Bridging the Supply Chain Gender Gap through Digital Training
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the lives of approximately 190 million women workers in global supply chains. Employees needed to access critical information on health, financial resilience, and tools for building harmonious relationships and handling stress. Since on-site training was no longer an option, HERproject kickstarted HERessentials, a tablet-based learning app for workers and managers, in Pakistan, India, […]
Facing The Poverty Tsunami: How Business Can Support the Lives, Livelihoods and Access to Learning of the Most Vulnerable People and Communities
The Poverty Tsunami: COVID, Conflict and Climate Change COVID, conflict and climate change are among a confluence of challenges driving a tsunami of poverty that is already crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to contain its spread led to 97 million more people […]
Women at the Center of Africa’s Post-Pandemic Recovery
Every year, Women’s History Month is a chance to celebrate women of the past who have shaped the Africa we have become – and to highlight African women who are making history today. History will look kindly on the women whose pioneering responses to the pandemic saved many lives. Women like Dr Tlamelo Setshwaelo, who […]
The Road to COP27: Putting People at the Heart of Climate Action
In the coming days, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will publish its next milestone report; this one focusing on the mitigation of climate change, including an assessment of technologies to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Their last report, published in February, focused on the impacts of climate change. Beyond the science and the […]
The Ukraine Crisis: Responding to Evolving Needs
It’s just over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine and nearly 3,000 civilians have been killed, with the figure feared to be much higher. Over 10 million and counting have been forcibly displaced within Ukraine and neighbouring countries. According to the Ukrainian Economy Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, since 24 February, Ukraine has suffered nearly US$565 billion […]
Switching to digital delivery during COVID-19: Key lessons
Existing inequalities relating to caregiving, to the digital divide, and to inadequate financing have been exacerbated during the pandemic—particularly in low and middle income countries—and overall, women-led businesses have generally seen larger declines in sales and profits, and have been more likely to close down (at least temporarily). ‘Life has been anything but business as usual for […]
Spotlighting Fairtrade and Aldi UK’s ‘Dignity for All’ – a programme for female flower workers
“Women have the potential of taking up leadership positions and roles, unlike in previous years when women were considered irrelevant and/or unable to lead and work equally as men”. This sentiment may seem like a given to most readers, but for the 25-year-old flower farm worker from Ethiopia who said these words it was a […]
Women as drivers of climate resilience
Mars, like many companies, has long-standing commitments to support climate action (SDG 13) and gender equality (SDG 5). But we haven’t always looked at the intersections between these two areas. As we progress our Net Zero Commitment and our Cocoa for Generations plan, it is becoming clear that the two issues are inextricably linked. Women […]
Business and the Ukraine Crisis: Supporting Women and the Most Vulnerable
At the heart of Business Fights Poverty is our focus on harnessing business to support the most vulnerable people and communities around the world. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, and unleashed a humanitarian crisis, business has been quick to respond. There is an ever-growing list of businesses taking action—through their philanthropic giving to […]
The chocolate entrepreneurs of Peru
In El Palo Blanco, a small town in the northeast of Peru, locals have been growing coffee and cocoa for generatins. But because Palo Blanco is situated in the lower lands, at the foot of Piura’s mountainous region, it is getting hotter each year, unpredictable weather and increasing prevalence of pests and diseases that threaten […]
With their own businesses and as workers, Egypt’s women can be winners
Rabeha is Arabic for “winner”. It is the brand name for a programme to provide women in Egypt with the means, knowledge and confidence to realize their unique and valid work-related goals, either as entrepreneurs, early-stage businesswomen or as paid employees. The Rabeha programme, run jointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and […]
Ukraine Rapid Response: How You Can Help
In the early hours of 24 February 2022, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine. As of the time of writing – Sunday, 27 February – the attacks have reached most major cities, over 190 Ukrainians have been killed with thousands more wounded. In response to the assault, civilians are abandoning cities and fleeing west […]
Do procurement teams hold the key to living incomes for smallholder farmers?
Last year, Mars’ Farmer Income Lab estimated that up to 70% of the smallholder farmers in agri-food supply chains – more than 122 million people – may be living below the global poverty line of $3.20 per day. Mars, like any agri-business, relies on the work of these farmers around the world who produce the […]
Looking ahead to 2022: climate justice, food systems and the private sector
Accelerating climate justice Maria Claudia, our Business Development Officer in the Peru office took part in the Climate Justice series event at COP 26 as a panellist with others from Facebook, HBL Habib Bank and BioMec where they discussed and shared questions with young innovators at the forefront of creating our green inclusive future. Overall, […]
Nudges & Bridges: making better decisions & finding common ground
In this first episode of Nudges & Bridges: Making Better Decisions & Finding Common Ground, I suggest that each of us could find common ground with those we may disagree with on social and political issues. How do we do that? There may be many ways and I do not suggest that what I am […]
A transformative journey: Kasha’s mission to provide equal health access to all women
There are a number of organisations striving to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Perhaps the fastest way is the rapid scale up of enterprises that make a real impact on people’s lives in low-income countries. Joanna Bichsel saw an opportunity to change the way that women in emerging markets get the health and self-care […]
No more promises without plans. It’s time for a new corporate climate leadership.
Over the past 12 months, I have struggled with two competing thoughts: First, in almost 25 years working on climate change, I can honestly say that the emergence of corporate climate leadership is one of the more optimistic trends I have encountered. Ten years ago most companies were either hostile to or agnostic about emissions […]
Are you a social innovator working to increase access to healthcare? Apply now!
Health expenditures push an estimated 100 million people worldwide into extreme poverty every year; Only 290 million people worldwide (less than 4% of the world population) have access to Universal Health Coverage; According to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals that suffered financial hardship from healthcare payments increased in the last decade; The […]
Seeking entrepreneurs and SMEs that are innovating in the care economy
The entire global economic system relies on care giving – the millions of unrecognised and under-valued hours spent ensuring offices are cleaned, children and the elderly are taken care of, and food is prepared for families and workers. Usually this type of work is viewed as a ‘burden’, and a barrier to women’s economic empowerment, […]
Bridging the gender digital divide and improving girls’ self-esteem – An opportunity to partner with UNICEF
WHY: The gender digital divide and low body confidence and self-esteem amongst girls and young women Girls are a tremendous engine for transformational change. Equipped with the right resources, the world’s 600 million adolescent girls have the potential to become the largest generation of earners, leaders, innovators and change-makers. Globally however, adolescent girls are persistently […]