Can We Leapfrog Once Again With Smart Solutions and Cross-Sector Partnerships?
The COVID-19 pandemic is imposing itself as the greatest crisis since the Great Depression. It is affecting – and revealing structural socio-economic weaknesses in – all regions of the world. Responding to COVID-19 is not only a question of preparedness, it is fundamentally a question of peace and security, and of political and financial decisions […]
Collaborations and Partnerships – The Way Forward for Building an Equitable and Resilient Future
In the current challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic, which has severely impacted millions of lives and livelihoods worldwide, the role of collaborations and partnerships in binding the nations together for international solidarity, has become much more critical, than ever before. A clarion call for global community is evident from the prevailing catastrophe, that clearly highlights […]
Unlocking systems transformation – A business view
The term “systems transformation” is increasingly being used to describe what is needed to achieve sustainable development. Players across government, industry, academia and civil society are more and more aligned in their position that the sustainable development challenges we face are complex, highly interconnected and systemic, and that incremental change will not be enough to […]
From Response to Rebuilding Better
Who are vulnerable people, what is recovery and why is rebuilding so important? Millions of people are enduring a devastating impact to their lives, livelihoods and learning opportunities due to the pandemic. Among them, vulnerable groups, such as informal workers, women, black people and other ethnic minorities, and those with underlying medical conditions, have been […]
Technology and the Workplace: Putting People First
Work is the engine at the center of our economies. Shaping a future of work where people can thrive is essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Over 20 global member companies of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) have collaborated to develop shared business principles aimed at putting people first when it […]
Purposeful Collaboration to Fight COVID-19
It was just before 6 o’clock on 11 March, and I was on my last call of the day when news broke that the WHO Director-General had declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Sometimes life-changing moments are only recognisable as such in retrospect, but sometimes – like this one – you recognise their significance […]
Holding Course in the Middle of a Storm: Navigating the Deeply Disrupted Decade Ahead
Predicting the future in any detail is hard at the best of times, but in the middle of a pandemic, it actually might become easier – even though volatility has increased dramatically, our focus and options have necessarily narrowed. Existing vulnerabilities have been tangibly and tragically exposed – rich as well as poor countries have […]
How Can Partnerships Create Rapid Innovation During COVID-19 Crisis?
Business Fights Poverty convened an online discussion to explore what we can learn from these new partnerships and the innovations they are creating – both to inspire and strengthen the short-term response to COVID-19, and to help make innovation partnerships the “new normal” in a post-COVID world. In the face of adversity, businesses have taken […]
Rapid Innovation Through Partnerships
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread rapidly around the world, creating the worst humanitarian and economic crisis in a generation. The response to this pandemic has needed to be equally rapid and innovation has been required at many levels. Private sector partnerships have been playing an important role in generating creative solutions. Quick examples […]
From ‘Immediate Response’ to ‘Rebuilding Better’: Public Webinar and Online Discussion
On 7 May 2020, Business Fights Poverty held a public webinar which brought together the experts behind our Business and COVID-19 Response Framework and Action Toolkits, designed to guide companies’ immediate response to COVID-19 and efforts to rebuild, with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable. The interactive webinar provided an overview of the Business […]
A Just Transition that Leaves No One Behind
World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) sets out plans to ensure SDG Transformation benchmarks reflect a ‘just transition’ Read the scoping report The WBA aims to build a movement to measure and incentivise business impact towards a sustainable future that works for everyone. We will assess the 2000 most influential companies (SDG2000) against the set of systems-transformations […]
How Can Business Help in the Building of National Coalitions to Fight COVID-19
On 30 April 2020, Business Fights Poverty convened an online discussion, which examined how business can help build national coalitions and collaborations to fight COVID-19. What is making these collaborations work, what lessons need to be learned, and how can these be replicated to make a greater impact? What examples of national collaborative platforms to […]
COVID-19: How Business and NGOs Can Partner to Support our Global Community Through the Pandemic
As I, like many others in the UK and around the world, continue to work from home, much of my day is informed by hearing from our teams about the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic continues to inflict on our global community. While deeply concerning, I could not feel more proud to be part of […]
Practical Steps Large Companies Can Take to Support their MSME Partners through the COVID-19 Crisis
As MSMEs struggle, the impact on their communities is also significant as they are often the only source of goods and key services for the most poor and vulnerable populations. For large companies, who rely on MSMEs in their value chains as suppliers (including small-scale farmers), distributors, retailers and customers, beyond the immediate humanitarian imperative, supporting […]
UN SG Launches Road Map to Address COVID-19
Alongside this, the Secretary General has established the United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to support low- and middle-income countries in the face of the pandemic. All businesses have a crucial role to play in supporting the global response. “The world is facing an unprecedented test. And this is the moment of truth. … […]
Cometh the hour, Cometh the Call for Collaborative Action Against COVID-19
Whilst the safety of employees, customers and business partners is paramount, the strength of these relationships will be exposed. Leadership will be tested and commitment to individual and business’ values will be scrutinised. Are the businesses well espoused values just platitudes on the board room wall and the front cover of the annual report, or […]
Cohabiting with a Virus: We Must Learn to Live Life on Land More Sustainably
On Saturday 21 March, the world celebrated the UN’s International Day of Forests. But instead of stepping out into nature or joining one of the many activities planned to recognise this day, many of us are – voluntarily or not – staying put in our homes, amid the bleak global fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. […]
Is your company working to advance the Sustainable Development Goals?
Is your company working to advance the Sustainable Development Goals? Does your organization transform lives and markets with sustainable solutions to development challenges? If so, we want to hear from you. FT/IFC Transformational Business Awards is inviting applications from forward-thinking companies and impact investors whose work proves that the private sector can help drive sustainable […]
Five Golden Rules of Successful Partnerships
Fortunately, there is a wealth of experience about what works and what doesn’t, and in my role at Business Fights Poverty I have been fortunate to observe and learn from many individuals and organisations over the past 15 years. Take a look, for example, at the close to 400 articles on our site, our reports that explore case studies, […]
A New Way to Measure Impact, Both Good and Bad
Total Societal Impact measures the wider impact of ventures, both positive and negative. Considering social impact can lead to new markets. Digital solutions offer opportunities to lower carbon output and create new business models. The world is facing a series of difficult problems right now, from climate change to societal and economic challenges. It’s imperative […]