Small and Medium Enterprises

our-power-our-planet-designed-with-people-built-for-place

Our Power, Our Planet. Designed with people, Built for Place.

As climate and nature commitments grow, many fail to deliver due to poor integration with social and economic realities. This article introduces “Landscape by Design,” a people-centred, place-based approach that aligns climate, nature and livelihoods. By co-creating strategies with local stakeholders, businesses can drive more resilient, inclusive and measurable sustainability outcomes.
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AI women entrepreneurs - African businesswoman uses smart tablet

AI is Working for Women Entrepreneurs — But Only at the Edges. For Real Benefits, We Need Targeted Action.

AI is helping women entrepreneurs save time, but not yet unlock the full growth potential of their businesses. Drawing on research across 3,000 women entrepreneurs in 66 countries, this article explores why AI adoption remains concentrated in marketing and communications, and what targeted action is needed to turn AI from a helpful tool into a genuine driver of resilience, productivity and growth.
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Climate resilience for micro-retailers

Climate Resilience for Micro-Retailers: Why this is Your Next Strategic Priority

Micro-retailers are vital to local economies and brand ecosystems, but many face repeated disruption from climate shocks. A new report from Business Fights Poverty and Mastercard Strive explores how digital financial tools can fortify, navigate and recover from climate risks, creating stability for low-income entrepreneurs and strategic value for financial institutions and supply chains.
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Build Climate Resilience from the Ground Up By Investing in Agricultural Enterprises

Build Climate Resilience from the Ground Up By Investing in Agricultural Enterprises

As world leaders endorse the Belém Declaration on people-centred climate action, one truth is clear: farmer resilience must move from rhetoric to investment. This article explores why smallholder farmers receive less than 1% of climate finance, and how local agricultural enterprises offer the fastest, most scalable route to climate-resilient supply chains and global food security.
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Building Prosperity from the Ground Up: Helping Farmers Thrive

This article explores how smallholder cotton farmers can build long-term prosperity through traceability, climate resilience, and inclusive supply chains. Highlighting CottonConnect’s approach—from regenerative farming to digital tools—it makes the case that empowering farmers is essential to global sustainability. When farmers thrive, businesses prosper—and prosperity becomes a shared outcome.
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Highway crossing a large river 5 Bridges

Views from the Global Goals Summit on Business Fights Poverty’s New Report: Making the Five Bridges to 2045 a Reality

At this year’s Business Fights Poverty Global Goals Summit, a number of sessions turned their attention to the launch of our new Five Bridges to 2045: How Business Can Build a Fairer, More Resilient Future. Eighteen experts from our global network took part in online sessions and an in-person event hosted with Barclays in New York, where representatives from Ikea, Natura, Vodafone Foundation, ABF Sugar and Fundación Paraguaya shared their perspectives on how to bring the report’s vision of embedding social impact and sustainability into core business closer to reality.
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The Power of Participatory Radio with Hannah and Meshack

The Power of Participatory Radio with Hannah and Meshack

Listen to this podcast conversation to learn about The Power of Participatory Radio. Social Impact Pioneers – Meshack Kitungu Kawinzi and Hannah Davis share how one of the world’s oldest and most trusted communication tools, radio, is being harnessed to change lives and strengthen communities.
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Online gender-based violence

Online Gender-Based Violence Limits Global Economic Growth, Research Reveals.

Online gender-based violence (GBV) is driving women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) offline, shrinking markets, profits and global economic growth. This MSME Day, we’re calling for the private sector to take urgent action to address this issue and create a more inclusive digital business world. Our new research with Intuit and the World Bank’s ‘Women, Business, and the Law’ project sheds light on how.
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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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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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Christina Mawuse Gyisun

Scaling Support for Smallholder Farmers, with Christina Mawuse Gyisun

Social Impact Pioneer Christina Mawuse Gyisun, Co-Founder of Sommalife, joins us to talk about the shea industry in West Africa and how she and her team are increasing market access, and securing the future of an industry, by better supporting female smallholder farmers.
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Werner Wallner, Managing Director of the Hilti Foundation; Amalia Johnsson, CEO of Hand in Hand International; and Payal Dalal, Executive Vice President of Global Programmes at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Microbusinesses and Digital Inclusion with Amalia, Payal & Werner

Werner Wallner, Hilti Foundation; Amalia Johnsson, Hand in Hand International; and Payal Dalal, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Listen in to explore how microentrepreneurs can be the catalyst for economic growth, the systemic shifts needed to empower them, and the emerging trends shaping their future.
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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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Antoinette Marie and Sander de Jong

Blockchain, Food and Supply Chains with Antoinette and Sander

Antoinette Marie, Director of Heifer Labs, and Sander de Jong, Managing Director of Fairfood talk blockchain, supplychains and food.
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Gender 2023 – Day 1 Fireside

Our Fireside Chat explored “How can you succeed as an entrepreneur and make a difference in your community?” Female social impact pioneers shared insights
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The Power of Procurement

This report reveals why inclusive sourcing is a strategic advantage for companies in emerging markets. Surveying 240 corporate buyers, it shows how partnering with women‑owned enterprises strengthens supply chain resilience, boosts innovation, and supports economic growth, while offering practical steps to overcome barriers and scale gender‑inclusive procurement. The report was created by IFC, Accenture, and WEConnect International, with funding from the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative and the Government of Norway.
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Global Goals 2022 – Day 1_WEBINAR_ABINBEV

Our webinar explored “How can business partner to help small retailers thrive? Lessons from the country-level” and discussed supporting SMBs in maximising fintech benefits.
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Global Summit 2020 – Day 2 Webinar

Our webinar explored “How can companies and others best work together to support MSMEs and rebuild better?” Speakers shared strategies for collaboration between large
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