Profiles

Sébastien Marot is Founder and Executive Director of Friends-International, an internationally acclaimed global social enterprise which supports over 130,000 marginalized children and youth each year.

With his team of around 500 staff he has led the expansion of the organization into 18 countries across 4 continents, developing best practice programs that provide protection and social reintegration services including access to employment for youth and family members, school reintegration for children and family conservation. To support this expansion, Friends-International utilizes a series of social business models providing training opportunities and financial sustainability for the organization, and has franchised its training restaurants model (the TREE Alliance).

Friends-International also established and powers the award-winning ChildSafe Movement. The Movement selects, trains, certifies and supports businesses, private individuals and tourists to better protect children. It has also developed partnerships through its ChildSafe Alliance, currently numbering over 50 organizations across the world, working together to develop and coordinate best quality services.

In recognition of his contribution Sébastien has been awarded various accolades including the Order of Australia for “service to humanity”, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 in Asia by the Schwab Foundation. Friends-International and ChildSafe Movement have also received many awards for their work, including Friends-International being selected as one of the Top NGO’s in the world by Global Journal since 2013 and ChildSafe Movement receiving the WTM World Responsible Tourism Award in 2016 .