Innovative Business Models

Innovative Business Against Global Poverty

innovative corporate social impact

When Budgets Tighten, Corporate Innovators Invest More in Social Impact. Here’s Why.

Across the corporate social impact community, budgets are tightening and many companies have gone quiet on commitments. New research from Project ROI, aggregating 640+ peer-reviewed studies, shows the opposite move: high-performing companies invest more in CSR during downturns. Here’s the data, and what it means for corporate leaders and their nonprofit partners.
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Devon Fritz, Author of The High-Impact Professional’s Playbook

In this episode, we’re joined by Devon Fritz, author of The High-Impact Professional’s Playbook and co-founder of High Impact Professionals. An experienced coach and strategic philanthropy adviser, Devon helps people bridge the gap between good intentions and measurable outcomes.
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Translating sustainability insights into action

Partner with the Business Fights Poverty Institute to Drive Action

Businesses face growing pressure to turn sustainability insight into action, yet fragmented evidence often slows progress. The Business Fights Poverty Institute bridges this gap by combining academic rigour with real-world expertise to deliver practical, actionable guidance. By enabling collaboration across sectors, it helps companies build resilient, inclusive strategies to tackle global challenges effectively.
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CSR 2.0

CSR 2.0: Commercial Social Revolution?

As globalisation widened the gap between corporations and communities, CSR often became marketing gloss. “CSR 2.0” calls for a systemic approach that embeds social impact into commercial strategy—aligning profit with purpose. By addressing beyond-the-firm constraints and fostering inclusive growth, businesses can turn responsibility into resilience, competitiveness, and genuine poverty reduction.
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Open Source, Open Learning: Unlocking Innovation for Social Impact

Innovation thrives when knowledge is shared. In this piece, Chris Lawrence explores how open learning—rooted in humility, transparency, and collective wisdom—can unlock solutions to global challenges. Moving beyond open source technology, he argues for a business philosophy that values shared experience and human connection to foster lasting social impact and inclusive innovation.
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Two business professionals discussing ideas in an office- Portfolio Approach to Impact

Beyond Buzzwords: A Portfolio Approach to Value, Purpose, and Performance

With trust and supply chains under pressure, companies need more than good intentions—they need smart strategy. In this new piece, Alix Lebec shows how a portfolio approach to impact can align capital, philanthropy, and business goals to drive efficiency, resilience, and value. Discover how leading companies are integrating purpose to navigate a complex future.
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Woman and Man business meeting over coffee Business and Refugees

Turning Potential into Prosperity – How Business Can Help Refugees Thrive

In partnership with Visa Inc, Business Fights Poverty launched yesterday a new report, at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, calling for the private sector and governments to recognise the economic potential of refugees and to support approaches that work for refugees and host communities.
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collective social innovation

Bridging Divides: Rethinking Collaboration amid Global Crises

In a world facing intersecting global crises, collective social innovators are reimagining how we collaborate. Moving beyond the lone innovator, they unite communities, NGOs, and governments to manage resources, influence policy, and drive systemic change. The Schwab Foundation’s new report highlights lessons from these changemakers, revealing the power of inclusive, participatory approaches to global problem-solving.
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market systems development for climate action

Climate Action Through Market Systems: Why Businesses Need a Systems Development Approach

To stay resilient and impactful amid climate challenges, businesses must embrace a systems development approach. This article explores how Market Systems Development (MSD) can align business incentives with environmental goals, helping SMEs access ESG support and scale sustainable practices. MSD isn’t just a method—it’s a mindset for long-term, inclusive climate action and economic growth.
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Young African Farmer with Tablet

When Opportunity Knocks: Three Keys for Creating Inclusive Growth through Sales-Agent Models

Sales agent models have the potential to improve access to goods and services while creating economic opportunity for women and youth. Drawing on work from Rwanda and Mozambique, TechnoServe’s Sophie Duchanoy and Sarah Bove share three key factors in making these approaches work.
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AI innovation in LMICs

