Opportunities in Africa: Innovation and Digital Infrastructure
The world of technology is changing rapidly and the African continent is changing with it. For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population is using the Internet – of all regions, the strongest growth has been reported in Africa. It is a continent full of hope and innovation, in particular […]
Tackling Recruitment-Fee Debt Bondage Through Technology
Recruitment-fee debt bondage is the most widespread expression of modern slavery. In many parts of the world, it is common for the costs of recruitment to be borne by the workers themselves. Other costs – for example, travel, visas and medical expenses – compound the problem. Workers go into debt to pay these up-front fees […]
Daring to Dream? The Realities and Risks for Adolescent Girls Living in Fragile and Conflict Affected Areas
The toxic mix of conflict and violence, poverty, limited access to education and gender inequality leaves girls and young women at high risk of exploitation. Traffickers cash-in on girls’ dreams by promising well-paid jobs and an escape from poverty and crisis, but in reality it’s a path to exploitation. As Plan International UK we have […]
Understanding the Pitfalls and Shooting for Alignment: How ViiV Healthcare is Tackling HIV Globally
What you should know about GSK, ViiV Healthcare and DTG GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a purpose: to help people do more, feel better, and live longer. This includes a commitment to improve global health impact through research and development (R&D) for infectious diseases affecting children and adolescents in the developing world, […]
How a Sustainable Coconut Oil Project Improved Livelihoods for Smallholder Farmers in the Philippines and Indonesia
In Indonesia and the Philippines – world leaders in coconut production and exportation – most farmers are smallholders that struggle with lack of financing and training. Poor agricultural practices led to aging plantations and declining yields and incomes. Beginning in 2011, Cargill identified an opportunity to use its unique position to deliver solutions that would […]
Access the latest Inclusive Business Resources
Many multinational corporations (MNCs) are actively looking at how to scale and replicate inclusive business initiatives. In response, the UK Department for International Development, through the Inclusive Business Boost programme, has supported the development of knowledge products that aim to help MNCs identify and address the issues and challenges they face. To date, it has […]
C’est La CIV!
Corporate Impact Venturing (CIV) is a relatively new approach, marrying classic Corporate Venturing with social entrepreneurship. It is particularly apt for venturing into low-income markets, as our recent report shows. Oh la la! Many of the pioneers in CIV are French multinationals: The French utility Engie started “Rassembleurs d’Energie” in 2011 with a total investment capacity of […]
A New Twist on an Old Story: Renewed Hope For Impact From Large Companies
I have been lucky enough to meet the women entrepreneurs of 2 Chak Village, Sargodha district in Pakistan three times over the last two years. They tell inspiring stories of how selling high-quality hygiene products to their fellow women has brought them valuable income, but also respect and empowerment. Many of them have had extremely […]
It’s Time for Business Leaders to Raise their Voices for Human Rights
Something strange has been happening in the world of business and human rights. Leaders of multinational corporations around the globe are speaking out about the negative human rights challenges faced in their operations and supply chains. Where most companies seek to avoid any public association with human rights issues, these business leaders are breaking the […]
How a Sanitation Waste Partnership is Transforming Cities in Bangladesh
SWEEP, a simple yet highly effective public-private partnership model, was launched in 2015 in Dhaka. This model has enabled the private sector to enter the sanitation market, which they previously viewed as high-risk and low-margin, and entrepreneurs can now deliver profitable waste collection services. Watch our new film on SWEEP here: https://youtu.be/mCI-yVtRV0Q The model addresses […]
The Partnership Re-Imagining the Rice Value Chain in Nigeria
The Value Chain Development Program (VCDP) is a partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria, IFAD and Olam. It works to connect smallholder farmers to markets, land, credit and other agricultural support to improve productivity, the quality of their produce and their linkage with agro-processors for the buying of this produce. In turn, this supports […]
Seizing the Moment: Company Strategies to Address Sexual Harassment
The #MeToo movement has highlighted how pervasive sexual harassment is across sectors and countries. These issues affect, on a daily basis, millions of women workers producing the food, garments and electrical goods we buy in our shops. Gender and Work in Global Value Chains: Capturing the Gains? is recently published, drawing on years of research. […]
How Should Businesses Be Using Tech to Tackle Complex Issues Like Social Isolation?
When we think of social isolation it’s very easy to picture older, lonely people. But in reality, isolation affects people of all ages and backgrounds. More than one in five people in the UK feel lonely at least some of the time, making social isolation a major public health issue. The charity sector is rising […]
Self Devouring Growth
We all know that the dividends of growth and progress have not been adequately shared with people living at the bottom of the pyramid. Growth has disproportionately and negatively affected people in poor locales, or it will do so in the decades to come. Lower income communities and the Global South will be least resilient […]
What Does it Take To Go Big? Management Practices to Bring Inclusive Business to Scale
The Inclusive Business Management Practices Tool, supported by DfID and developed as part of the Inclusive Business Boost, marks a new stage in the development of Business Call to Action. The Tool provides inclusive business (IB), particularly within multinational corporations (MNCs), with an assessment tool that sets a new bar, with aspirations to motivate and […]
Working Towards a Digitally Inclusive and Connected South Africa
In 2018 the Pathways for Prosperity Commission was formed to address a pertinent and increasingly important question: What are the pathways to prosperity for the world’s poor in the coming digital age? In a global report, the Commission defined five potential pathways for inclusive growth in the digital age as well as a framework to help […]
Five Questions on Partnership with the Pollinate Group
1.What is Pollinate Group’s business model? Pollinate Group is a social enterprise with a mission to empower women as leaders of change to distribute products that improve health, save time and save money for the world’s most neglected communities. It was established in Bangalore in 2013, and later expanded to Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kanpur and Lucknow. […]
Might Slowing Down Be the Best Way to Accelerate Change in Business?
This was the underlying theme of the book I wrote last year, The Intrapreneur: Confessions of a corporate insurgent, (which Business Fights Poverty were kindly the main sponsor of): “did I go nuts or is it the system I was trying to change that’s crazy?” Having said all of that, purchasing the remains of a […]
How Can International Donors Help Businesses Scale their Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals?
SURVEY: How Can We Embed Purpose Authentically into Business
