NextBillion - A WDI Publication

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• Blog Post
  Is Vertical Integration Good or Bad for Off-Grid Energy Access? Let’s Get Specific

  Pay-as-you-go off-grid energy business models are often vertically integrated, including elements of manufacturing, distribution, consumer financing, payment collection and after-sales service. But some believe it's more cost-effective to outsource many of these aspects of the business model to service providers. Paul Clyde and Colm Fay at WDI argue that vertical integration is neither inherently good, nor bad: They explore its history, and its advantages and disadvantages for the nascent off-grid energy industry.

• Blog Post
  ‘Are We There Yet?’: How to Deal with Delays – And Other Challenges – In Acquiring Financial Transaction Data

  “Are we there yet?” It’s a familiar refrain to any parent who has taken a child on a long journey – and it's also a common dilemma for programs that promote data-driven decision-making in financial inclusion. As Karen Kühlcke at insight2impact explains, requests for financial transaction data from external organizations can involve delays of several months, even as the partner confidently claims that “the data is arriving soon.” She explores how to manage this challenge to gain faster data access.

• Blog Post
  Digital Platforms for ‘Gig Economy’ Workers: An Intriguing Model Gains Traction in Africa

  The government of Senegal has been working diligently to foster high-tech innovation in its economy – but there's one area in particular need of a digital upgrade. Researchers Jessica Wallach and Jill Lagos Shemin explore why the greatest potential impact of the digital revolution in Senegal may involve helping informal workers in the "gig economy" leverage digital platforms to find work.

• News
  Viewpoint: Why Human Health Must Be at the Center of Climate Action

  By using health as a leading indicator of progress, companies will find a compelling business case for action by uncovering cost savings and risk reductions that otherwise would go unseen.

• News
  View: Why ESG matters in financial services

  The whole of 2019 saw a fierce and intense debate globally around the adoption of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles as a way of doing business. The year gave the world in general and India, in particular, some compelling reasons to improve their ESG standards. For example, July 2019 was declared to be the hottest month on record for the planet, and a report in April indicated that air pollution alone kills 1.2 million people in India throughout the year.

• Blog Post
  Shedding Light on Women in Solar: How – And Why – Off-Grid Solar Companies Should Hire More Female Sales Agents

  Off-grid solar companies need large sales forces to reach last-mile consumers. But though they often struggle to build these sales forces, and though there's a large pool of female candidates to choose from, only 35% of their salespeople are women. Scott A. Roy at Whitten & Roy Partnership discusses the false assumptions that keep solar companies from hiring women, and explores the reasons why female sales agents are actually better all-around performers than men.

• Blog Post
  Nobody Reads Privacy Policies: Why We Need to Go Beyond Consent to Ensure Data Privacy

  We all “say” we read the privacy policies when we agree to the terms and conditions on websites and apps - but up to 97% of people don't actually read them. And even if we read them, few of us can understand the legalese. Now that the age of Big Data has reached emerging markets, and digital tech makes obtaining and monetizing user data easier than ever before, this lack of data privacy is a growing concern. David Medine and Gayatri Murthy at CGAP explore the problem – and some innovative tools that can help protect the world’s newest and most vulnerable digital consumers.
  

• Blog Post
  How Investors and Energy Providers Can Unleash Solar Growth in Uganda

  The Ugandan solar market is a prime destination for local and international clean energy access investment. But many new investors are in the dark on critical issues, such as the maturity/development of local companies in the space, and the types of investments they need to propel their businesses forward. The United Nations Capital Development Fund and Challenges Uganda recently partnered to produce an in-depth market study designed to help Uganda’s fledgling solar industry take flight.