Can Microfinance Solve the Finance Woes of Facebook Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh?
Research estimates the presence of over 300,000 merchant pages and 28 million Facebook users in Bangladesh today. Large companies are increasing their promotional focus in the platform, to target the right clients and benefit from the large customer base. The most promising factor, however, are not the big players, but the multitude of small businesses […]
Large Companies Have a Key Role in Strengthening Small Supplier Integrity
The project, run by Business Fights Poverty, has sought to find out how to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to take business integrity issues more seriously and adopt meaningful anticorruption compliance. They conducted an extensive literature review and complemented it with an online survey, 24 interviews, and two business roundtables in which we gathered […]
How Root Capital and the IKEA Foundation are Building the Resilience of Smallholder Farmers in East Africa
Root Capital and the IKEA Foundation are announcing a new partnership, worth €4.8 million, to help 260,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda increase their income and adapt to climate change. The grant builds on the success of a previous partnership, through which Root Capital supported dozens of Kenyan agricultural businesses, helping them break the […]
How is Business Rethinking Generation Purpose?
Who are millennials? A generation of people who reached young adulthood in the early 21st century (born between 1981 and 1997) Millennials make up 27% of the global population or about 2 billion people (Pew Research Center, Global Business Policy Council) By 2025 75% of workforce will comprise millennials (Brookings Data Now) Why might millenials […]
Doing Business with Integrity is an Increasingly Important Driver of Commercial Success
As the COO of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), I see a growing number of ambitious companies capitalising on opportunities in high potential frontier markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the post-Brexit world, these markets will become increasingly important and attractive environments in which to do business but for the unprepared […]
Building Resilient Businesses through the Ministry of Justice’s Six Principles of Bribery Prevention
The Bribery Act 2010 is one of the most robust pieces of anti-bribery legislation anywhere in the world, creating offences for those directly involved in acts of bribery, and for the corporate failure to prevent bribery. Although everyone agrees that corruption is a scourge on business and inclusive economic development, until now there has been […]
Doing Business with Integrity: An Important Driver of Commercial Success
As the CEO of Downtown in Business (DIB), a membership organisation championing business across the Midlands and North, I see a growing number of ambitious companies capitalising on opportunities in high potential frontier markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the post-Brexit world, these markets will become increasingly important and attractive environments to do […]
Doing Business with Integrity Makes for Better Business
As the Director of The Institute of Business Ethics, I regularly hear stories about the operational risks companies face when doing business in frontier markets, in particular the impacts of bribery and corruption, and by the same token, how these same companies avoid the pitfalls when they embed strong values and integrity at the heart […]
Doing Business with Integrity Case Study: Forensic Pathways
Company overview: Birmingham-based Forensic Pathways Ltd operates in the digital forensics and evidence arena, specialising in dark web investigation and analysis, forensic laboratory consultation, ballistics analysis and data analysis solutions in the area of due diligence, forensic business services and criminal intelligence. Founded in 2001, Forensic Pathways has expanded globally, with 65% of exports in […]
Doing Business with Integrity Case Study: MLM Brasil
COMPANY OVERVIEW In 2010, MLM Group was a UK-based, mid-sized engineering consultancy with big ambitions, looking to Brazil to develop their expertise, increase revenues, and provide diverse projects for their employees. Eight years later, in partnership with Brazilian management consultancy NBS Consulting Group, MLM has pioneered UK buildings sustainability certifications in Brazil. MLM Brasil’s projects […]
Doing Business with Integrity Case Study: Dints International
COMPANY OVERVIEW Founded in 2007, Dints International provides supply chain solutions to the mining, construction and heavy equipment industries; managing machinery and parts supply, component and machinery rebuild programmes, alongside outsourcing and finance support. 90% of Dint’s business is in Africa, in countries including Cameroon, Congo, DR Congo, Madagascar, Kenya, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Gambia, Burkina […]
Doing Business with Integrity Case Study: Coltraco Ultrasonics
COMPANY OVERVIEW Founded in 1987, Coltraco Ultrasonics Limited is a leading British Ultrasonics Technology Manufacturer: “Using sound which others cannot hear, in liquids, air and solids.” Coltraco Ultrasonics designs innovative and intuitive safety technology, focusing on watertight integrity, fire safety, condition monitoring and lifetime after sales support. The company exports 89% of their output to […]
Doing Business with Integrity is Good for Business and Society
Over the last six months Business Fights Poverty has been working with the UK Government’s Business Integrity Initiative, supported by DFID, FCO and DIT, which aims to help SMEs to anticipate and avoid bribery, corruption and human rights risks when doing business in frontier markets. The Business Integrity Initiative has established an online hub that […]
Are You Driving Social Impact within the Health Innovation Space?
In Germany, time constraints often mean that breast cancer screening examinations are done quickly. Frank Hoffman CEO and Founder of Discovering Hands has worked as a gynaecologist since 1993. During this time, Frank always focused his practice on early detection. But he also believed that the examination could be optimised; “The idea occurred to me […]
2019: Why Business Should Still Care About the Sustainable Development Goals
2019 will mark four years since the United Nations (UN) member states unanimously agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet by 2030 – a deadline which is starting to loom ever-larger on the horizon. As the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) we […]
The Future of Work – A Social Challenge
“Worst case scenario: there simply won’t be enough jobs in the system in the future. Business cannot escape from this responsibility – we must join together to collectively take action, before this becomes a devastating social crisis.” Charles Tsai, Senior Manager, Fossil Foundation. If the transition to the future of work isn’t handled properly, trust […]
As Countries Turn Inward, Companies Stand Up for Humanity. Let’s Applaud and Encourage Them.
Skyrocketing numbers of people fleeing conflict. Increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters. Decreased diplomatic efforts. Slashed foreign aid budgets. A West that is increasingly embracing narrow nationalism and isolation. It all leaves us in the humanitarian community concerned for the future of our interconnected world. The inclination of political leaders to withdraw more than […]
Are B Corps an Elite Charade for Changing the World?
Recently, I was in public conversation with Anand Giridharadas, former columnist for The New York Times, about his new and important book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World. In provocative style and with compelling substance, Giridharadas speaks truth to power, calling elites to account for giving so much lip service to “changing the world,” […]
On Purpose
Larry Fink’s annual open letter to corporate CEOs is fast-becoming a fixture at the start of the year. Fink’s views matter. They carry weight. He is, after all, the co-founder and now Chairman and CEO of BlackRock – the biggest money-management firm in the world with more than $6 trillion in assets under management. His […]
BCtA at 10: Inclusivity for All in an Ambitious New Call to Action
A decade ago, Business Call to Action (BCtA) was launched with just 18 companies at the helm. During our inauguration, then-prime minister of the UK Gordon Brown said: “Business Call to Action is a landmark opportunity for global business leaders to come together to develop new and innovative ways to spread growth, prosperity and opportunity […]