Can Good Research Promote More Investment In Nutrition?
The nutrition sector is at a critical point in its development. Scientists and economists are in agreement nutrition is critical to good health and economic growth. New platforms like the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, have seen more than 50 national governments develop nutrition strategies, and new pledges to nutrition were announced at the Nutrition […]
Jobs For Africa, Food For The World
Why investing in agricultural entrepreneurship is the best bet for generating wealth and food security in Africa Young people, no matter where they are from, search for a different life from the ones their parents lived. It is not surprising therefore, that so many young Africans are reluctant to take on farming as a career. […]
Milk For Sale Not Just Survival
I never thought I could become consumed by the size of a plastic bag of milk, but it was a huge part of my life during the 2 years I spent in Mzuzu, Northern Malawi. The Mpoto Dairy Farmers’ Association (MDFA) became my home community while I volunteered as their marketing advisor and I still […]
Shell – Relief & Rehabilitation For Haiyan Victims
In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Shell mobilised immediately to provide relief and support long-term rehabilitation of the affected communities. Social impacts $3.5 million in funding and in-kind support provided immediate assistance for basic necessities (water, food, medicine, shelter), as well as sustainable livelihood opportunities, access to energy, environmental protection and community redevelopment programmes. Regional […]
Shell – Relief & Rehabilitation For Haiyan Victims
In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Shell mobilised immediately to provide relief and support long-term rehabilitation of the affected communities. Social impacts $3.5 million in funding and in-kind support provided immediate assistance for basic necessities (water, food, medicine, shelter), as well as sustainable livelihood opportunities, access to energy, environmental protection and community redevelopment programmes. Regional […]
Marks & Spencer Global Community Programme – Emerging Leaders
Marks and Spencer’s partnership with NGO Emerging Leaders in Kenya rolls out leadership development training to grass roots workers, enabling a longer-term, more secure supply chain. Social impacts In 2013 alone, the Emerging Leaders programme has trained over 2000 people, equalling over 48,000 training hours, with a direct positive impact on 10,000 people (based on […]
Marks & Spencer Global Community Programme – Emerging Leaders
Marks and Spencer’s partnership with NGO Emerging Leaders in Kenya rolls out leadership development training to grass roots workers, enabling a longer-term, more secure supply chain. Social impacts In 2013 alone, the Emerging Leaders programme has trained over 2000 people, equalling over 48,000 training hours, with a direct positive impact on 10,000 people (based on […]
Ferrovial – Social Infrastructure Program
Ferrovial uses its expertise in infrastructure to improve the water and sanitation systems in disadvantaged communities in Africa and Latin America. Social impacts €3,145,591 invested, nine projects developed or in progress, with 153,743 beneficiaries. More than 300 infrastructure systems – mainly clean water and sanitation – constructed in six countries in Africa and Latin America. […]
Credit Suisse – Microfinance Capacity Building Initiative
Credit Suisse, through the Microfinance Capacity Building Initiative (MCBI), enable microfinance institutions to develop the people, products and processes which are needed to serve the financially excluded. Social impacts MCBI projects have trained over 13,000 microfinance industry staff and improved financial services for over 2.3 million individuals, resulting in improved livelihoods, access to health, nutrition […]
Mondelēz International – Cocoa Life
Mondelēz International’s Cocoa Life programme aims to boost livelihoods and living conditions for 200,000 farmers and one million people in cocoa farming communities. Social impacts Cocoa Life has brought communities together to initiate change, including a focus on empowering women and tackling the presence of child labour through a unique approach that is proactive, transparent, […]
Shared Interest Society – Investing in a Fairer World
Shared Interest Society asks its members to invest in a fairer world and helps people in some of the poorest countries trade their way out of poverty. Social impacts Increased incomes and employment: last year, the 97 producer groups Shared Interest Society financed collectively earned revenues of £236,056,545. Greater equality and opportunity: last year, the […]
Danone – Ecosystem Fund
Danone created the Ecosystem Fund to create social and economic value for the partners who make up Danone’s ecosystem: farmers, suppliers and subcontractors, transport and logistics operators, distributors, territories and local authorities . Social impacts Danone’s Milk collection communities project in Egypt allow a real ownership of centers by the local farming community, taking in […]
A Guide To Working With Informal Financial Institutions
Amid the growing interest in building effective and scalable solutions to meet the financing needs of the world’s 450 million smallholder farmers, organizations rarely pay much attention to the thousands of informal financial institutions that can be found in rural communities throughout the world. Instead, discussions on ways to close the estimated $400 billion gap […]
Brands, Retailers And The ‘Protect’ Pillar
16 June 2014 is a significant date – three years since the UN Human Rights Council endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Also known as the “Protect, Respect, Remedy” framework, it sets out a role for states to protect human rights, for business to respect these rights, and for both […]
Sustainability – Why Measuring Impact Matters
Over the past decade, we have seen increasing optimism about Africa’s economic prospects and governance. Once derided by The Economist as “the hopeless continent”, the last edition of this publication to focus on the region featured the cover story “Africa Rising”. Record growth rates in many African countries are underpinned by sustained political stability, the […]
What Support Do Energy Access Enterprises Need To Thrive?
Many enterprises are working to solve the huge problem of energy poverty in the developing world by delivering electricity to the 1.3 billion who live off the main grid, or by selling improved cook stoves to people cooking over smoky stoves or open fires that damage their health. Lots of donors, NGOs, investors and others […]
Amplifying Innovation Through Collaboration
DFID’s Innovation Hub team were faced with a challenge. How could they bring in new partners to gain fresh perspectives and improved outcomes on tackling poverty whilst enabling true collaboration, end-user involvement and iteration in the innovation process? To answer this, the team worked with their partners IDEO.org to develop a flagship programme called Amplify. […]
Taking The “Product” Out Of Product Design
Social entrepreneurs are driven by passion. We are people who have bold ideas to solve huge challenges, and have almost singular vision to the execution of our idea. Our products are our babies- we know every dimension, every line of code, or every component because we have spent many long evenings debugging, tinkering, sketching, and […]
Preparing The BoP Market
The markets that need innovative solutions the most, very often are not yet ready for them, which is a difficult barrier to overcome for successful growth of inclusive business models. For the base of the pyramid (BoP) market we often talk about push and pull products. Pull products being things that people immediately desire, such […]
There's Big Business in Toilets at the BoP
This is the story of a successful partnership between two organizations that share a passion for toilets: an NGO with 30+ years of making markets work for the poor and the largest toilet manufacturer in North America. Eventually, they made more impact together than either organization could make alone. Combining diverse expertise The idea of […]