A2: We think that there is an opportunity to persuade more business leaders (and investors) to speak out about the need for the government to build a fairer society by tackling socio-economic inequality. In recent years, businesses have become more aware of their responsibility for taking action to tackle inequality (for example by improving pay and conditions and taking action on equality, diversity and inclusion), but also more aware of the opportunity and responsibility that they have to influence government policies to reduce inequality through progressive lobbying. However, to date this has been focused on âhorizontalâ (e.g. racial, gender and LGBT+) inequalities, rather than on âverticalâ (socio-economic) inequalities, perhaps because many businesspeople are either ideologically opposed to redistribution and other interventions by the state, or nervous about taking a small-p political stand in public. We want to better understand the barriers to action in this area, and how to overcome them.
A2:
Recently the WEFâs Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship released the State of Social Enterprise 2024; while there are still gaps in the data that remain. This report has shown a light on the state of social enterprise; 1 in 2 Social Enterprises are led by women - fantastic!
Social Entrepreneurship endeavours are creating 200 million jobs worldwide; We see this opportunity to not only address poverty and inequality - but bolster young people to start social enterprises in their communities around the world. We are directly leveraging this area in our projects in Africa and the Middle East.
And we are thankful for the opportunity to do so with 300,000 MSMEs in Malawi, Cote dâIvoire, Zambia and Tanzania over the next 5 years.
A2.Within BodaBoda Safety Association of Kenya (B.A.K), a compelling collaboration opportunity lies in leveraging our 1.4 million-member base, predominantly aged 18-35 and composed of small business owners.
Firstly, partnering with electric vehicle manufacturers offers a feasible buy-in to combat climate change, aligning with global sustainability goals. This not only enhances our environmental stewardship but also positions B.A.K as a forward-thinking industry leader.
Secondly, forging alliances with financial institutions facilitates membersâ access to credit facilities, addressing unemployment and fostering economic mobility. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to empower entrepreneurs within the association.
Lastly, embracing technology partnerships ensures our readiness for the future of work, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness. By strategically engaging in these collaborations, B.A.K can catalyze positive change, fostering a resilient and sustainable future for our members and the broader community.
Hello everyone , Iâm Musindo Kahonde founder of Zivaiclimate and Raindrop Technologies Pvt currently studying in Computer Science
https://www.linkedin.com/in/musindo-kahonde-1063262a6/
grateful to join this discussion
Hello Ashley! Iâm wondering whether you have ever seen a direct connection between climate change and poverty, inequality, etc. I am currently in the process of designing a project around the relationship between climate change and wage inequality through specific mechanisms including migration patterns, and job/land loss. I would love to hear your perspective on the relationship between climate change and poverty in general.
Part 2-
The development community are embracing a just energy transition, which recognizes that as countries transition to green growth, but consideration has to be given for the impact of these changes on diverse populations, employ customized community-led approaches, and help individuals and communities navigate this chlange.
Re-skilling workers will help people, especially youth, to find jobs in the green economy and entire regions and communities find alternative avenues for growth and prosperity.
In 2024, we have an opportunity to use our ability to collect data to gain insights into which policies are effective and which are not. Data collection and organization is facilitated by AI tools, allowing academics to collaborate with industry experts and government officials to seek solutions for pressing problems. This is not only happening within countries but also across countries. The global refugee crisis provides us with an opportunity to design better policies related to refugee resettlement. Currently, we understand very little about how agencies resettle refugees and whether their methods can be improved upon.
A2: Despite the challenges, optimism and hope channeled into action will keep us going because children and youth need adults to get it together, the time is now.
We see opportunities in scaling up climate-neutral investments from private sectors that can contribute directly to children and youth climate resiliency. We hope there will be a turning point in carbon marketing investments from solely tree planting to including development work that invests in green energy and economy transitions. This and other forms of business investments can help increase access and affordable climate technology and solutions that rapidly decarbonize the economy, energy, and land-use systems but should consider investments that also can center children and climate resiliency in the same investment.
Opportunities will be driven by local-led efforts, centering on children and youth, women, and local and indigenous values and needs to support the mindset shift society requires to take moving forward, especially in the food and energy sectors. Centering the needs and voices of children and youth in all climate change discussions, consultations, and policy developments happening this year such as the NDC revisions. ChildFund will be advocating for meaningful intergenerational dialogue and child and youth participation as they play a critical role in this process for transformative change.
Likewise James, Nutrition Connect https://nutritionconnect.org/ is a knowledge hub I manage and thats catering to public private engagement in nutrition best prcatices, case studies etc, but sourcing good content and holding audience attention on social media on this pertinent theme is increasingly difficult. Unless one is posting disruptive, positive content its challenging to disseminate to the right audience and even more so to effect meaningful Partnerships out of this
One of the initiatives that I am trying to create is a Gender SENSITIVE Leadership Development network leveraging AI to create a toolkit of techniques, tips and case studies that can be adapted for the local context and culture in sustainable development programmes.
