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Weekly Roundup – 2/22/14: At FLII building a collaborative flock to complex solve problems
Ramon Marmolejos ended an uplifting presentation on Day One of the Latin American Impact Investment Conference (which goes by the Spanish acronym FLII) with a big picture of what looked like a million starlings.
“There is not one bird leading the flock,” said Marmolejos, executive director of Emzingo Group, which provides a leadership training program combined with social impact consultancy projects in emerging markets. “How do we create those (economic) systems to have these sorts of flocks?”- Categories
- Uncategorized
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- impact investing
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African Angel Investors: Creating an ecosystem
Angel investor circles are notably absent in most African capitals. And there are not many formal structures where one can gain this kind of support - especially for social and BoP-focused business ideas. Tara Sabre Collier discusses the challenges and opportunities in developing Africa’s angel investing ecosystem.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
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The Eyes Have It: January’s Most Viewed Posts on NB
We’re happy to renew our NextBillion awards for the most popular and most shared posts of the month - and January’s top three brought a heady brew of sharp criticism, deep analysis on design and health care models worth a second look.
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Considering Social Impact in Big Business: Can pioneer companies spark a race to the top?
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined in many ways, covering everything from employee volunteerism to recycling campaigns. But how do companies actually reach a point of systemic corporate responsibility? Aarthi Rao explores this question in the context of the outdoors industry, focusing on Patagonia and the Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
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- Environment, Impact Assessment
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Going Local: Mobile financial service providers must consider local differences in access & usability, says Grameen Foundation
Mobile finance has received a lot of attention as a way to further financial inclusion. But the mobile phone is not yet accessible enough to reach significant portions of the unbanked, with poor women in particular being left behind. New research from Grameen Foundation explores large variations in mobile phone comfort levels and usage patterns among poor, rural women in India and the Philippines.
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- Uncategorized
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The Other Driver of Financial Exclusion: Poverty alone isn’t keeping people unbanked, says Ignacio Mas
Much of the discussion in financial inclusion revolves around poverty. But in Part 6 of our Mobile Money Movers series, thought leader Ignacio Mas explains why poverty itself isn’t the biggest thing keeping the unbanked out of the formal financial system. Mercy Corps’ Kyla Yeoman interviews Mas in this fascinating and wide-ranging video Q&A.
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- Uncategorized
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It’s Time for Inclusive Business to Move Beyond Pilots: We’ve shown that the concept can work – now it’s time to increase the impact
The concept of inclusive business has quickly transcended the stale model of corporate social responsibility. But in spite of some successful pilot programs, it hasn’t really affected the way major companies do business. If it’s going to have a real social impact, that has to change, argues Fernando Casado Cañeque.
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- Impact Assessment
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A Busy Week in Nairobi: A week full of events on the African social enterprise scene
Nairobi was the place to be on the African social enterprise scene last week. A wide range of meetings, conferences and workshops covered topics ranging from the role of government, to the risk of “early celebration-itis" for good but unproven early-stage ideas. The Overseas Development Institute’s Emily Darko describes some highlights.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
