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How U.S. Businesses Can Compete with China in Emerging Markets: Transitioning from a ‘Death Economy’ to a ‘Life Economy’
For decades, American businesses working in emerging markets have prioritized profit maximization regardless of the social and environmental costs — an approach that economist and author John Perkins describes as the "death economy." But as China has supplanted America as the top investor and trading partner in many of these markets, Perkins attributes its success to its embrace of the ideals — if not always the practices — of sustainable development. He explores how China's promotion of a regenerative "life economy" has resonated in developing countries, and how U.S. businesses can respond.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing, Transportation
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$2 Million-Backed Ouranos Lab Launches to Develop Innovative Enterprise Solutions Out of Africa
Ouranos Lab is a venture studio focused on building the products and solutions that will power the future of enterprise technology in Africa.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Some Things Have to Die for Others to Live: Why Scaling Down is Just as Important as Scaling Up in the Transformation of Global Food Systems
Multiple crises have exposed the fragility and inequity of global food systems. But according to Eva Valencia and Lennart Woltering at CIMMYT and Frédéric Goulet at CIRAD, strategies to transform the world's food systems typically focus on introducing or scaling up new innovations and programs, while failing to scale down the habits, mindsets and institutions that are perpetuating the problem. They explore a key example of this issue — the ongoing use of unsustainable farming practices like tilling — and discuss how farmers can move toward more sustainable "no-till" practices that protect soil health.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Viewpoint: Getting the ESG Framework Right
Big and medium-sized companies in the supply chain can help by requiring MSMEs to follow the path and report on ESG aspects with rigour.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Region
- Global
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Press Release: The ESG Power 50 Announces the Middle East’s 50 Most Influential ESG Leaders of 2022
The ESG Power 50 is an initiative launched to recognise the trailblazers in the Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) function.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Press Release: TriLinc Global Secures $50 million in New Funding Through Blue Orchard and KFW DEG Investment Group
This investment will be dedicated to financing growth-stage, small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) primarily in select developing economies.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Global
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Analysis: These Two Start-Ups Are Making Farming More Sustainable. Here’s How
With climate change also posing a growing threat to the planet, feeding more people more sustainably has become more important than ever.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
- Region
- Global
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Efficiency vs. Effectiveness: What Low- and Middle-Income Countries Can Learn from a Key Business Mistake in the Developed World
Over the centuries, free enterprise has excelled at driving efficiencies and innovations, from the cotton gin to the sewing machine, that have powered societal development. But author and entrepreneur Ed Chambliss argues that, as societies grow more prosperous, an overemphasis on business efficiency – as embodied by the concept of shareholder primacy – is no longer enough. He urges businesses in developed countries to broaden their focus to include all their stakeholders' diverse needs – and encourages businesses in developing countries to adopt this broader definition of sustainable success.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise