-
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.
- Categories
- Environment, Impact Assessment
-
Merck expands its Capacity Advancement Campaign to Mozambique
Merck Germany has expanded the Capacity Advancement Program first rolled out in Kenya to Mozambique, a move to show its taking Africa seriously.
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- supply chains
-
West Africa: Breaking the Cycle of Youth Unemployment, Poverty
Youth unemployment and underemployment are among the main barriers to development in West Africa, say experts. Not only does the exclusion of young people from the labour force perpetuate generational cycles of poverty, it also breaks down social cohesion and can be associated with higher levels of crime and violence among idle youth.
- Categories
- Environment
-
Banking on Impact: Building the business case for social and environmental due diligence in lending
Conducting social and environmental due diligence can be a challenge, but Root Capital has found that its financial costs are surprisingly low, and its financial benefits surprisingly large. It has published scorecards and methodology that other financial institutions can use to partially avoid the fixed costs of developing their own due diligence tools.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- impact investing, lending
-
PRESS RELEASE: Root Capital Highlights Business Case for Social, Environmental Due Diligence in Investment Decisions
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 28 /CSRwire/ - Root Capital, a nonprofit agricultural lender, today released a new issue brief detailing the financial benefits linked to conducting due diligence on the social and environmental practices of its borrowers.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Impact Assessment
-
Filipino coffee queen turns into social entrepreneur
Pacita “Chit” Juan, a champion of Philippine coffee brands, has diversified not only to other businesses, but also to other causes, like creating jobs for the poor.
- Categories
- Education, Environment
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
Health Care by Subscription in India: Sevamob offers clinics, insurance in low-income communities
Sevamob offers customers preventative care and regular checkups, delivered to their doorstep, for $1.60 per month. For an additional 80 cents per month, subscribers can opt for a basic insurance plan.
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care
-
Impact investing: Making the case for low-margin, high social return investments
Capital from impact investing often acts as a catalyst to commercial capital. For instance, it helps to showcase the viability of new business models and products, and it drives existing enterprises toward improved services and new geographies. But organizations that don’t generate commercially attractive returns often can’t attract mainstream capital. Geeta Goel argues that in these cases, impact capital focused on social impact has a vital role.
- Categories
- Environment, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- impact investing
Subscribe to Our 'Business in Global Development' Newsletter!
Our new weekly LinkedIn newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with curated news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage of impact-focused business in emerging markets.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.