Sustainability systems in the next decade of action on business and human rights
We marked the ten-year anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in June. Adoption of the Principles was a landmark moment for the global human rights movement providing a clear framework that emphasised the complementary responsibilities of States and businesses in respecting and promoting human rights. In its recently released report taking stock […]
Regenerative Agriculture: Growing Pains
Agriculture is not working for people or the planet. The statistics are startling. 78% of the world’s poorest people remain reliant on agriculture, 33% of the world’s soils are degraded (a figure that could rise to 90% by 2050) and agriculture contributes to about a quarter of global climate emissions (stats from the World Bank, […]
Interview with Sitsofe Sah, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)
Miss Sitsofe Sah works for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a Senior Accounts Assistant at the Accra East Regional Office. She is also the National Executive Treasurer of the Power Queen’s Club, a women’s employee association of ECG. As part of a series of interviews with participants of the Ghana Women in Energy conference, Dr. […]
The importance of ‘tri-partite’ partnerships between business, NGOs and government
In the middle of 2020, Fairtrade and Mondelēz International expanded their existing partnership to include the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), winning a one year grant from the Business Partnerships for Global Goals (BP4GG) programme[1]. The three partners collaborated to launch the Cadbury Farmer Resilience Fund, designed to accelerate and deepen existing work […]
Driving social impact for women in the RMG industry in Bangladesh
The ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh has been a catalytic engine of economic development and social impact for the last four decades. It contributes 83% share of the country’s total exports[1] and has been a consistent force behind an impressive GDP annual growth of over 6% since 2005[2]. It has also been a driver […]
World Population and Gender Equality in the Post-Covid Era
The pandemic has caused international upheaval in terms of development aid and gender equality. At a time when low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) need more support than ever before, it has been even more challenging to get the needed funding and assistance. Girls and women in LMICs have been the most impacted, facing challenges ranging […]
Community-based healthcare for COVID response: option or necessity?
When COVID-19 hit a population of 170 million in Bangladesh, the consequences undoubtedly seemed grim. As of 11 March 2021, there are almost 600,000 confirmed cases of infection and 8,489 deaths. Yet transmission control remains a challenge and cases remain underreported, mainly due to the following three factors: (i) Lack of awareness and COVID-19-compliant behaviour: Afzal, […]
An innovative use of a traditional technology: how can we ensure Farmer’s Voices are heard?
More than 80% of the world’s farms operate on less than two hectares of land[1] and the smallholder farmers who work on them are essential partners in international supply chains. Yet even before the COVID-19 pandemic, smallholders were facing increasing challenges from climate change, intensive cultivation and degraded land, invasive pests and disease, poor infrastructure, […]
Rethinking global primary healthcare worker education: the value of multi-directional learning
What does it mean to ‘build capacity’ of healthcare workers globally? We know that clinical expertise must be matched with knowledge and appreciation of context – politics, policy, economy, culture. As resources are redirected to economic recovery from COVID-19, most obviously demonstrated in the recent dramatic cuts to UK development assistance, there is now an […]
5 Principles for Powerful Partnerships: Where Profit meets Social Impact
Know your partner AND Your value proposition Secure buy-in at multiple levels: from front-line staff to the boardroom Unite your business & social goals Define roles and responsibilities Adapt to market shifts A catalytic collaboration here in Vietnam is stimulating business growth for women entrepreneurs by challenging misconceptions and improving access to finance, networks and […]
Leveraging the Power of Small Agricultural Businesses to Address Climate Change and Gender Inequity
Globally, women farmers struggle to access land, credit, and training and bear a heavy double burden of farm and household responsibilities. These gender inequalities pose a serious risk to women farmers in the face of climate change. Growing evidence shows that women’s limited access to farm assets, services, and decision-making power makes them more vulnerable […]
Taking a people-centred approach to climate action in cotton farming
While the clock ticks every second, the global climate continues to change… Humankind has faced the brunt of unprecedented climatic events in the past decade. As the impending harsh future looms large, it will be a difficult environment for humans and businesses, unless collective steps are taken to build an equitable and resilient future, in […]
How can business-led innovation support refugees?
We know that the humanitarian landscape is changing – crises have become more protracted and complex, as well as characterised by greater barriers to humanitarian assistance. The COVID-19 crisis and associated economic turbulence is also accelerating need. In this context, business has a role to play in developing a more sustainable response to global displacement and in […]
Five reasons why digital work may help promote inclusion of youth with disabilities
Digital jobs are opening up important new work opportunities for youth with disabilities in developing countries. The COVID‒19 pandemic has accelerated the expansion of jobs which offer flexibility, accommodations for disability and functional access for remote communities. In our new report “Digital Jobs for Youth with Disabilities,” S4YE highlights strategies that programs have used to increase inclusion of […]
Sea freight strengthens Kenya-to-Europe flower supply chain
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, global supply chains were hit hard, affecting millions of workers across the globe. In the Kenyan floriculture sector, the subsequent 25-40% air freight reduction has meant lower export rates, a supply slowdown, and loss of jobs for thousands. At FlowerWatch, we’re involved in a project of the United Kingdom’s Foreign, […]
Growing Haiti’s food systems with determination and partners
Even before the novel coronavirus became a global threat, the United Nations had dire predictions for Haiti in 2020. A UN humanitarian agency report in December 2019 forecast that within months 40 percent of Haitians would “require urgent humanitarian assistance.” Causes included political upheaval, insecurity and rising food prices. Adding a pandemic to the mix […]
How new business skills are helping communities in Nepal
To create lasting change in Nepal, the solution needs to look to the future and provide communities with the skills they want. Farming communities tend to be aware of what they need to flourish, but are unable to access them. By joining the dots and helping communities improve their business skills, access tools and training […]
Social metrics – or how to move towards a sustainable future that works for everyone
When we talk about businesses it is easy to forget that we are really talking about people. Companies are collections of humans, whose decisions and actions impact other humans: employees and their families, surrounding communities, workers in their value chains, and consumers. It all starts and ends with people, for people, by people – it […]
Innovation in the Face of Crisis: How to Support Entrepreneurs during the Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic reached El Salvador, it delivered a blow to Fátima Meléndez, owner of Lafá Cake Boutique in San Salvador. Most of the company’s business came from providing cakes and dessert tables at weddings, which were cancelled indefinitely when El Salvador entered a strict, months-long lockdown. Lafá saw its sales plummet and even […]
Why living wages will help flower workers to ‘bloom back better’ after Covid-19
The flower and plant sector is an incredibly important source of hundreds of thousands of jobs in low-income countries, and is particularly vital for women who make up around half of the workforce. Globally, the export of cut flowers was worth over £6.75bn in 2018. However, with prices paid to flower farms for their products […]