Business

Business Innovations & Initiatives

Two Fishermen riding a boat on body of water - Credibility for Equity and Livelihoods

Building Credibility for Equity and Livelihoods: Foundations for Fairer Futures

Fairer prices and fundamental human rights are desperately lacking for global producers. The solutions require trustworthy frameworks and dialogues. Sheila Senathirajah, ISEAL’s Head of Social Impact, explains how complex equity and livelihoods are, revealing credibility’s catalysing power for foundational change.
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Nguyet Tran Thi Minh in Vietnam and Tanvi Jaluka in California.

Financial Inclusion & Women Entrepreneurs with Nguyet and Tanvi

What are the real-world impacts of inclusive economic development, gender equity, and the transformative power of entrepreneurship? Social Impact Pioneers Nguyet Tran Thi Minh in Vietnam and Tanvi Jaluka in California.
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Vietnam WE-Connect

Power Through Partnerships: How Learning Networks Drive Success for Women Entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs are vital to economic growth, yet continue to face persistent barriers—especially in accessing finance. This article explores how Learning Networks, like WE Connect in Vietnam, bring together ecosystem actors to co-create practical solutions. Through shared knowledge, innovation, and partnership, these networks can drive inclusive finance and long-term success for women-led enterprises.
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Trust, Transparency and Impact: How Credibility Offers Vital Solutions to the World’s Most Pressing Problems

Credibility is the key to unlocking crucial sustainability impacts. Embedding trust and confidence, credible sustainability systems help governments and businesses address today’s most urgent challenges. Patrick Mallet, ISEAL’s Innovations Director, explains what credibility is and why it’s so important.
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Women in Cotton

Our Path to Sustainability Must Include Women: Lessons from Cotton Farming and Climate Resilience

Women play a vital yet often overlooked role in agriculture and climate resilience. CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward highlights how women cotton farmers are disproportionately impacted by climate change—and why they must be central to sustainability strategies. Through education, training, and recognition, women can lead transformative climate action from the ground up.
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corporate culture of social impact - Large group of business people preparing for a race on a starting line in the office

Creating a Culture of Impact: How Thinking Like A Pro Athlete Can Help Businesses Drive Meaningful Change

How can businesses build cultures that deliver meaningful social impact? Nick Cooney argues that companies should take inspiration from elite athletes—adopting a performance-driven mindset to “train” their impact strategies. By embracing discipline, pushing beyond comfort zones, and prioritising purpose alongside profit, businesses can create a legacy of measurable, lasting change.
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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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Business-NGO partnerships for social impact. Amanda Smith, Amayaa Wijesinghe, and Thomas Ongogo

Business-NGO Partnerships for Social Impact, With Diageo and Care

How can business-NGO partnerships for social impact tackle climate, gender, and economic challenges together? Diageo and CARE share lessons from their work with smallholder farmers—offering five actionable insights for inclusive, sustainable impact.
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Max Cuvellier

Mobile Technology and International Development with Max Cuvellier

How can mobile technology drive social impact? Max Cuvellier of GSMA shares how mobile innovation is advancing inclusion, gender equality, and climate resilience in underserved communities.
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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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Group of Workers at a Factory

“Building the Muscle” to Manage Business Impact on People: Three Key Priorities

As expectations rise and regulatory demands grow, businesses must strengthen their ability to manage social impact. This article outlines three key priorities for companies: addressing core worker concerns like wages and job security, using social data to inform decision-making, and building relationships across systems to tackle complex issues like forced labour and living wage.
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How Can Collaboration Drive Fair Pay for Women in the Garment Sector

How Can Collaboration Drive Fair Pay for Women in the Garment Sector? Hosted with Primark Gain an insider’s perspective on a pilot project which
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Women’s Equality in the New and Evolving EU Regulatory Landscape

How Can We Report on Women’s Equality in the New and Evolving EU Regulatory Landscape? Hosted with Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW), a
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Businesses and NGOs Partner to Help Smallholder Farmers Tackle the Intersections

How can businesses and NGOs partner to help smallholder farmers tackle the intersections of climate change and gender inequality? Hosted with Diageo This Insights
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Advancing Outcome Based Finance for Social Impact

How Can Outcome-Based Finance Drive Business Value While Advancing Women’s Equality and Climate Action? Hosted with IFC This session looked at how we can
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Business Building Bridges to a Fairer, More Resilient Future

How Can Business Build the Bridges to a Fairer, More Resilient Future? To tackle today’s biggest challenges, companies must break silos, align priorities, and
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Navigating the DEI Pushback

How can Businesses Navigate the DEI Pushback While Advancing Fairness and Opportunity? Amid growing scrutiny and debate around DEI, companies face challenges in maintaining
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Community Forum Global Equity Summit 2025

How can Business Expand Opportunity and Fairness in the Workplace and Beyond? The Community Forum at the Business Fights Poverty Global Equity Summit explored
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Winny Cherono - Empowering Women in Supply Chains

Empowering Women in Supply Chains: Celebrating the Impact of the WOW Programme

As we mark International Women’s Day 2025, the Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) programme comes to a close after seven years of advancing women’s economic empowerment in global supply chains. Working across 12 countries, WOW has helped improve job access, working conditions, and financial independence while tackling broader issues like unpaid care, gender-based violence, and climate resilience. Its legacy highlights the ongoing challenges and opportunities in creating fairer, more inclusive economies.
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What do we mean by "Business"?

Dive into the world of business innovations dedicated to combating poverty. We spotlight transformative ideas and practices that are making an impact.

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