Financial Exclusion #FirstWorldProblem?
13.5 million people in the UK live in poverty, with over 1 million without access to bank accounts (4% of Britain’s population) and a further 8 million (15%) underbanked – that’s a lot of people who have to find a way to survive in the 6th richest country in the world. Recognising this reality, Women […]
Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group: Screw Business as Usual
Through my experiences in my life and more recently with Virgin Unite, the nonprofit foundation for Virgin Group, I’ve learnt about the power that business has to drive change, whether that is simply creating thousands of jobs and a company where people love to come to work every day, or building a company to tackle […]
A New Private Sector Partnership to Share Business Skills
By Stephen Jordan, Founder and Executive Director, U.S. Chamber BCLC Over the last few years, BCLC has been working on different products to help companies manage their community engagement more effectively. At the recent Global Corporate Citizenship Conference (http://bclcglobal.uschamber.com), BCLC unveiled two products to do just that: our Business for Good Map and the International […]
Joe Phelan and Olive Boles: 10 ways to engage the private sector in health
Investing in the health of women and children is not only the right thing to do, it also builds stable, peaceful and productive societies. It reduces poverty, stimulates economic growth, is cost-effective and crucially, helps women and children realise their fundamental human rights. In September last year, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched “Every Woman […]
Jessica Scholl: To Divest or Not to Divest? – Doing Business in High-Risk Zones
As events rapidly unfold in the Arab World, the plight of business has been woefully under-reported. Companies with operations or investments in the region are finding themselves embroiled in morally, and often times legally, ambiguous situations. Political uncertainty further complicates the scenario, often requiring different policies to address unique circumstances. From the relatively peaceful to […]
Reflections on the journey of corporate responsibility
Besides the regular festivities, food and frolicking, December is a time for reflection. Commentators love to look back on The Year That Was – debating everything from the most gripping news stories to the highest grossing movies. But it’s not often that you get to hear someone like the head of the UN Global Compact, […]
MicroWHAT?? From Microfinance to Microinsurance.
As a social business dedicated to improving access to insurance among economically disadvantaged communities in the US and across the globe, Avana wants to raise awareness about the importance of microinsurance in development and poverty reduction. Our first several blog entries will be dedicated to answering some of your most commonly asked questions about the […]
Stakeholder Governance: An Analysis of BITC Corporate Responsibility Index Data on Stakeholder Engagement and Governance
Some critics of Corporate Responsibility falsely claim that it represents surrendering the running of business to Greenpeace and other NGOs. That is nonsense. Engaging stakeholders is not an abdication of management responsibility. It is how effective and successful modern management thrives. Good management involves reconciling customers, employees’, suppliers’, owners’ and society’s wants and needs with […]
Development, Peace and Human Rights in Colombia
Jul 06 – The report draws together the latest thinking from overseas combined with examples of pioneering efforts in Colombia, to show how companies can work in partnership with other stakeholders to create conditions for lasting prosperity.
Rebuilding Bridges: Opportunities and Challenges for Responsible Private Sector Engagement in Iraq's Reconstruction
2003 – This briefing paper by Jane Nelson and Jonas Moberg focusses on some of the business risks and opportunities that foreign companies face and it proposes eight steps they can take to minimise their own risk exposure, rebuild trust and play a responsible and creative role in the rebuilding of Iraq.
Rebuilding Bridges: Opportunities and Challenges for Responsible Private Sector Engagement in Iraq’s Reconstruction
2003 – This briefing paper by Jane Nelson and Jonas Moberg focusses on some of the business risks and opportunities that foreign companies face and it proposes eight steps they can take to minimise their own risk exposure, rebuild trust and play a responsible and creative role in the rebuilding of Iraq.
The Business of Peace: The Private Sector as a Partner
2000 – This publication provides a comprehensive and practical overview of the linkages between business and conflict, outlining why the private sector can no longer afford to ignore the causes and costs of conflict and some of the key factors that determine whether business plays a negative role by creating or exacerbating violent conflict.