A3 Part 2
Supply Chain and Sustainability Responsibility:
Fostering collaborations within the supply chain, emphasizing ethical standards, and environmental responsibility ensures a sustainable and responsible business.
Encouraging suppliers to meet ethical and environmental standards contributes to a holistic impact throughout the value chain.
The emphasis on personalized care and open communication has been instrumenta in increasing involvement and potential impact here at Bena Care.
A3: Business has and can play a great role in mitigation and adaptation to help communities prepare for and respond to future climate risks. Deeping impact by Bridging the gap towards climate justice where resources focused on mitigation can be a double win by also contributing to climate-resilient development, centering the best interest of children and the environment. aka carbon credits. We need to partner- private and public partnerships are key, we need businesses and individuals, we need coalitions and collective action to ensure we can urgently align with the 1.5C pathway, this is the year!. Now more than ever we all must come together and ACT now it will take us all to make the change required to maintain our global temperature.
A3:
We think that there may be specific opportunities to engage with businesses around the need to tackle poverty and inequality (alongside improving education) to improve educational attainment, skills and productivity, and on the argument that real progress on net zero and nature will require action on socio-economic inequality as part of a just transition.
We want to engage with businesses and investors ā and groups representing both of those communities ā to better understand what is holding them back from speaking out on these issues, and to explore ways to overcome this reticence and to see lobbying on socio-economic inequality as an opportunity.
Please contact me if youād be interested in finding out more or getting involved!
A3 (i) On scaling impact through partnership: As mentioned in the previous question, many of the biggest challenges canāt be solved alone. āPartnership and collaboration is key.
We work in and with industry and sectoral collaborations, such as the Consumer Goods Forum Forest Positive coalition and the Palm Oil Collaboration Group, where companies are working together on a shared vision for sourcing of key commodities ā itās an important way to both scale and deepen impact.
A1. Hi everyone - My name is Deepti Tanuku and Iām with International Medical Corps, a global first-responder for disaster, disease outbreak, and conflicts.
Our main challenge for 2024 is - Pace. There are more and more disasters every year - and responding to them is becoming more and more complex. The trajectory is only going upward from here. And as we all know, no one can go it alone. We are focused on building thoughtful, excellent strategic partnerships that enable us work better, smarter, faster in this area so we can ābend the curveā and build a new future for ourselves.
Our main opportunity for 2024 is - Momentum. We are constantly impressed and surprised by the depth of knowledge and commitment to tackle these issues from all sectors. There are more people than ever before signing up to tackle these issues. That will get us all somewhere.
Hi Alison, would love to connect. Weāre not actively working in cotton now (but have in the past), but think thereās a lot of connection with other commodity crops. Feel free to reach out at rhefferon@rootcapital.org or find me on LinkedIn.
A3: More thoughts beyond the 50 word suggested limit:
A3 (ii) Landscape or jurisdictional initiatives are also fast becoming recognised as a way to address systemic issues, beyond an individual supply chain or sector. This collaboration between the government, companies and communities, is needed to drive transformational change in deforestation, smallholder livelihoods, respect for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and labour issues. The CGF FPC also has a landscape ambition, and we are seeing increased interest in this approach from companies, governments, donors, even investors and other frameworks.
Hi Alok - do you have examples of this? Would love to know more.
A3: Amazon Web Services (AWS) has made a pledge to hire 5,000 refugees in the United States and an additional 5,000 refugees in the European Union over the next two years. Recognizing the unmet need for work that internal teams cannot accommodate at AWS, and the availability of refugees seeking employment, between 2021 and 2023, initiated an outsourcing project to link refugees in Kenya with jobs at Amazon.
This work now continues with EqualReachās (https://www.equalreach.io/) partnership with Naāamal. Companies are able to outsource their projects via EqualReach to Naāamalās teams of refugee talent.
