Business Fights Poverty Oxford 2019: Embedding Purpose into Business
As my colleague, Zahid, discusses in his recent article, there is a clear and deepening frustration amongst some with the rhetoric of “purpose”. For those of us who believe in the power of business to do good, this is an opportunity for some honest self-reflection. The key is “authenticity”; the recognition we need to move […]
Multinationals Must Step up Game to Attract Top Business Students
Millennials at leading Swiss business schools say it will take more than a good salary to recruit and retain them. They want jobs with purpose, flexibility, and above all, the opportunity for impact. There has been a lot of talk about how millennials (people born between 1983 and 1994) and Gen Zs (born between 1995 […]
Top Stories of 2018
It’s been another busy year at Business Fights Poverty, including with the launch of 6 new reports on Education for Sustainable Development, Transformative Partnerships, Intrapreneur Ecosystems, Refugee-Inclusive Business, Advocacy Partnerships, and Low-Cost Education – all co-created through our Challenge-based approach to collaboration. Thank you to all our members and Content Partners who participated in these Challenges, and also to all […]
How can we build the skills and knowledge that are vital to achieving sustainable development?
Education is at the heart of human progress and central to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It enables people to build better lives for themselves and their families. It is also fundamental in equipping businesses and society to tackle social and environmental challenges. If sustainable development is important, so are the skills and knowledge […]
Most Millennials Will Only Work For Purpose-Driven Firms
The most attractive companies to today’s talent are driven by purpose, according to London Business School (LBS) experts. “Maybe we will stop talking about purpose in 10 years’ time because it will just be ingrained in any organisation as a taken-for-granted – that any company that wants to be successful must pursue purpose,” said Alex […]
Strategic Leadership Education for Inclusive Finance: A Discussion with Professors from the Harvard Business School
Founding Professors Discuss Executive Education Program in Inclusive Finance The HBS-Accion Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance Program is “right at the center of gravity of our mission.” The HBS-Accion Program on Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance is a Harvard Business School Executive Education program developed with Center for Financial Inclusion. The program is led by faculty co-chairs Kash […]
Making Supply Chains Work for Women
BSR is pleased to launch a new video that sets out why and how companies should work to drive gender equality in global supply chains. We invite you to take a moment to watch it below. There are many opportunities for companies to promote gender equality in supply chains—through their own actions, by enabling business partners, and by influencing industry peers […]
Partnerships – All Talk and No Action?
Partnerships can be costly and complex, and often they don’t deliver their intended goals, but this is not because there is anything inherently wrong with the approach. The usual problem with partnerships is that they are too rarely used effectively. And, they are often over-hyped: they are seen by some as a panacea for the […]
Finance for All: Wedded to Fintech for Better or for Worse
The marriage metaphor appropriately captures the link between technology and financial inclusion as we launch “Finance for All 2018: Wedded to Fintech, for Better or Worse,” a new report on what financial inclusion stakeholders see as crucial risks facing financial service providers in emerging markets who work with those with little or no access to […]
It’s Time to Move: 5 Ways We Can Upgrade Our SDG Navigation Systems
We invite you to visit the streets of New York during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the annual meeting where leaders from across the world, from all sectors and all impact domains, come together to expedite their progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These leaders and their entourages converge on the same stretches of […]
The 6 Market Gaps the Finance Sector Must Address to Help Meet the SDGs
On 30 September 2015, the global community, represented by all 193 member states of the UN, adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Three months later, world leaders charted a new course in our battle against climate change with the Paris Agreement which – for the first time – brought all nations into a common cause […]
5 Ways to Make Your Organisation a Great Sustainability Partner
The vision is clear and compelling: a world in which business prospers, societies thrive and the environment flourishes. Leaders from across all sectors understand the interconnectedness of their interests, drop zero-sum-game mentality and work tirelessly together to create ever-increasing value for all. No longer the preserve of a few “progressive” companies, business writ large is […]
VIDEOS: Business Fights Poverty NYC 2018
During our annual Business Fights Poverty gathering, marking the beginning of the UN General Assembly in New York, we brought together 200 professionals from business and the development community to hear the latest leading insights; discuss the most pressing societal challenges and the ways our organisations can proactively engage; whilst launching three new pieces of research […]
NEW REPORTS: Intrapreneurship, Partnerships, Refugees and Education
Business Fights Poverty continues, as it has done over the past decade, to be the network for the private sector and its partners to unlock new opportunities for social impact. This work continues at pace and over the past month, not only did we host our annual UN General Assembly side event with 200 professionals […]
What More Should Supermarkets do to Respect Workers’ Rights in their Supply Chain?
Oxfam’s Ripe for Change report highlights hunger and suffering amongst the people who grow and process our food. Across a basket of 12 common food products, we present evidence of in-work poverty and a deep disempowerment, especially among women workers. As well as this, we show the decline in the share of the consumer price going to […]
How Businesses Can Do Better for Girls
If you’re like me, and have spent the last decade working in international development, then you have heard it all before; repeatedly, consistently, with exclamation marks: “When you empower girls, you empower the whole nation!” “Investing in girls is not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do!” “Investing in girls […]
Businesses and Sustainability Standards Empowering Women in Supply Chains
Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the focus of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, but it is also integral to achieving all of the SDGs. Without doubt, companies and sustainability standards have an important role to play in achieving the goals and driving systemic improvement for women working in factories and […]
Investing in Africa: The UK announces its ambition to become the leading G7 investor in Africa
This week the UK Government announced its ambition to become the leading G7 investor in Africa, with UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, pledging £4bn to help create jobs for young people across the continent during her trip to South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. This came with a welcome confirmation of the UK’s commitment to spending […]
How to Set up Global Partnerships for Impact and Success
Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership at Business Fights Poverty caught up with the team from Novo Nordisk to talk about their new partnership, which aims to help ensure access to diabetes medicines and healthcare, is accessible to all. Here, Anne Gadegaard, Associate Director Corporate Sustainability, Soraya Ramoul, Director Global Access to Care and Mia […]
Watch the Videos: Business Fights Poverty Oxford 2018
On 18 July, over 300 individuals from business, civil society and government came together for Business Fights Poverty Oxford 2018 to explore the themes of business, purpose and collaboration. We took the opportunity to celebrate Mandela’s Centenary and this year’s theme for Mandela Day: #ActionAgainstPoverty. The event centred around the stage that Mandela, himself, spoke from […]