We Need a Reskilling Revolution. Here’s How to Make it Happen
As the world faces the transformative economic, social and environmental challenges of Globalization 4.0, it has never been more important to invest in people. Valuing human capital not only serves to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to respond to systemic shifts, it also empowers them to take part in creating a more equal, inclusive and […]
The Purpose Statement: Necessary, but Insufficient
Many organisations, big and small, put a lot of work into discovering their Purpose and crafting their Purpose Statement. They’re also defining or refining their Values, as a star chart to guide the positive evolution of their culture. Done thoroughly and inclusively, this is critically important work. But my question is: will a well-crafted Purpose Statement and […]
Why Addressing Gender-Based Violence is an Imperative for Business Today
As part of our latest Challenge project, we are asking our network, and beyond, to contribute important insight into how businesses are, can or should be tackling gender-based violence – whether in the workplace, or supporting employees who are victims and survivors of domestic violence. Your insights will help in the creation of a toolkit, […]
CEO Agenda 2019: An Ambitious Vision Lacking Commitment or Detail
The CEO Agenda 2019 was launched at DAVOS by a number of leading fashion brands, with support from Global Fashion Agenda. It’s good to see major brands trying to tackle the ethical and environmental challenges facing the sector – and society more broadly – but the experience of CARE and our partners in civil society and the […]
What She Makes: The True Price of Fashion
The Australian fashion industry was worth almost $23.5 billion in 2018 — a staggering amount. But a system of entrenched exploitation and the widespread payment of poverty wages is denying the workers making our clothes the opportunity for decent lives. Chameli, her husband and their three daughters live in a stuffy and cramped single room […]
Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Needs to Start at Home
Here are two deeply troubling facts: Very few countries in the world have achieved true gender equality. None of the remaining countries are on track to achieve it by the 2030 target world leaders agreed upon under the Sustainable Development Goals. “It appears that more girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely […]
Avon, Diageo and M&S Join Call for an International Treaty to Protect Women at Work
On International Women’s Day, Avon, Diageo and Marks and Spencer published a letter with CARE International UK calling for an international treaty to protect women at work. The letter, set out below, was signed by Amy Greene, VP Investor and Stakeholder Relations, Avon, Mairead Nayager, Chief HR Officer, Diageo, Fiona Sadler, Head of Ethical Trade, […]
Why Purpose Must be at the Heart of Business Strategy
So much for a gentle start to the new year. Early 2019 has been a challenging time for those of us who strive to make organisations a force for good – whether we call it purpose, CSR, sustainability or inclusion. We kicked off the year in the midst of heavy fire from Anand Giridharas, journalist […]
New Ways of Partnering: The CARE and Cargill Partnership
In December of 1958, in lieu of sending out Christmas cards for the holidays, Cargill made a charitable contribution to CARE, in support of their aid packages to families in poverty-stricken countries. It was the beginning of an association that has endured for more than 60 years, and which has latterly evolved from a relatively […]
CARE, Cargill and Communities: An Historic, Mutual Agenda for Change
For charities, even large, well-established ones, working with multinational corporations can often seem to be a process fraught with pitfalls. The corporate world has for decades been seen as entirely separate—and sometimes even antagonistic—to that of civil society organizations and humanitarian assistance. To NGOs, even simple transactional relationships—the giving and receiving of money—can carry risks, […]
Business Integrity Initiative: Changing the Way We Do Business in Africa?
230,000+ UK SMEs need to export to Africa without engaging in corruption. They need clean business partners and intermediaries. Is this a business opportunity for your country? If your country is anything like mine (Nigeria) where corruption is endemic, pervasive and systemic, you will know the business case for spending scarce funds on demonstrating anti-corruption […]
How Can an Ecosystem Approach Help MSMEs to Thrive?
Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of many communities and a critical source of employment and livelihoods. Larger companies rely on their effective operation and success in their value chains as suppliers, distributors, retailers and customers. However, many MSMEs struggle on a daily basis for multiple reasons. They can find it difficult […]
Large Companies Have a Key Role in Strengthening Small Supplier Integrity
The project, run by Business Fights Poverty, has sought to find out how to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to take business integrity issues more seriously and adopt meaningful anticorruption compliance. They conducted an extensive literature review and complemented it with an online survey, 24 interviews, and two business roundtables in which we gathered […]
How Root Capital and the IKEA Foundation are Building the Resilience of Smallholder Farmers in East Africa
Root Capital and the IKEA Foundation are announcing a new partnership, worth €4.8 million, to help 260,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda increase their income and adapt to climate change. The grant builds on the success of a previous partnership, through which Root Capital supported dozens of Kenyan agricultural businesses, helping them break the […]
How is Business Rethinking Generation Purpose?
Who are millennials? A generation of people who reached young adulthood in the early 21st century (born between 1981 and 1997) Millennials make up 27% of the global population or about 2 billion people (Pew Research Center, Global Business Policy Council) By 2025 75% of workforce will comprise millennials (Brookings Data Now) Why might millenials […]
Doing Business with Integrity is an Increasingly Important Driver of Commercial Success
As the COO of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), I see a growing number of ambitious companies capitalising on opportunities in high potential frontier markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the post-Brexit world, these markets will become increasingly important and attractive environments in which to do business but for the unprepared […]
Building Resilient Businesses through the Ministry of Justice’s Six Principles of Bribery Prevention
The Bribery Act 2010 is one of the most robust pieces of anti-bribery legislation anywhere in the world, creating offences for those directly involved in acts of bribery, and for the corporate failure to prevent bribery. Although everyone agrees that corruption is a scourge on business and inclusive economic development, until now there has been […]
Doing Business with Integrity: An Important Driver of Commercial Success
As the CEO of Downtown in Business (DIB), a membership organisation championing business across the Midlands and North, I see a growing number of ambitious companies capitalising on opportunities in high potential frontier markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the post-Brexit world, these markets will become increasingly important and attractive environments to do […]
Doing Business with Integrity Makes for Better Business
As the Director of The Institute of Business Ethics, I regularly hear stories about the operational risks companies face when doing business in frontier markets, in particular the impacts of bribery and corruption, and by the same token, how these same companies avoid the pitfalls when they embed strong values and integrity at the heart […]
Doing Business with Integrity Case Study: Forensic Pathways
Company overview: Birmingham-based Forensic Pathways Ltd operates in the digital forensics and evidence arena, specialising in dark web investigation and analysis, forensic laboratory consultation, ballistics analysis and data analysis solutions in the area of due diligence, forensic business services and criminal intelligence. Founded in 2001, Forensic Pathways has expanded globally, with 65% of exports in […]