Economic Development Archives

With their own businesses and as workers, Egypt’s women can be winners

The Rabeha programme, run jointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UN Women, aims to significantly boost women’s economic empowerment in Egypt by mid-2024.

Gender, Global Goals, Innovative Business Models, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

March 1, 2022

The Kenyan woman changing young farmers’ futures

Victorine Owino transformed the savings and credit cooperative she manages into a thriving business hub in southwest Kenya, connecting local poultry farmers to training, financing and high quality supplies. Her journey from volunteer to manager is a testament to the transformative potential of women in leadership roles. And she’s now opening doors for others’ success.

Agriculture, Gender, Sustainable Employment

February 28, 2022

Empowering underserved women around the globe

Inclusive Businesses are uniquely equipped to improve gender equality. As commercially profitable, yet impact-driven companies, they follow the market and their social vision. Both paths lead towards women empowerment.

Gender, Innovative Business Models, Sustainable Employment

February 24, 2022

Emily Pearce and Kubasu Agapeters

During the conversation we explore why anchoring climate change as a humanitarian disaster is essential; how our producers and farmers are climate mitigation and resilience pioneers; and what you can do next to better partner for impact.

Agriculture, Climate & Environment, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Finance and Investment, Livelihoods and Jobs, Measuring Social Impact, Partnerships

February 24, 2022

Robust social metrics for ESG investing: A practical way for boards to invest for impact

Almost two trillion dollars is being invested in ESG investment vehicles annually. And yet to date the instruments for investing and tracking the impact of the social dimensions are weak. The Citi-SOPHIA Oxford collaboration has uncovered a robust way to improve this.

Corporate Impact, Finance and Investment, Innovative Business Models, Measuring Social Impact, Partnerships

February 23, 2022

The time to accelerate the “S” in ESG is now

Parental leave is just one of many topics that workers in factories needs to learn more about. With 16 weeks stipulated by law it is quite generous from an international perspective, but with many factories lacking effective training tools, and many workers unable to read and write, this is sadly often missed.

Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Education, Engaging Employees, Fostering Leadership, Gender, Innovative Business Models

February 21, 2022

Justin Perrettson, Novozymes

Justin lays out simply, why businesses need to understand their social and environmental impact and take action on them, if they want a future. And how business leaders need to show up, not show off at international forums.

Climate & Environment, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Corporate Impact, Fostering Leadership, Innovative Business Models, Partnerships

February 21, 2022

‘Inequality kills’ but only 1% of companies show social responsibility

A new assessment shows that just 1% of the world’s most influential companies are demonstrating the fundamentals of responsible business conduct. Dan Neale outlines what needs to change for the private sector to address rather than add to growing inequality.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Finance and Investment, Innovative Business Models

February 16, 2022

Ayan Said, Voicing Voices

Ayan provides practical tools and tips to help us all, and particularly business decision makers to create the spaces for better communication.

Business, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Education, Fostering Leadership, Gender, Global Goals, Innovative Business Models, Measuring Social Impact, Racial Equity, Social Enterprises, Youth

February 16, 2022

Systems Theory Through a Gender Lens

The potential to incorporate a systems approach into a fund structure represents new thinking on how to evaluate opportunities, support businesses, increase impact, measure impact, and shape entire markets to reduce the gender gap.

Finance and Investment, Gender

February 11, 2022

How does gender equity drive resilience for women and for business?

Gender equity is a driver of resilience, both for women and also for the businesses that work with them across their value chains. In

Business, Gender

February 7, 2022

What can we learn from women leaders in the fight for climate justice? – full video

This session explored the central theme of International Women’s Day – the important role that women leaders are playing in driving a more sustainable

Business, Climate Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender

February 7, 2022

How can we drive gender equity through responsible sourcing?

Hosted with UN Foundation Responsible Sourcing holds the promise to improve the lives of millions of women workers globally. Corporate leaders have offered researchers

Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender

February 7, 2022

Addressing Forced Labor from the Bottom Up

Forced labor, also referred to as modern slavery, is one of the most pervasive issues facing supply chains today. For our part to contribute to these efforts, Quizrr has launched a global initiative to eradicate forced labor in supply chains with the support of funding from The Walt Disney Company’s Supply Chain Investment Program.

Education, Engaging Employees, Innovative Business Models

February 1, 2022

Boda Boda, Economic Development and the Future of Work

The BodaBoda Safety Association of Kenya (B.A.K) currently has 1.4 million registered members. 1.2 million of these are between the ages of 18-35. As an association, our entire membership base is made up of small business owners. We are developing a framework to effectively upskill and reskill for the future of work.

Partnerships, Social Enterprises, Sustainable Employment, Youth

January 31, 2022

How can businesses help prevent and tackle GBV in the workplace?

Hosted with Avon When incidents of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) spiked during the pandemic, many businesses stepped up. Yet organisations still have a role to

Business, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Engaging Employees, Gender, Gender-Based Violence

January 26, 2022

How can business prevent and tackle GBV in their workplaces and supply chains?

Businesses are stepping up to tackle GBV. This session will bring together business and expert voices to explore recent examples, lessons and challenges. In

Business, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender, Gender-Based Violence

January 26, 2022

Snigdha Ali and Maria May

Snigdha Ali and Maria May explain why being unbanked is a serious inequality issue and how digital financing can create economic empowerment, particularly for women in emerging markets.

Finance and Investment, Gender, Technology

January 26, 2022

Looking ahead to 2022: climate justice, food systems and the private sector

Practical Action collate their top pieces and events, delving into the topics of climate justice, food systems and the private sector.

Agriculture, Climate Justice, Innovative Business Models, Partnerships

January 26, 2022

A transformative journey: Kasha’s mission to provide equal health access to all women

Leading East African FemTech company, Kasha, share nine key lessons learnt from scaling their business with support from TRANSFORM. TRANSFORM is a joint initiative between Unilever, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and EY that provides grant funding and business consultancy to impact enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Gender, Global Goals, Health, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Partnerships, Technology

January 24, 2022

Economic Development

Economic Development Strategies to Combat Global Poverty