A2: There is an immense opportunity and urgency for the private sector to apply its âinvestment mindsetâ to filling the gap in support for long-term economic development and resilience-building. Check out this Devex article which highlights how bilateral and other aid often focuses more on humanitarian relief and crises.
TechnoServe can help with this! Letâs connect on LinkedIn
A2 (Part 1): 2024 marks an exciting time for The Fairtrade Foundation as we celebrate our 30th birthday. Today, in the UK, nine in ten people can recognize the Fairtrade mark and the range of Fairtrade products available now stands at over 4,800! 2024 is also big anniversaries for many of our amazing partnerships including 30 years with Clipper, Cafedirect, Co-op and 20 years with Marks & Spencer. There are over 2 million certified farmers worldwide and in 2022, over ÂŁ30M in Fairtrade Premium was paid by the UK market alone. All of this is something we are very proud of.
But we would be remiss if we didnât use our 30th year as an opportunity to set our sights on the future. There is still much to do to make our trade system truly fair and we are still committed to building a world in which all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their future. In 2024 weâll continue to innovate our approach and to bring producers to the forefront of change in the fight for climate justice.
A2 the opportunities presented by legislation, e.g. EU CSDDD and plenty in other regions that I donât know as well. Itâs been mentioned above, but itâs the foundation to making the changes we need to see. It will be imperfect but we have to influence it as much as we can (although appreciate not all orgs will have the resources to do this) and then work with businesses to implement.
A2: A few other thoughts outside the 50-word suggested limit:
- Consider investing in âadaptation in placeâ opportunities. There are currently relatively low-cost interventions with high returns on investment like BRACâs Adaptation Clinic, which allow communities to develop resilience where they already are.
- Cathedral sized projects - opportunities to think really big and really long. In many instances, the massive cathedrals we see in different parts of the world, took decades or even hundreds of years to build and theyâre still around for us to enjoy and appreciated. We need to think of the environment and development not as something that can be fixed quickly, but need to take it for what it is. The environment, something like forests, are living cathedrals and we need to plan our investments and fund them like this. And remember, that one investor or donor is not responsible, we can each fund different pieces of the cathedral.
- Put the problem at the center. This needs to be the year where we really lean into whatâs worked in the past. Figure out whatâs already worked and is working in different contexts and why. What can we learn from these examples? We donât always need to be looking for the newest innovation or technology, but instead can think about whatâs already working and how we can layer things like AI on to them.
- This is a year where we can see people using Southern-based frameworks for their investments, changing their mindsets to be more reflective of the global majority.
- People all over the world are going to the polls this year and itâs our collective responsibility to educate the public so they can make informed choices.
Ali I agree - we can no longer look at issues and solutions in isolation
A2 -
Whether we talk about climate, education, access to healthcare, etc., social change is complex and is a long-term endeavour. Systems are entrenched. However, everyday at Ashoka we see social entrepreneurs advancing solutions to Africaâs most urgent social challenges and allowing those they serve to become changemakers. There is a clear opportunity to identify and support more of those proximate leaders who drive innovative solutions so that they can bring them to scale. Too often, branding, competing to access funding and lack of time get across the willingness to collaborate. Can we approach collaboration differently in 2024?
A2. What are the top opportunities you are seeing in 2024?**
- Higher than ever consumer and employee expectations on companies to lead the way on social and climate impact - looking at reports like the Edelman Trust Barometer and other studies from Porter Novelli, Accenture. Customers and other stakeholders WANT companies and other large institutions to step up and stay the course on commitments to climate, to racial equity, to a more equitable future. So the fears of backlash and negative consequences are unfounded.
- Increased funder collaboratives for those who want to make connections with others - in the US the collective Donât Ban Equality is doing excellent work pulling together a broad coalition of ~1000 companies making the business case for less restrictive laws around reproductive health is a great example.
- Certain influential countries/states/governance bodies (the EU, California, the SEC) are enacting legislation or enforcing rules that require standardized ESG reporting. These markets will make it no longer voluntary and will move the sector towards mandatory and standardized reporting.
- Momentum and role model companies engaging with new, trust based approaches which shift power to communities. Some great examples include Patagonia, Kate Spade, Lyft, Ben & JerryâsâŚ
A2: The other side of the challenge I described before: AI enhancing the capabilities of organizations in the development sector. These organizations could leverage AI to analyze data, making it more achievable to identify trends and make informed decisions even with resource constraints. This could open up new possibilities for impactful initiatives in a cost-effective manner.
A2 Artificial Intelligence â married with Human Street-Smarts
The manner in which AI tools can rapidly accelerate the background research and provide rapid access to âcommon consensusâ views on things is fascinating! It enables remarkable acceleration in getting to 80% of the answers, enabling the real human expertise and experience to be focused on the 20% that is yet to be solved.