Appen (https://appen.com/) is a global leader in providing human-annotated data for machine learning and AI applications. They have partnered with Naāamal to provide support for Naāamalās talent to onboard on Appen platform and earn money. This partnership also extended to donating 80 laptops to support the needs of Naāamalās learners in Kenya.
These examples are just a few ways that companies can support displaced talent to enable them to sustain long term and dignified jobs.
Agreed - Iām going to also add young people to the groups we speak to - thanks Simon!
Hi Ali - Absolutely!
thanks Lorraine. we can link up for more rudo.makoni@ambrose.edu
A. 2 : An opportunity to expedite Food Systems Transformation that weāre seeing at GAIN is: Better Tracking of progress made for transforming food systems, and towards SDG 2 by boosting our combined understanding of how to better monitor. A case in point is the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (see at Publication preview page | FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) that aims to monitor the state of food systems transformation via relevant data, calibrated through 50 indicators to monitor change across 5 themes i.e. diets, nutrition and health; environment, natural resources and production; livelihoods, poverty and equity; governance; and resilience. This can help to align decision-makers around key priorities, incentivize action, hold stakeholders accountable, sustain commitment by demonstrating progress, and enable course corrections
A3 - A few examples:
Social procurement policies and Community Benefit Agreements by local government can have a significant impact on local economies. These policies can have important positive impacts for Equity Deserving Communities if proper supports are put in place. Example: City of Toronto.
Participating in multi-sectoral Roundtables that bring together business, government, academia and civil society to address specific issues. Examples:
Engaging with emerging Indigenous economy through business partnerships, investment or recruitment. E.g. Raise Recruitment āIndigenous Recruiter Training Program.ā
Innovative Solutions through Research Partnerships:
Collaborating with research institutions and technology partners fosters innovation in products or services with positive social or environmental implications.
Joint ventures in research and development lead to breakthroughs, aligning business success with positive societal advancements.
Fully agree Katherine. It could also be worth nuancing the different opportunities working through local or international NGOs. Sharing this recent report (CARE was also a partner): New Allies in Action: How INGOs and Social Entrepreneurs Collaborate to Transform Global Development | Ashoka | Everyone a Changemaker
Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health (https://www.youthmentalhealthcoalition.org/): The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health, initiated by UNICEF, is a strategic collaboration dedicated to addressing the increasing global burden of mental health conditions among youth. This coalition, launched in April 2022 with the support of the Z Zurich Foundation, represents a significant partnership between UNICEF and the private sector to tackle this pressing issue. Key members of this coalition include prominent companies such as Jo Malone London, Spotify, Zurich Insurance Group, and the Z Zurich Foundation. These members pool their resources to advocate for the mental health of young people globally. The coalitionās approach is multifaceted, aiming to promote young peopleās social and emotional skills and creating supportive environments conducive to mental well-being. A primary goal is to benefit 30 million young people across 30 countries by 2030. UNICEF and the Z Zurich Foundation are leading this coalition with a focus on mobilizing both public and private sector investment and action to promote youth mental well-being. This includes in-country programming, global and local advocacy, and learning opportunities for members of this global movement. The coalitionās work is not just limited to addressing the needs of youth but also extends to caregivers, providing necessary information and support to promote adolescentsā well-being. This initiative underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between public organizations like UNICEF and private sector entities in addressing global challenges. The coalitionās unique framework seeks to connect in-country programming with advocacy and learning, thereby creating a comprehensive approach to youth mental health and well-being.
UNICEF has launched the Water Security for All initiative, focusing on ensuring every child has access to sustainable and climate-resilient water services. This initiative includes efforts to provide safe and affordable drinking water, climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene services, early action to prevent water scarcity, and water cooperation for peace and stability. UNICEFās response involves identifying new water resources, improving the efficiency of water usage, planning for urban water scarcity, expanding technologies for climate resilience, changing behaviors regarding water conservation, and supporting national water needs and the WASH sector. This also includes partnering with the private sector under the Water Security for All initiative to ensure water security given that water is not only a human right but also an economic good.
