A2: As my colleague @Stephanie_Schmidt already shared, Ashoka believes that the top opportunity in 2024 is for everyone to embrace changemaking for the collective good, whether that’s individual community members contributing or leading social entrepreneurs transforming systems. In the face of a challenge like climate change in particular, Ashoka believes that a changemaker-led response to the climate crisis can reveal everyone’s full potential to contribute, transform the way decisions affecting nature are made, and establish a new equilibrium for people and planet. By practicing changemaking, people (and teams, companies, etc) not only inoculate themselves against narratives of doom, despair, and delay, but also actively contribute to positive change.
Multilateral Development Banks also provide opportunities as they are now more and more looking at multisectoral programmes, which again helps address multiple deprivations in an integrated way.
thanks @kduffey for lifting this up. 100%
This will require to break the silos in our work and come together on partnerships. 
@ashley would love to connect; we have cohorts of Youth Climate Champions using Participatory Action Research to co-create climate resilience and solutions with their communitites
The potential of network mobilisation and organisation came out strongly in Bond’s Future Dialogues programme - as a key organsiational form going forward.
I really like you talking about the need to address the menstrual health - it strikes me as one of the key challenges that are creating tension (“menstrual shaming” in parts of India, but I am sure in many other countries) and preventing girls and young women really achieving their full potential.
A3------Examples and Ways for Businesses to Scale and Deepen Impact Through Partnership
- Collaborating with other companies within the industry to share best practices for promoting decent work and inclusive business practices, for example engaging recruitment agencies for workforce.
- Jointly developing industry-wide initiatives to address shared challenges.
- Partnering with educational institutions like colleges and universities to provide targeted training programs for specific skills in demand.
- Establishing partnerships with online learning platforms or education institutions that facilitate continuous learning and skill development for employees for example many organizations in Alberta, Canada have a partnership in place with Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) for their employees to enhance their skills.
Community Engagement Initiatives
- Forming partnerships with local communities to create job opportunities and support economic development.
- Implementing initiatives that empower communities through employment and skill-building programs.
Government and NGO Collaborations
- Collaborating with government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to align business practices with national inclusivity goals.
- Participating in public-private partnerships that contribute to broader social and economic development objectives.
Our third question today - your insights and examples are really important. Do include links where you can.
If academics, industry experts and public officials work together, they have the potential to offer each other deep insights into some of the most pressing challenges we see today. An example of this is Julie Shah, an MIT professor who works with firms to encourage them to use robots as labor complements rather than labor substitutes. This creates a win-win for firms (increase in labor productivity) and workers (workers get to keep their jobs and experience wage increases)
One of the most important headlines for DOT this year is youth-led community climate resilience and action.
Would be great to connect @Justin_Perrettson
A3 Part 1
Strategic Alliances for Impact:
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Establishing strategic alliances with NGOs and nonprofits ensures businesses a more comprehensive understanding of community needs and leverages existing networks.
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Collaborating on initiatives aligned with the business’s core values creates a collective force for positive change.
A2 PART 2: BUSINESS CASE FOR WOMEN-INCLUSIVE BUSINESS MODELS
While the business case for women-inclusive business models is typically made through qualitative data and anecdotes, we are working to deepen the evidence base through quantitative financial analysis for companies. Measuring the ROI of women-inclusive operations gives the data to companies and investors to implement and continue such operations. This is the first of our two case studies on our ROI calculations of women-inclusive operations at companies in Ethiopia and Uganda. You can check out the series here.
Apologies as I have to leave early, but appreciated all of these great ideas and initiatives. Thank you to the Business Fights Poverty team for bringing us together!
Couldn’t agree more! These businesses are crucial linchpins in our food and agricultural systems.
So true. Stakeholders need to collaborate, collaborate, collaborate and focus less on Egos and Logos.
Hello, just chiming in here from NextBillion - thought you might find this article on business solutions to menstrual health challenges in the Global South: https://nextbillion.net/menstrual-health-hygiene-market-based-lens-report-global-south/
A3: There are interesting and impactful public-private-civil society partnerships where the role of the private sector is vital. For example, there are exciting opportunities to shape our cities of tomorrow and make our economies more resilient. BRAC’s climate-resilient, migrant-friendly cities are one example, and we expect to see many more similar such initiatives take hold around the world.
A3
To scale and deepen impact in the moto taxi industry, strategic partnerships are paramount.
-Collaborations with fintech firms can enhance digital payment solutions, fostering financial inclusion.
-Teaming up with renewable energy providers allows for eco-friendly vehicle options, aligning with sustainability goals. Moreover, forging alliances with local governments can facilitate regulatory support and infrastructure development.
-Embracing technology trends, integrating AI for route optimization and safety measures can elevate operational efficiency.
-Collaborative initiatives with NGOs or social enterprises can address community needs, promoting a positive social impact.
These synergies amplify the business’s reach and influence, underscoring the transformative power of partnerships in the evolving landscape of social responsibility. As Larry Fink emphasizes, such collaborations not only drive financial success but also exemplify a commitment to purpose, epitomizing the interconnectedness of profit and societal well-being.