We invest in children so they can empower their own futures.
Simon Doble is an authority on the vital role education plays in breaking poverty cycles, Simon is passionate about ensuring every child has access to quality education in a safe environment by uniting a global community to gift six million solar lights by 2030.
Current Work
Simon is the founder and Global CEO of SolarBuddy, a social impact organisation uniting a global community to gift six million solar lights to children living in energy poverty to enable them to study after dusk and improve their educational outcomes.
He is also CEO of Barefoot Citizens Consulting, committed to creating, building, and investing in socially responsible businesses.
Driven by passion, dedication and empathy, Simon combines his unique skillset to improve the lives of millions living in extreme energy poverty. As a father, he is determined that every child has access to education that enables them to determine their own futures and maybe, even change the world.
Simon is also the Founder of BooBoo Bikes, a range of natural bamboo bikes handmade in Ghana, West Africa and assembled in Australia. Simon is also a co-author of 30 children’s books focused on child safety and positive social messages aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
A humanitarian at heart Simon is a trailblazer in creating socially aware businesses and projects.
Previous Experience
Advocacy and Consultancy: He was a Founding member of the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA), the Moving Energy Initiative of Chatham House in London UK, an initiative funded by DFID to develop an understanding of the solar needs of refugees across the world and a member of Lighting Africa.
As a member of the UNHCR committee, Simon advocated having solar products included as a core relief for all refugees and internally displaced people around the world.
Awards and Accolades: Simon has won multiple awards including an Australian Design Awards in 2015 and DFID Humanitarian Design Awards in 2012, for his life-transforming designs.
Keynote Speaker: His inspirational and life changing life experiences are known to have a profound impact on attendees. In under five years, Simon has shared his knowledge and
experience with over 100,000 people globally.
Talking Points
The Company That Stands for Something is Something: The Road Ahead
In an ever-changing world where companies are recognising that purpose needs to no longer be on the peripheral of their strategy but at its core to thrive, there are still many unanswered questions. How do you integrate meaningful purpose into corporate purpose engaging both your employees and customers while driving profitable growth? As now infamously quoted by Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario, Caring for our planet is not in conflict with running a successful business�.The Company That Stands for Something is Something: The Road Ahead
Simon Doble, a leading social impact entrepreneur is an authority on finding individual purpose and converting this personal purpose into a global social impact business. His story is an inspirational one, highlighting how life's journey can open up the world into leading a global movement for change.
He has been working with corporations all over the world to re-define their corporate purpose, integrating an actionable and measurable program which has proven results both for employees and customer engagement. His work clearly demonstrates that by focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goal #17 - Partnerships For The Goals, anything is possible.
His story is personal, telling & above all inspiring for any company or individual looking to understand how we each can contribute to achieving a common goal.
Themes: Purpose Driven Companies, Inspirational, Motivational, Sustainability, Innovation, UN SDG's.
Inspiration & Perseverance
Simon's story is a must-hear for anyone. It is inspirational and instils faith that unfathomable challenges can be overcome and turned into great success that positively impacts those around you, improving countless lives. Whether it be in business, a personal journey or both, Simon's story is guaranteed to inspire a change for good. As Martin Luther King said: Darkness Cannot Drive out Darkness, only light can do that� and this story embodies this in full.Inspiration & Perseverance
His perseverance led him to success and his journey is an inspiration to all of those who have had the opportunity work with, listen to & watch Simon's journey as you will find out by hearing his story.
Themes: Perseverance, Inspiration, Motivational, Energy Poverty.
Energy Poverty
1 billion people live in Energy Poverty meaning 1 in 6 people are affected by this overwhelming yet mostly unknown issue. Energy Poverty is responsible for killing more people each year than Malaria & AIDS combined. Due to its scale, this issue can be an overwhelming one and affects approximately one in five of the world's population. The World Bank's Global Tracking Framework shows that more than 80% of the affected population live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.Energy Poverty
As a member of the UNHCR committee, Simon fought to have solar products included as a core relief item for all refugees and internally displaced people around the world. By aligning to the UN SDG's and Life Goals Simon will share his story and how we can all make a difference in this world one light at a time.
Themes: SDG's, Energy Poverty, Inspirational, Business, Climate, Purpose.
SolarBuddy
SolarBuddy is more than a charity, it is a force for good, and brings with it an inspiring and connecting story. Since its inception in May 2016, SolarBuddy has distributed over 125,000+ solar lights in over 25 countries, with an estimated positive impact on over 600,000 children and their families. You will be left wanting more and will be compelled to make a difference by joining the SolarBuddy journey, what it has set out to do and what it is achieving.SolarBuddy
SolarBuddy has received numerous awards and recognition. SolarBuddy was a Finalist in the Ethical Business Awards (2019), the Australia Workplace Giving Awards (2019) and the Banksia Sustainability Award (2019). Since 2016, SolarBuddy has worked with over 100 corporations, including 50,000+ people, and has won numerous awards for creating an outstanding workplace giving program as well as one of the most engaging team building activities. Participants of the program can assemble a light, pen a hand-written letter, and then follow the journey of the light as it's delivered to a child in need by one of SolarBuddy's distribution partners.
Simon delivers a highly engaging keynote that not only explores the journey of SolarBuddy so far but provides a truly inspirational story that has a lasting impact on audiences. It showcases what a small, 4 year old Brisbane based charity is doing to change the world and lives of millions of children, outpacing many others through this truly unique story.
Themes: Energy Poverty, Team Building, Inspirational
Video
Simon Doble Speaker Reel
Simon Doble is an inventor and social impact entrepreneur who specialises in creating innovative solar energy solutions for the humanitarian sector. He founded The Doble Group in 2012, with a vision to develop innovatively designed and superior performing solar lighting solutions for the millions of refugees living in energy poverty.Saxton Fireside Chat with Founder & CEO of SolarBuddy, Simon Doble
The exchange of stories and ideas is more important now than ever. In this series of virtual Fireside Chats, you can gain unprecedented access to the world's greatest storytellers and thought leaders. In this session, Simon shares his insights on the issue of Energy Poverty, the importance of education and the power of people to tackle global issues.Audio
Simon presented a keynote and workshop at AIME 2020. Both presentations created an atmosphere of heightened human connection and understanding of energy poverty. Delegates were engaged and i ... keep reading Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings (AIME)
Simon is highly knowledgeable about energy poverty and is a wonderful story teller who keeps his audience captivated and intrigued. I found speaking with Simon highly motivational and energising which has resulted in me wanting to do more to help others.
We were so impressed with his presentation that we immediately undertook a partnership with Simon and SolarBuddy to further assist where we could, and now have an active partnership with his charity. It's not a surprise that he received a standing ovation at our conference!