Generation Unlimited (Generation Unlimited website): Generation Unlimited (GenU) collaborates extensively with the private sector to address the urgent need for expanded education, skill development, and employment opportunities for young people globally. GenU is a pioneering global partnership that connects education and training to employment needs, thereby enabling adolescents to become active members of society. This collaboration involves governments, civil society, the private sector, UN agencies, and young people themselves, and aims to tackle the generational crisis that holds back millions of young people from reaching their full potential. One of the key aspects of GenUās work with the private sector includes fostering opportunities for young people in the areas of skilling, entrepreneurship, employment, and social impact. For instance, founding members like Dubai Cares, IKEA Foundation, Microsoft, PwC, SAP, and Unilever have each contributed significant financial support to GenUās global programs, demonstrating a robust model of public-private partnership. Another significant collaboration involves SAP and UNICEF, where they have launched a three-year initiative focusing on workforce readiness and providing quality education, life skills, and job skills training to young people in disadvantaged communities. This partnership aims to develop standardized national curricula and bridge the gap between private sector needs and the skills of job seekers. Through these initiatives and collaborations, GenU is working towards creating a world where every young person is educated, skilled, and employed by leveraging the innovation and agility of the private sector. Their efforts emphasize the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, integrating the efforts of governments, private companies, and young individuals to address the global learning and skills crisis effectively.
GIGA (https://giga.global/): Giga, a global initiative launched by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2019, aims to connect every school in the world to the Internet by 2030. The project is a significant collaboration between UNICEF, ITU, and the private sector, with the goal of increasing digital inclusivity and providing equitable access to information and educational opportunities for children globally. One of the key aspects of Gigaās approach is leveraging the strengths and capabilities of the private sector to achieve its objectives. For instance, Ericsson, a leading technology company, was the first private sector partner to make a substantial commitment to the initiative. Ericssonās involvement includes not only financial support but also providing expertise in data engineering and data science to accelerate the mapping of school connectivity. This partnership is critical in identifying connectivity gaps, enabling governments and private sector entities to design and deploy digital solutions that facilitate learning for children and young people. Giga also works with other corporate and non-profit partners to map schoolsā Internet access in real-time, create models for innovative financing, and support governments in contracting for connectivity. This collaboration with the private sector is vital in achieving sustainable and equitable connectivity solutions, which are essential for closing the digital divide and improving educational outcomes globally. The engagement of private sector partners like Ericsson exemplifies how collaborations between UN agencies and technology companies can amplify the impact of initiatives like Giga, ultimately contributing to bridging the global digital divide and enhancing educational opportunities for children around the world.
Learning Passport (https://global.learningpassport.unicef.org/): The Learning Passport, a collaboration between UNICEF and the private sector, exemplifies a powerful public-private partnership in education. Initially developed by UNICEF in partnership with Microsoft and the University of Cambridge, including Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment, the Learning Passport is designed to provide education for displaced and refugee children through a digital remote learning platform. It has been rapidly expanded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support continued learning for children and youth affected by school closures worldwide. Microsoftās involvement has been crucial in this partnership, providing technological support thatās essential for the Learning Passportās operation. Their expertise has played a key role in ensuring that the platform can function effectively in low bandwidth and resource-constrained environments, thus expanding its reach to learners who might not have regular internet access. The Learning Passportās adaptability has allowed it to meet the specific educational needs of different countries and contexts, thus ensuring that children and youth continue to receive quality education even in challenging circumstances. As part of the Generation Unlimited Global Breakthrough on Remote Learning and Work, the Learning Passport uses technology to address challenges faced by learners, educators, and education providers, especially in conflict-affected and humanitarian contexts. This initiative showcases how UNICEF collaborates with businesses based on a shared-value approach, where producing social value and addressing challenges also aligns with business objectives.
Agree, How can we make investments count for social and environmental justice and equality.