Liam's got issues: February

Smart Alignment of Business Need with Social Innovation

A strong field. Timpson for its prison training programme that gets guys into jobs in the shops. Unilever and its Pureit water system. Unilver is confronting the challenge of getting these water filters to the poorest, which could save millions of lives. An honourable mention for Myriam Sidibe, also at Unilever, who is on a mission to get a billion more people to wash their hands - the simplest way of preventing unnecessary sickness and deaths of children in the majority world.

But the winner is Danone for le ballsiness in setting up a joint venture with Grameen and sticking with it through tough times to tackle child malnutrition, one of the toughest social problems, in Bangladesh, one of the poorest, most underdeveloped nations. A fascinating example of collaboration too. Fantastique et bravo!

Changing Business and Being Young

Grant Lang at Mozzo, who has been willing to learn the hard way about how to set up and run an ethical business (and the coffee's great too). Catherine Conway of Unpackaged, who has grafted hard and demonstrated the viability of her package-free retail concept. Sam Conniff at Livity for helping the yoof innit and becoming an insightful and credible voice for his generation of social entrepreneurs. You all get gongs! The passion and creativity of young entrepreneurs like these help keep me hopeful and provoked. They tend also not to be caught up in debates about what is/what is not socially enterprising business activity.

Why Are You Wasting Money and Time On That?

The Social Enterprise Mark. The intention is honourable but the emerging compromised model doesn't take us very far forward. If people really want one, then make it rigorous and credible.

In For The Biggest Shock of Your Life If The Eton Rifles Get Elected

Phillip Blond at ResPublica. Oh Phil, seriously, do you think they were dreaming of social equality and mutuality in the Bullingdon Club?

Startling Courage and Integrity In a Cruel World

No contest. Tom Baisden, a former Fifteen trainee who recently confessed to a crime committed before he entered the programme. He knows why.

Liam Black is co-founder of Wavelength. Contact him via www.thesamewavelength.com or via Twitter @LiamABlack