WBCSD-SNV Alliance: Creating inclusive business opportunities by linking local communities with big business

Exploring the links between international businesses and socio-economic development – A case study of Unilever Vietnam

How can corporate investment drive growth, help accelerate social and economic development, and improve livelihoods in a country? Following an analysis of its economic footprint in Indonesia and South Africa, Unilever has published a third study, conducted by a Vietnamese think-tank.

"Learning to insure the poor": new microinsurance report published by Allianz

Aiming to share its experience in how to design, deliver and scale sustainable microinsurance products and to help set the right course for next steps, Allianz has published a new microinsurance report, titled Learning to insure the poor (pdf, 40 pages).

The new report is based on research, conducted in collaboration with the Emergia Institute, to consolidate the wealth of insights Allianz has gained in the first years of developing its microinsurance business. Key facts on the state of microinsurance today, case studies on existing Allianz microinsurance projects and perspectives from experts on the future of microinsurance round out the report.

New WBCSD report - "Business and Development: Challenges and Opportunities in a Rapidly Changing World"

What are the links between business and development? And what is the business role and opportunity in addressing sustainability challenges of developing countries and emerging economies? These questions are addressed in a report launched today by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The report draws on a decade of WBCSD thought leadership and practical experience in promoting business solutions to sustainability issues in the developing world.

Coca-Cola's business and development impacts in the West Bank and Gaza

A new report (pdf, 48 pages) by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government profiles the experience of the National Beverage Company (NBC), the local Coca-Cola bottler in the West Bank and Gaza, where the private sector underperforms relative to many of its regional neighbors, and is consequently underutilized as a driver of economic growth, job creation and social development.

The challenges to private sector development in the West Bank and Gaza stem from a variety of well-known sources and include political instability, restriction on movement of goods and people, lack of access to capital, and shortages of water and other natural resources, with the situation obviously particularly difficult in Gaza.

Socially Inclusive Business: Engaging the Poor through Market Initiatives in Iberoamerica

The idea that market mechanisms can mobilize social change by engaging the poor in win-win scenarios is gaining increased attention. Companies, social sector organizations, and development agencies are all beginning to glean the potential that lies among the world's poorest people, both as an untapped productive force and as a neglected consumer market.

A recently launched book, titled Socially Inclusive Business: Engaging the Poor through Market Initiatives in Iberoamerica, aims to demonstrate how the private sector can become part of the solution to poverty. The authors assess market initiatives in Iberoamerica by large corporations, cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, and nonprofit organizations.

New publication: "The Base of the Pyramid in Latin America"

Greener Management International, a management journal focused on strategic environmental and sustainability issues, has published a special issue on "The Base of the Pyramid in Latin America", analyzing a number of new and innovative inclusive business ventures being pursued across the region.

The publication covers three key domains: (1) the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) not only as a new market for products and services, but also as a source for the co-creation of new sustainable business ventures highlighting the role of local entrepreneurs; (2) the role of technology and innovation in meeting the needs of BoP customers; (3) the concept of sustainability within BoP strategies, considering the impact of economic growth and social pressures on our planet.