COVID-19 and Responsible Restructuring
The Ethiopian garment sector provides but one example of the challenges manufacturers and workers are facing during the COVID-19 crisis. Ethiopia has significantly decreased poverty, with the garment sector playing a key role in this success; nonetheless, 24 percent of people continued to live in poverty as of 2015/2016. As the pandemic spread, global fashion […]
Inclusive digital payments solutions for the garment sector workers in Bangladesh
In March, when we announced the taka 5000 crore stimulus package (about $600 million) to pay workers’ salaries in export-oriented sectors, particularly ready-made garments which account for over 80% of the country’s exports, we encountered a major roadblock. Only 1.5 million of the 4 million workers were paid digitally. The rest were paid in cash. […]
Addressing gender-based violence and harassment
Gender-based violence and harassment is a widespread and serious global issue that affects individuals in the workplace, their communities, and homes. Gender-based violence and harassment is an umbrella term and can take many forms including physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm – and is characterised by being directed at a person because of their sex […]
How has global multi-dimensional poverty changed over the first ten years of measurement?
At least 1.3 billion out of 5.9 billion people are living in multidimensional poverty in developing regions. They are living lives deprived in a number of ways relating to their health, education and their living standards. The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), produced by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United […]
Fairtrade and the COVID-19 response – lessons for business and the food system
The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the resulting global restrictions, challenged everyone involved in the production of food all over the world. Fairtrade is no exception, working as we do with over 1.6 million farmers and workers supplying the UK’s supermarkets. Produce from Africa, Asia, and South America makes up 10 to 15 per cent […]
How to Safeguard the Livelihoods of Women Farmers and Entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 Pandemic
In just a few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our world, creating an array of new challenges on every continent while reminding us of persistent inequalities. In many places, the pandemic threatens to reverse recent gains made to advance women’s economic empowerment. To understand why, meet Olivia Massarula. Olivia owns a small grocery shop […]
Youth Perspectives on Our Future Economy
Demand for a new and sustainable economic model is reaching a new peak. As 2020 dawned, even committed advocates of globalised capitalism (like the IMF and World Economic Forum) have called for a rethink, in recognition of the looming threat of climate change and unconscionable levels of global inequality. In recent months, the world has […]
5 Insights From Business Fights Poverty Global Summit 2020
Business Fights Poverty Global Summit 2020 was packed full of insights – with 70+ speakers across nearly 40 sessions and 5 themes – and free learning content from our event partner Pearson. It was great to be joined live by over 1,000 participants from all around the world. Our community also contributed 5 How-To Videos […]
The four blind spots companies working on purpose uncover
Avoiding difficult conversations, blaming others for our own mistakes, or going it alone too afraid of asking for help. We know what are personal blind spots and why they hold us back — even if we pretend we don’t. Similarly, by business blind spots, I mean those beliefs that companies are not aware of having, […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
The team were delighted this week with the number of you – over 1,000 – who joined us for Business Fights Poverty Online 2020: Rebuild Better. This is the first time Business Fights Poverty has put together a full-week programme online, and our Founders Zahid and Yvette Torres-Rahman said afterwards that “the most special part […]
Experts from the Business Fights Poverty Network share insights and practical tips in our new “How-To” Videos and Seminars.
The videos were put together by experts from across our network, as part of Business Fights Poverty Online 2020: Rebuild Better, and we are immensely grateful to them for sharing their expertise. All the Seminars and “How-To” Videos can all be accessed via this link. . Our Seminars are around 15 to 20 minutes long, […]
COVID-19 & Inequality Test Corporate Purpose
Last year, CEOs from 181 publicly traded companies signed on to the Business Roundtable’s (BRT) updated Principles of Corporate Governance to redefine “the purpose of a corporation to promote an economy that serves all Americans.” Today, the planet is under siege from a pandemic that has resulted in the most profound economic calamity since the […]
SEMINAR: An introduction to cross-sector collaboration and public-private partnerships
Jodie Thorpe is a Research Fellow in the Business and Development Centre at the Institute of Development Studies, with over 15 years’ experience in research and advisory work. Prior to joining IDS, Jodie was a Private Sector Adviser at Oxfam GB and Director at SustainAbility. It is not humanly possible to know exactly how […]
VIDEO: How do I partner with NGOs, government and others to deliver both business and development goals?
The session is led by Darian Stibbe, Executive Director, and Dave Prescott, Creative Director, of The Partnering Initiative, a leading independent not-for-profit dedicated to unleashing the power of partnership for a prosperous and sustainable future. For 17 years, TPI has been internationally recognized as a pioneer of the theory and practice of effective multi-stakeholder partnering. […]
VIDEO: How do I measure my company’s sustainability performance?
Clara Barby is the Chief Executive of Impact Management Project. Also, Clara is on secondment from Bridges Fund Management, where she led the firm’s impact strategy throughout the investment cycle and across all fund types. “Impact measurement is a very precise tool of measurement that is increasingly what companies want to do in order to […]
Seminar: What is the latest thinking on employment-relevant skills for young people?
Linda Wanklin is a Researcher and PhD Candidate in International Affairs and Political Economy at the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland. Previously, she worked with Development Cooperation at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation and at the International Labour Organisation. Investing in training is really an investment in the company’s future. Once the […]
VIDEO: What is the place of human rights in the business environment?
Professor Michael K. Addo is Director of the London Law Program at the University of Notre Dame. His expertise is recognized beyond the academy including his appointment to the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (2011-2018) with a mandate to promote the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and […]
Innovation, Collaboration and Purpose: Three Lessons from the Pharmaceutical Industry to Strengthen the Global Health System
The last decade has seen substantial changes in how the pharmaceutical industry perceives its role in expanding access and affordability of pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostics, and in working with governments and civil society organizations to tackle global and community health challenges. Public opinion as well as changing stakeholder expectations, including among […]
Seminar Video: What are the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable?
Dr Dirk Willem te Velde is a Principal Research Fellow and Director for International Economic Development at the Overseas Development Institute. He is the Director of Supporting Economic Transformation and a Research Leader for the DFID-ESRC Growth Research Programme. This crisis is likely to be much worse, two to three times worse [than the […]
VIDEOS: How to report on your company’s purpose, Integrated Reporting, GRI, SASB and more
Professor Robert G. Eccles is Visiting Professor of Management Practice at University of Oxford’s Said Business School. He was previously a tenured Professor and Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School. Bob is the award-winning author of a dozen books, including seminal works on integrated reporting, sustainability, and the role of business in society. […]