Powering the just transition – The biggest opportunity for inclusive business
Next year, I will celebrate my 10th anniversary in the inclusive business community. Supporting the Asian Development Bank’s IB initiative in Manila in 2012, an amazing universe of thought leaders and pioneering companies, investors and policymakers opened up to me. Driven by the desire to achieve social impact beyond the single bottom line, they have […]
What can a dog park teach us about bridging great societal divides?
The name of today’s game seems to be “us vs them.” Certainly here in the United States, but in many places around the world, divisions seem to become starker and more irresolvable by the day. Sadly, some see it in their self-interest to stoke those divisions. There may be only so much anyone can do […]
The GSMA Innovation Fund for Climate Resilience and Adaptation
The GSMA, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) have announced the launch of the GSMA Innovation Fund for Climate Resilience and Adaptation. The objective of this new Fund is to help accelerate the testing, adoption and scalability of digital innovations that enable the world’s most […]
16 Days of Activism: Essential resources from the Business Fights Poverty resident gender expert
The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence under the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” The 16 days kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. We invited our resident […]
16 Days of Activism: Essential resources from the Business Fights Poverty resident gender expert
The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, under the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” The 16 days kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. We invited our resident […]
How COVID-19 has accelerated financial inclusion and reinforced the need for digitalisation
Two billion people across the globe lack access to formal financial services and approximately 90% of these live in developing countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated growth but also increased the danger that those at the very margins of society, could get left behind. Comic Relief and Jersey Overseas Aid share findings from a new study, […]
Embracing the ‘next edge’ of business ambition beyond net zero
As we digest the agreements reached at COP26, many of us will wonder ‘what’s next?’. Lots of delivery and accountability of course. But also, we’ll need a bigger stretch, not just to avoid catastrophe but to truly build a more hopeful future. And this, in turn, will require a different way of working, living, and […]
Refocus, retool, reset: insights from a COVID-19 rapid response & recovery programme
MSMEs, especially those led by women, youth, ethnic minorities, and migrants, were significantly impacted by COVID-19 with 70-80% facing major financial difficulties[1]. To support entrepreneurs to survive and even thrive in the pandemic, YBI members and delivery partners provided in-depth services through a rapid response & recovery programme to 145,738 entrepreneurs- with 77% reporting improved […]
We can’t win the race to zero without financing a just rural transition
During COP26 banks and asset managers representing USD $130 trillion – 40% of the world’s financial assets – pledged to align with net zero carbon emissions by mid-century, and to provide 2030 interim goals, by joining the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). That is, as the Washington Post put it, “eye-popping”. But as […]
Enlightened climate policy for Africa
As the world convenes in Glasgow for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26), it is time to recognize the role Africa has in averting a climate disaster without compromising the continent’s growth and poverty reduction. The world needs to transition away from fossil fuels. But access to electricity is a human […]
The Make Travel Matter Campaign
Sustainability in Tourism has undertaken massive development during the previous three decades. Today, all holidaymakers are posed with the question – how will my holiday choice affect people and the environment? The evolution of consumer behaviour and decision making will be dependent upon how we adapt our understanding of economic, social and environmental impacts. For […]
How to ensure communities gain the full benefit of a sustainable economy
Georgina Njeru is a Millennium Fellow at the Millennium Campus Network. She leads a project that teaches people on the impact they can have, as individuals, on the environment and climate change. Also, her project aims to customise the ways that communities can care for their environment, accommodating their culture and beliefs to make their […]
Carbon accounting madness makes a mockery of the UK’s net zero plans
The race to go ‘net zero’ is top of the agenda at this month’s COP26 in Glasgow. The latest United Nations’ Climate Change Conference is widely thought to be our last chance to get countries to commit to necessary cuts in greenhouse gases (GHG) and avert unstoppable climate collapse. But government targets to make the […]
How to build more resilient business models
James Payne is Associate Director for Transformational Strategies at Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainability non-profit. For more than 25 years Forum for the Future has been working in partnership with business, governments and civil society to accelerate the transformation towards a sustainable future. In this video, James explains what it means for […]
Beware the greenwasher: 5 steps towards genuine corporate climate action
This year’s COP 26 is an opportunity for companies to brandish their green credentials. Expect net-zero pledges, plastic free product lines and roadmaps galore. We certainly need it, action by the private sector is essential to avert the worst impacts of climate change. If you’re still not convinced about the urgency of the crisis, just […]
The Green Stoplight, a practical way to involve people in climate action
Debates over how to approach climate change are often of a binary nature. While some argue that actions that fall into the individual realm – like reducing the use of plastics or saving energy and water – will help tackle climate change, others have argued that these actions are futile, as governments and corporations have […]
This COP26 it’s time to listen to farmers and workers
This COP26 it’s time to listen to farmers and workers, value their expertise and work with them to rebuild better. Co-op and Fairtrade Africa are reimagining the future of programmes. The eyes of the business world are trained on Glasgow for COP26 this week. The environment is increasingly topping the agenda for boardrooms at the biggest companies. At […]
The role of social procurement for inclusive value chains
By definition, social procurement leverages the purchasing power of companies to achieve broader social impact objectives. It goes beyond responsible sourcing which integrates and manages ESG criteria into the procurement process. Instead, it focuses on buying goods, materials, or services from social businesses with the explicit intention to create net positive impact. Why is that […]
At COP26, the Future of our Farmers and our Food is at Stake
Global leaders, committed activists, and countless civil servants representing NGOs from all over the world, are currently descending on Glasgow, Scotland, for this year’s UN Climate Conference (COP26) with a clear goal of climate action. Fairtrade and Fairtrade campaigners alike will also be on the ground in Glasgow to ensure that fairness and equity remain […]
Putting People at the Heart of Climate Action: 3 Reasons Business Must Care
We’re just over two weeks away from a critical milestone in the fight against climate change. The UK will host the COP26 climate conference, bringing together countries to enhance their commitments for the first time since they made them under the Paris Agreement in 2015. The focus of attention has, rightly, been on those highlighting the […]