Inclusive business for sustainable livelihoods
What are the links between business and development? And what is the business role and opportunity in addressing sustainability challenges of developing countries and emerging economies? As an engine of growth and development, and to underpin its license to innovate, operate and grow, business has...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institut Veolia Environnement
2011-06-01
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| Series: | Field Actions Science Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/840 |
| Summary: | What are the links between business and development? And what is the business role and opportunity in addressing sustainability challenges of developing countries and emerging economies? As an engine of growth and development, and to underpin its license to innovate, operate and grow, business has a critical role to play in accelerating progress towards development. Companies can most notably develop inclusive business ventures, that is, sustainable business solutions that expand access to goods, services, and livelihood opportunities for low-income communities in commercially viable ways. The notion of inclusive business calls for additional focus and innovation in the way companies do business. It involves creating new forms of employment, new markets, and affordable products and services. This spurs economic growth and encourages entrepreneurship. This article highlights the concept of inclusive business in the current global context, provides a few examples of its application in practice, highlights the foundations for its success, and briefly presents an interactive tool, the “Inclusive Business Challenge”. The latter, designed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, aims at helping companies and stakeholders identify and implement inclusive business in practice. |
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| ISSN: | 1867-139X 1867-8521 |