Earlier this month, Standard Chartered launched an initiative to review its social and economic impact across its markets through a series of independent studies carried out by noted academics. The Bank is looking to understand both the direct and indirect impact it has on the countries where it operates.
The first study in this series focuses on Standard Bank’s socio-economic impact on Ghana. The study, which was undertaken by Professor Ethan Kapstein of INSEAD and Dr. René Kim of Steward Redqueen, highlights the value of the Bank in Ghana, in ways that go far beyond the provision of credit. As an international bank, Standard Chartered helps support Ghana’s economy by using its global footprint to increase trade and investment flows, supporting clients to reach international environmental and social standards, spurring innovation through the launch of new products, improving access to finance and providing world-class employment opportunities and training.
ByPiera Waibel, PhD candidate at the University of Zurich
Held on 16 September 2010, theZurich Economists’ Forumprovided an insight into the contributions from economics and business in poverty alleviation to around 200 participants. It was the first event in Switzerland that targeted the growing field in research and practice of concepts such as “Inclusive Business” or serving the “Base of the Pyramid” (BoP).
On 22 September 2010, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and several of its member companies participated in the UN Private Sector Forum, which brought together top executives with government, UN and civil society leaders to address business role in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of internationally agreed targets to eradicate poverty and other social ills by 2015.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) have opened nominations for the 2010 World Business and Development Awards in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – eight internationally-agreed goals to alleviate poverty by 2015.
Created in 2000, the Awards recognize the key contributions the private sector has made to the MDGs, demonstrating how innovative business models, backed by strong partnerships, can enjoy commercial success and at the same time improve the lives of millions of people.
The Business Call to Action (BCTA) is a global effort focused on challenging big businesses to move beyond philanthropy to implement inclusive business initiatives that apply their core business and skills in a transformative and scalable manner, which in turn will enhance growth and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). BCTA features a number of interesting videos displaying inclusive business in action. Find below a three-minute videointroducing BCTA and highlighting of the inclusive business opportunities being pursued by participating companies. For more details on some of these initiatives led a.o. by Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered, Vodafone, Thomson Reuters, and SABMiller, check outthis videoas well asthis one.
More than 150 representatives from governments, investment firms, foundations, corporations, international financial institutions and NGOs attended theRoyal Netherlands EmbassyandSNV Netherlands Development Organisation’sGlobal Forum on Impact Investing in late February in Washington, D.C. The Impact Investing Forum was co-organized with the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN),the Rockefeller Foundationand the Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF).
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