Delivering on the Promise of Inclusive Business
Back in November 2008, on a hot, dusty day in Dar es Salaam, I vividly remember the moment I met Lillian Kessy. I was immediately struck by her confidence, dignity and determination. Only a year earlier, Lillian was in a desperate financial situation. By the time I met her, she was busy building a small […]
Designing for People, Not Problems, Will Help Us Tackle the Global Sanitation Crisis
Toilets have transformed the way we live today. From health, to safety, to convenience – being able to access a toilet from the comfort of our own home no longer seems like a luxury. That’s why to many of us, World Toilet Day – which takes place this week on 19th November – may seem […]
Partnering for Healthier Cities
Urbanisation is a global trend – with distinct opportunities or complex challenges, depending on where in the world it is taking place. Every day across Africa, economic, climatic, and political factors force migration from traditional rural dwellings to makeshift urban neighbourhoods. These urban settlements often lack access to basic water and sanitation services, leading to […]
How Business Can Act Now for Women’s Health and Empowerment: Q&A with Robyn Russell
By Robyn Russell, Deputy Director of the Universal Access Project (UAP), UN Foundation, and Dominic Kotas, Communications Associate, BSR This week sees the release of the new business guide, How Businesses Can Invest in Women and Realize Returns, co-authored by the UN Foundation, the Evidence Project led by the Population Council, and BSR’s HERproject. The […]
Reaching Children Earlier to Disrupt Gender Norms and Improve Health
By Alyssa Govindan, Communications, GBCHealth GENDER NORMS & HEALTH IMPLICATIONS While gender norms are being challenged in the West, in many other parts of the world they are becoming further engrained. Even at a young age, gender norms can dictate the activities boys and girls are allowed to participate in. Behaviors as simple as playing […]
How Some Health NGOs Can Be Bolder in Their Engagement with Business
I was recently invited to present TPI’s partnering toolkit on NCDs – developed last year in collaboration with Bupa and UICC – at EPHA’s annual conference. The memorable phrase ‘evil puppeteers’ was used in one presentation, in reference to the nefarious and shady activities of corporate lobbyists. While significant progress has undoubtedly been made in […]
Good Nutrition Should Be Everybody’s Business
Good nutrition should be everybody’s business. That was the message that was echoed through the side meetings during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. At the inaugural ‘Goalkeepers’ event, hosted by Bill and Melinda Gates in New York during UNGA week, the challenge was extended to us all to track the progress we have made […]
Want to Change the World? Allow the Private Sector to Do What it Does Best
For the past week, the world has watched as heads of state and global business leaders convened in New York City for the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. The agenda was far from light. Topics ranged from food security to climate change to the refugee crisis to healthcare. The task at hand – achieving the […]
Partnering to Get Every Child Learning
The world is witnessing the highest levels of human displacement on record since World War II. Of the unprecedented 65.3 million people forced from their homes, almost one-third are refugees, seeking protection from violence or persecution. The majority of refugee children have lost not only their home, but also their education – so often the […]
Bold Partnerships Can Help Achieve the Global Goals
While trust in business and institutions is consistently questioned, I believe partnerships are providing solutions. The Global Goals are clear that business has a vital role to play in achieving sustainable development. The private sector can bring the scale, expertise, and resources needed to find new solutions. But to have impact we must work in […]
Enabling Youth Entrepreneurship in West Africa
An Interview with Isaac Aggrey, CEO, African Social Entrepreneurs Network BFP: First of all, please introduce yourself to the Business Fights Poverty community. I am passionate about providing effective financial solutions to benefit local entrepreneurs, social impact investors, and most importantly, people at all levels of society, especially women entrepreneurs. I am the CEO of […]
Bridging the Gap – Supporting Youth Employability
By Hester le Roux, Challenge Director, Business Fights Poverty We are pleased to announce the launch of a new guide to business support for youth skills development. “Bridging the Gap: Supporting Youth Employability” was produced as part of the Business Fights Poverty Challenge on Youth Employability, which is supported by Anglo American, Barclays, BRAC, Citi, […]
Family Planning – It’s Everyone’s Business
To achieve the ambitious and urgent goal of reaching 120 million women with family planning will take significant political and financial will by governments – which is why the forthcoming Family Planning Summit is so welcome. But what about the role of business? How do we convince them that family planning is something that directly […]
Working with the Private Sector to Further Global Health
Photo Credit: Cairdeas International Palliative Care Trust CEO, THET and Ian Walker, Director, Johnson & Johnson Global Community Impact “I was caring for an elderly man with cardiac failure. He had multiple pressure sores and dirty sheets. He was depressed. I dressed the pressure sores and showed the family how to do the same, in […]
Healthcare for All: The Impact of Private Healthcare Providers
Private organisations are major providers of health care in poorer parts of the world. They come in all shapes and sizes – large hospitals, small clinics, formal and informal, some run for profit and some non-profit. Together, they deliver more than half of all healthcare in Africa. In Brazil, private beds account for 39 per […]
Why Should We Care About Menstrual Hygiene?
The theme of this year’s International Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) was education. The founders of MHD argue that education on menstrual hygiene changes everything. They call for improved information and menstrual hygiene education for boys, men, teachers, health workers and other professionals so that they can break down negative social norms and provide accurate information […]
Can Technology Make Africa Happy?
The phenomenal growth of mobile technology in Africa with apps such as M-Pesa and Eco-Cash has made banking possible even for my 91-year-old grandmother, who lives in a Zimbabwean village. This grassroots approach to innovation has opened up tailored and useful apps to mobile phone users across the African continent. My grandmother now even has […]
Skills and Prosperity in the Bangladesh Garment Industry
Garment factories in Bangladesh are now seeing positive returns from investing in in-house skills training. A new training approach has to date supported 4,000 people into sewing machine operator positions through a unique partnership between major British retailers, garment factories and the market development programme, Sudokkho. This is a win-win situation. In a sector operating […]
The Power of Using Talent for Good
When considering the ways in which the private sector can advance global health and development and improve our world, a few obvious options come to mind. Funding is usually high on the list, as is research and development, but other interventions are in demand. Business acumen, supply chain knowledge and monitoring and evaluation expertise are […]
#GBCtalksmalaria with Julie Essiam of Ecobank Foundation
Interview with Julie Essiam, Ecobank Foundation This interview is part of a series in which experts discuss key aspects of the malaria challenge– innovation, program implementation, finance and policy. We hope the series sparks conversation and encourages others to determine how they can best contribute to the fight to end malaria for good. Follow the […]