Great to hear Oxfam are working on the practical implementation. From our experience success comes when partners across the supply chain are engaged so that it is not a top down approach with brands pushing responsibility down the supply chain.
Hi Alice a few years ago I wrote about my work in BOP value chains addressing the last mile on BFP, I think these articles deal with a lot of your points here:
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At the core of our work is extensive agricultural training programmes designed to improve the sustainability of cotton production and support farmersâ livelihoods. Our core programmes have delivered positive impact results in all the environmental and social areas we measure.
Our REEL Cotton Programme, for example:
⢠Increased profit for participating farmers by 47%
⢠Use of chemical pesticide reduced by 17.1%
⢠Use of chemical fertiliser reduced by 14.4%
⢠Water use reduced by 21.6%
(Compared with conventional farmers as a control sample)
The above results are second and third-party verified (via FloCert), and are the outcome of our 3-year REEL Cotton Programme, farmer-led training using the criteria developed specifically as per their needs.
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I agree totally with the Poverty Stoplight approach to developing collaboratorsâ awareness!!
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Absolutely @alicencallan ! Co-op has been an incredibly committed partner and supporter of Fairtrade, going back decades. They were the first UK supermarket to sell Fairtrade bananas, and theyâve got Fairtrade commitments across many other product categories, from coffee and tea to cocoa and sugar. Please just shout if you have any more questions.
Hi Alice, the example on Auro Chocolate speaks to the first and third buckets bucket, related to the core operations of the business. Auroâs challenge was to improve the quality of its chocolate supply so as to obtain organic certification and command higher prices. On the back of this growth, they have expanded to other parts of the coffee value chain. Including the link here: Sowing Seeds of Peace and Inclusion: Auro Chocolate Transforms the Cacao Landscape in Davao - MEDA
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Hi Alice, I think that is a good start but is missing the finance bucket in either financing initiatives at the core of operations or providing access to finance and financial services
Many thanks @David - what are your thoughts on alignment - do you think if govts/donors convene large ambitious targetst/initiatives that business and others can coalesce around helps??
There is the new generation of businesses coming through that have new operating models and shareholder expectations - to create more collective value including social and environmental impact.
In terms of partnerships - the new businesses partner within their business. In terms of the examples of Primark, Mars and GSK - these are great partnerships, as they have had long term commitment from the companies. TPC would advocate for business model change to support these partnerships to become integrated into the business. We know Primark are doing work on how it sources cotton - hopefully this is documented in their sourcing codes/guidelines
Great point Neil - glad we have you hear to remind us if that somewhat vital piece!! I also think SCâs model is interesting - supporting entrepreneurs and peoples access to finance - a fundamental for addressing many of the climate, poverty and inequity challenges being flagged here.
Response to Question 2 - Part 2:
Another partnership Iâd like to highlight is the Women+Water Alliance, in India, which I believe is now over, but included USAID, Gap Inc., Care India, Water,org, Water Aid, and Institute for Sustainable Communities. It took on a three pronged approach: training women in Gapâs supply chain with WASH skills, ensuring finance for WASH products at home and also WASH work in the communities. We did initial measurement work on this when the Alliance first came together to explain their goals and measurement practices (some of the tools used to ensure a high-level of communication (co-creating the theory of change, co-developing the indicators of success, etc)).
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At TPC an inclusive approach includes inclusive participation of all community members with a specific lens on women.
Thank you Laura, and completely agree! I think that also underscores why it is important to have those voices at the table from the jump.
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Now this is the biggy - our third question:
sounds excellent, @Omoneka, will read with interest thankyou
Hi Victoria and Fernando
Your work is really very interesting
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That is a great point Geeta, +1! (on women farmer voice).
Would love to hear more about accountability to the participating communities. At TPC we advocate for a rights-based approach which includes accountability and transparency back to participants
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Response to question 3: I recently completed a women-inclusive ROI research project with two small and medium-sized enterprises in East Africa, Grean World in Ethiopia and Okeba in Uganda, and found their approach to businesses inspiring and invigorating. Their approach to employee and distributor engagement and satisfaction showed that businesses can deeply care for their stakeholders and make inroads toward creating a fairer society. Grean World enabled women in rural Ethiopia to sell clean cookstoves to women in their communities, allowing them to earn income, learn new skills, engage socially and respectfully in the community, and, best of all, give their children a chance to a brighter future. Okeba provides high-quality, onsite childcare services for their employees with childcare responsibilities. They can continue to work with less stress and distraction while knowing their children are in a safe space and being fed and looked after. You can find more about this work here.
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When I talk to groups, I like to begin with a photo of the world at night. Looking at this photo itâs very easy to see where the developed vs the developing world is by the lights. I usually ask the audience to share their thoughts on what they see. Some immediately despair at the inequality, in a world where we have so many gadgets and gizmos in developed markets, there are still so many that donât have electricity. However, this also presents a huge opportunity to find innovative solutions for bringing renewable electricity to these areas and leapfrogging the polluting legacies of the past.
Years ago, I heard a talk by Harvardâs Michael Porter that has stuck with me, he explained how we used to believe that Adam Smithâs âinvisible handâ guides business âthat we should pursue profit opportunities and in doing so we will be doing what is best for the world by using resources most efficiently. However, in todayâs world we need to turn this concept on its head. We need to go out and find ways to solve the worldâs biggest problems and in the process we will find ways to make profit. I think if businesses adopt such a problem-solving mentality it could go a long way in tackling some of these key challenges.
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