Inclusive business models are designed to deliver mutual benefits for business (generating sales and profit growth) and for low-income communities (creating jobs and increasing incomes).
IBLF works on the inclusive business agenda alongside corporates to:
- Provide strategic support and identify opportunities for inclusive business
- Broker relationships for businesses to work with in-country partners (suppliers, distributors, NGOs, government)
- Help prepare the internal business case (such as workshops with a company’s leadership team)
- Produce publications that showcase examples of good practice
- Offer partnership training to ensure the programme is implemented effectively
The Business Call to Action (BCtA) Initiative
Inclusive business models rely on core business expertise, technical knowledge, partnering skills and high-level exposure to flourish. Most often, they start out as pilots, but these projects have the potential to improve standards of living for tens of thousands of people at atime.
To promote awareness around these types of initiatives, IBLF helped found the Business Call to Action (BCtA). Launched in 2008, the BCtA aims to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for both commercial success and development impact. Learn more about the BCtA here.
World Business and Development Awards
IBLF is a partner of the World Business and Development Awards (WBDA) that promote inclusive business models and reward the most innovative initiatives in this space.
"IBLF is successfully exploring how companies are changing their core activities in ways that help fight poverty, whilst meeting commercial objectives"
Company participant at an IBLF inclusive business workshop (2011)
The Business Innovation Facility
IBLF is also a founding member and implementer of the Business Innovation Facility, alongside PwC and Accenture Development Partners. This was established in 2010 as a three-year programme working in Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, India and Bangladesh. The programme is designed to promote inclusive business models, broker new value chain linkages for SMEs, provide technical assistance and deliver successful partnerships.