Putting inclusive business on the agenda of the Australian business community

A recent high-level event organized in Melbourne brought together Australian business leaders to consider initiatives that apply their core business skills in a commercially viable manner to alleviate poverty in the Asia Pacific Region. 

Co-hosted by Business for Millennium Development (B4MD), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and AusAid, the summit on 24 October 2008 sought to outline the inclusive business opportunity that exists in engaging with low-income communities in the Asia Pacific region and the win-win outcomes that can be achieved for both these communities and businesses alike in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Since its inception in 2007, B4MD, a specially formed powerhouse of Australia’s business leaders, has been working with Australian business to profitably extend their core operations into their developing neighbors. B4MD, which was officially launched at the Summit, “will provide a leadership forum for Australian business to operate, innovate and grow in true partnership with the developing communities in which they operate,” said Simon McKeon, chairman, B4MD. Founding members of B4MD include Insurance Australia Group, IBM, and KPMG.

Following the success of the Summit (read the summary), B4MD will be launching a series of workshops beginning early 2009. These workshops will be held throughout the year in both Sydney and Melbourne and will provide those attending with an opportunity to discuss ways in which Australian companies can work towards achieving the MDGs through profitable core business operations.