global food crisis, Yuxin addressed the urgent need for creating a global social awareness of sustainable development-related problems and taking action to solve them. GIFT was used as an example to showcase how innovative solutions can help improve livelihoods for people who live at the bottom of the economic pyramid, and how commercial models can be used to drive positive socio-economic change. In his own case, Yuxin has demonstrated how a business student could move beyond the conventional thinking of seeking merely profit or bonus and be open-minded for a broader horizon of opportunities, do good and welcome challenges of a bigger scale.

Taking his speech further, Yuxin challenged the students to think like a social innovator or entrepreneur. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to solve poverty or environment problems, the point is to think out of the box.” Highlighting the type of learning that takes place of GIFT’s Global Young Leaders Programme (YLP), Yuxin encouraged the students to set out their own plans, and take action to carry them out. “Think in the others’ shoes, and act in your own! That’s how we create a real impact.”