Women's Power in Agriculture
A salesgirl dressed as a cowgirl waits for clients in a cattle showroom in Depok, West Java province, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2012. REUTERS/Enny Nuraheni When it comes to women’s economic empowerment, we tend to hear only about the two ends of the spectrum: high-flying women who’ve made it to the top in the macho world […]
Women’s Power in Agriculture
A salesgirl dressed as a cowgirl waits for clients in a cattle showroom in Depok, West Java province, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2012. REUTERS/Enny Nuraheni When it comes to women’s economic empowerment, we tend to hear only about the two ends of the spectrum: high-flying women who’ve made it to the top in the macho world […]
An Evolving Relationship between NGOs and Private Businesses
A common misperception regarding NGO-private sector relations is one based on mutual distrust and occasional confrontation, or with the advent of corporate social responsibility funding, one solely based on donor-recipient transactions. With the international development landscape rapidly evolving, some historical and present-day assumptions are simply inaccurate. The following statements are NOT true of operational U.S. […]
Business as a Partner in Development
Partnerships are vital if we are to make the greatest possible impact on development. This is why the whole global community – governments, businesses, emerging and developing nations, civil society – needs to agree a new partnership to work together and unite behind the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and work together to achieve them. […]
The Remarkable Progress of Inclusive Business
The first flagship report of Business Call to Action (BCtA) reviewing 5 years, shows strong evidence of progress made by BCtA member companies in providing benefits to people at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) while delivering commercial success. It also maps key challenges found in each sector for companies that engage with the low-income […]
Securing Growth with Depth
In the push for African states to collaborate with business for economic transformation, this report offers fresh, promising ideas for the “how.” Economic transformation, as we champion it at the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), is growth with DEPTH. That is, growth with diversification, export competitiveness, productivity increases and technological upgrading, all leading to […]
Partnering for Impact
Despite growing optimism about Africa’s economic prospects, progress is fragile and incomplete. Growth has yet to benefit many Africans, with almost half the population still living on less than $1.25 a day. With almost 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, Africa has the youngest population in the world, and with that number expected […]
Business Call to Action Annual Forum 2014
Why We Need Innovative Financing
Innovative financing’s “bridge” role in economic, social, and environmental development As the development agenda comes under the spotlight at this week’s UN General Assembly in New York, one thing will become clear: the future we want – a future that meets the needs of people and the planet – will require investments estimated in the […]
Women’s and Children’s Health and the SDGs
By Next year, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) will be replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) — a set of even more ambitious targets for global development. In a bold attempt to create the healthiest generation of young women and children in the world, the new SDGs will require the near elimination of preventable […]
Barclays, Intrapreneurship and The Intrapreneur Lab
On 16 September, Milan Samani, Director of the Intrapreneur Lab, interviewed Mark Thain, Vice President, Social Innovation, Barclays, and Damian Payiatakis, Director of Strategic Development, Barclays Wealth and Investment Management. The conversation covered Barclay’s approach to supporting intrapreneurship and innovation, and their experience with The Intrapreneur Lab – a collaboration between Business Fights Poverty, Accenture […]
Integrating Trade in the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Trade must be a prominent part of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, given its importance in structural economic transformation. The SDGs could help tackle some of the trade challenges facing African LDCs by moving beyond the agenda of market access. This would imply a focus on addressing behind-the-border measures, such as rules of origin, enforcement […]
Life in the IBM Corporate Service Corps in China
Born and raised in Balotra, a moderate town in Rajasthan in the West of India, entrepreneurship was part of my heritage. I grew up surrounded by people who’d set up their own businesses and so when I finished my undergraduate degree in engineering I felt the call of business and made my way via advanced […]
Supplying Power and Creating Jobs in Uganda
BACKGROUND In 2004, Uganda’s electricity distribution network was very run down. As a result of many years of neglect, the network of over 20,000km of poles, sub-stations and wires had fallen into disrepair. There were approximately 120,000 rotten poles in the system, which was a serious issue both in terms of quality of supply and […]
USAID Promotes Inclusive Business for Development Goals
The Business Call to Action interviews Ricardo Michel, Director, Centre for Transformational Partnerships, US Global Development Lab at USAID Ricardo Michel is responsible for the overall strategic direction to best use local and global public-private partnerships for accelerated sustainable development. Previously, Michel served as acting director for the Office of Innovation and Development Alliances, where […]
Overcoming Barriers to Internet Connectivity
The Business Call to Action interviews Abdullah Orkun Kaya, CEO of TTNET TTNET was founded in 2006 and has become one of Turkey’s leading internet companies. The company plays a pioneering role in the communications industry with its mix of digital products and services, and also in developing responsible business models. Offering a combination of […]
Supporting Women in Business and Creating Jobs in Uganda
Photo: CDC/DFCU BACKGROUND Accessing finance is a problem that many women face in Uganda. With property passing from male to male, women struggle to offer collateral to lenders. A study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) found that only 9 per cent of commercial credit in Uganda goes to women. However, nearly 40 per cent […]
50 Years of Backing SMEs and Creating Jobs in Uganda
Photo: CDC/DFCU “Fifty years is not a short time by any means, but CDC has stuck with DFCU for 50 years. Even through the difficult times they’ve been with us. This is very important, for us to have a long-term shareholder who is committed and dedicated to the growth of DFCU, and who believes in […]
Making a Better Life in Business
Mbuotidem Okorie dreamt of having his own business, but his disability forced him to beg for a living without hope of work in Nigeria. A Shell programme supporting young entrepreneurs has helped him and others achieve their ambitions. Without the use of his legs, and having no wheelchair or work, paraplegic Mbuotidem Okorie struggled to […]
Running the Numbers, and Having a Transformative Impact
Children attending school in the elements of Africa without shelter, electricity or modern teaching tools Over the last 30 years I have found it useful to constantly and obsessively “Run the Numbers” when I look at any business opportunity. I try to do this in a way that quickly strikes to the heart of any […]