Gender equality matters to business
We are living in challenging times. Uncertainty, complexity and the speed at which everything is moving around us, has forced us to reflect on our societies, our priorities within business and the future of our planet. The recent pandemic has lead businesses and individuals to evaluate their focus and in some cases their ultimate goals […]
Covid: no ‘great leveller’ when it comes to women workers’ rights
Measures to tackle COVID-19 have exacerbated gender inequality across the globe. That’s the damning verdict of a recent report from the UN Foundation, which highlights the pandemic’s impact on women and girls everywhere. As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, it is an opportune time to remember that while we have […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
Over the last fortnight, Business Fights Poverty has been alarmed by reports that the Treasury is due to cut foreign aid spending from 0.7% of GDP to 0.5% in 2021. The cut, due to be announced on Wednesday, comes on top of a £2.9 billion reduction in foreign aid spending over the course of this […]
Making agricultural trade unions accessible to women workers
“We are worried everyday regarding our children. It has become very difficult to run the family with this little wage.” “The government has provided us shelters recently. But how can humans live in a 16 ft home? They are more suitable for cows and goats.” These are the words of women working on tea estates […]
Let’s open a conversation on research into modern slavery in business supply chains
We all want business supply chains to be free from exploitation and modern slavery. Businesses are no different. From executives, who want their businesses to be free from risks of such egregious practices tainting its operations, to workers across all tiers who are the ones affected by exploitation, preventing modern slavery is in everyone’s interest […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
Last week, as the US Presidential election played out, the Business Fights Poverty team spent some days reflecting on the events of the past six months and looking ahead to the future. We were all struck by the way that networks such as Business Fights Poverty can provide a source of insight and resilience, as […]
Renewable energy investments can boost the Caribbean’s sustainable recovery: A green economic stimulus
The Caribbean is all too familiar with the public health and economic threats of climate-driven hurricanes and natural disasters. It is now faced with the unprecedented shock and economic impact of COVID-19. At present, 90% of hotels and tourism-related businesses have closed or are operating at reduced levels, hospitals are grappling with limited capacity as […]
Swiss to vote on holding multinationals responsible for supply chains
The initiative is part of a wave of similar legislation being proposed in other countries, based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Swiss political system prioritizes direct democracy over party politics. Major policy issues are decided in referenda which are held several times a year. A popular initiative allows […]
Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
I am writing this from the UK, where the clocks have just gone back and we are heading with no small amount of trepidation into winter. However, at Business Fights Poverty the mood is one of new beginnings, as we publish two Action Toolkits, launch a new Challenge with a Virtual Summit on Health, and […]
New tools for allocating capital to impact
Investor interest in impact and sustainable investing is mounting. But how do we know that an investor or fund manager is truly putting their money where their mouth is, versus simply re-labeling as ‘impact’ what they were already doing? The ultimate proof is investors’ impact performance, but as a leading indicator of performance, we can […]
Is impact investment our most effective tool for a sustainable recovery?
As one of the world’s first impact investors and a prominent UK champion of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, CDC began this year looking confidently towards 2030. In September, six months after COVID-19 arrived, Amit Bouri, CEO and Co-Founder of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) joined leaders at CDC to talk about the power […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
The big news this week is that tomorrow, 15 October, we will go live with the first of our Business Fights Poverty Virtual Summits . Following on from NYC Online 2020 last month, we are hosting a series of free one-day online events to deep-dive into six specific action areas. Tomorrow’s Virtual Summit focuses on the vitally important subject […]
Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods for all
Among the major inequities in the food system is the accessibility and affordability of nutritious and healthy foods across the world. Currently, around 26% of the global population experiences moderate to severe levels of food insecurity and lacks regular access to nutritious and healthy food. Vegetables, fruits, and nuts that are high in essential nutrients are often less […]
Food Fortification – An Enriching Opportunity
There is a simple, cost effective and large-scale nutrition intervention that you have almost certainly benefitted from – but likely never heard of. Your children, parents, grandparents, and many millions of others have benefitted from it too. This intervention has been saving and improving lives since 1924. It is simple, cost effective and can prevent […]
Disruptive, digital, and local: the new reality for Latin American MSMEs
The economic impact caused by the lack of access to physical markets during the COVID-19 crisis -also known as “The Big Confinement” – is unique and it is the last consequence of a big chain of structural commercial breakdowns; such as the contraction of global demand and a reduction in global trade. In Latin America, […]
Why businesses must act now to tackle hidden labour in global supply chains
The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed how much economies and societies rely on hidden labour: labour which is unseen, unrecognised and unpaid. This hidden labour is disproportionately borne by women and is one of the most entrenched barriers to gender equality. The pandemic presents an opportunity to redress existing inequalities by “building back better”, however […]
Global Supply Chains & Covid-19 Pandemic Impact on Child Labor
A recent report from UNICEF & ILO warns that the current pandemic may push millions more children into child labor. A grim reality that is a wake up call for all of us but most importantly for the CEOs of major companies that had turned a blind eye (even prior to the pandemic) by talking […]
Thank You – and Introducing one-day Business Fights Poverty Virtual Summits
We’d like to say a big thank you to all of you who took part in Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020 . Below is a video we’ve put together… We have been humbled to receive the survey feedback: 99% said they learnt something valuable for their work; 99% said they would recommend the event […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
Last week, Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020 brought together people from across our network and from all over the world. We were delighted that so many of you joined us to learn from one another and to identify what the common mission to Rebuild Better will mean for us, in practice. We are grateful to the […]
Day 5 Summary: Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020
Today at Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020 we discussed how to shape system-level partnerships. A fireside chat between Yvette Torres-Rahman, our Co-Founder, and Ester Baiget, CEO of Novozymes , gave insights into the value of systemic approaches to her company’s sustainability strategy, day-to-day operations, and multi-stakeholder initiatives. Ester also talked about the connections between sustainable business models and […]