Exploring the AI opportunity in LMICs: Unlocking Funding and Inclusive Innovation

As AI advances globally, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) risk being left behind. Yet AI holds transformative potential for addressing local challenges—from healthcare to climate resilience. This article explores the funding gaps, structural barriers, and innovation potential in LMICs, calling for inclusive investment, infrastructure, and policy to ensure AI delivers for everyone, everywhere.
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Bhumijo - Bangladesh. Behaviour change for safe water and sanitation

How Businesses Can Use Behaviour Change Science to Improve Access to Safe Water, Clean Toilets, and Better Hygiene Habits

Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) remains a major challenge for billions. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a critical role in filling this gap, but their impact can be enhanced through behaviour change strategies. By leveraging local trust, targeted communication, and data-driven insights, SMEs can drive healthier communities while growing sustainable businesses.
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Housing Resilience

Investing in Better Housing can Build the Resilience of 40% of the World’s Population

Global estimates measure a $3-4 trillion investment gap for adequate housing. By shifting resources directly to those in need for housing improvements, the private sector can play a major role in reducing the safety and health risks traditionally associated with informality in order to protect lives, assets, and wellbeing.
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Farmer Livelihoods

Boosting Smallholder Farmer Incomes Requires an Innovative Data-Driven Approach

A new white paper from Heifer International and Fairfood International outlines a strategy to help suppliers and companies ensure farmers in commodity supply chains receive sustainable, living incomes. The paper details two open-source methodologies for determining actual production costs and efficiency for more transparent pricing and sustainability.
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Atul Tandon Financial Inclusion

How Financial Inclusion Transforms Lives with Atul Tandon

Social Impact Pioneer, Atul Tandon explains how financial inclusion transforms lives and the role of listening in inclusive finance
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Teacher at a black board. Waste and Education

From Waste to Wonder: Empowering Global Education and Transforming Lives

Waste to Wonder Worldwide transforms discarded corporate furniture into valuable resources for underserved communities. Since 2003, its “School in a Box” initiative has furnished over 1,400 schools in 40 countries, impacting 1.5 million young people. This social enterprise exemplifies how businesses can leverage resources to drive sustainability and social change, creating a lasting global impact.
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Flora-Mostico. iDE and women entrepreneurs

Harnessing the Power of Women Entrepreneurs can be a Game- Changer for Prosperity and Economic Growth 

It is well established that women and girls experience poverty in greater numbers than men and boys. This “feminization” of poverty presents itself in many forms, with women worse off when it comes to access to credit, land ownership and the impacts of climate change. But rather than seeing women as victims, a growing movement within the international development sector recognises them as the key to change.
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Alix Lebec - finance and philanthropy

How Finance and Philanthropy Can Tackle Global Challenges, Alix Lebec

Social Impact Pioneer Alix Lebec explains how finance and philanthropy can tackle global challenges, from climate change to poverty.
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Afro-futurist technology and culture

Afro-futurist Innovators Know What We Should Build Next

Discover how Afro-futurist innovators are shaping the next wave of technological and cultural advancements. By blending African heritage with futuristic ideas, they offer unique perspectives on building a more inclusive future. Explore the intersection of technology, culture, and social progress in this groundbreaking movement
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empowering the poor through business - Portrait of a Latin American farmer working in agriculture at a farm and looking at the camera smiling

Empowering Poor Populations: How Business Can Transform Poverty Relief

Explore Dr. Martin Burt’s insights on empowering the poor through business and capitalism. Discover how innovative strategies and the Poverty Stoplight model can transform poverty relief, emphasising the role of businesses in fostering economic growth and self-sufficiency. Learn how a shift in perspective can help eradicate poverty.
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What do we mean by "Innovative Business Models"?

Explore innovative business models to fight global poverty effectively. Our initiatives focus on practical solutions that deliver real change.

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