Barbara Sadowska | Poznań, PL

There are individuals whose actions bring results and redefine how we think about what business can genuinely be. Barbara Sadowska, Director of the Fundacja Pomocy Wzajemnej Barka Foundation in Poznań, is a leader who, for years, has proven that social entrepreneurship can be a force for deep and lasting transformation. Her nomination recognises her achievements and reinforces her firm belief that business–led with heart, thoughtfulness, and vision—can serve humanity and build lasting social change.

The Barka Foundation, under Barbara Sadowska’s leadership, has become a symbol of values-driven entrepreneurship, grounded in dignity, mutuality, community, and responsibility. Within these values, Barbara finds the true meaning of business activity. For many years, she has supported those facing the most challenging life situations: the homeless, migrants, people struggling with addiction, and the long-term unemployed. She offers assistance and the tools to rebuild lives, including vocational training, psychological support, legal aid, employment opportunities, and a path to regaining self-belief and purpose.

What makes Barbara’s work truly exceptional is the combination of effectiveness and empathy. Barka is not just a place of support – it is a space for fundamental social change, based on building independence rather than creating dependency on aid systems. This model has gained recognition not only in Poland but also internationally. Cooperation with authorities in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Canada proves that Barbara’s vision is universal and can be successfully implemented wherever there is a need for social and economic integration.

Barbara Sadowska is a leader of dialogue and understanding. She brings together people from different government, non-profit, and business sectors around shared goals. She builds broad partnerships that make Barka’s initiatives scalable and resilient in changing circumstances. Her ability to build bridges between institutions, ideas, and people makes her exceptional as a manager and, above all, as a human being.

Her approach transforms the way we think about business. She shows that entrepreneurship does not have to abandon its values to be effective. On the contrary, it is precisely those values that give her work strength, authenticity, and the power to generate real impact. Barbara demonstrates that profit and social mission can go hand in hand and that a company that never forgets the human being can become the foundation of a more just world.