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ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

IBLF works with businesses to help them accelerate the economic development of local communities, particularly through creating jobs, developing skills and improving linkages between small enterprises and multi-national companies.


Supporting employability and enterprise to create jobs and increase income for communities is, in our view, the most direct and effective way in which business can contribute to sustainable development and the eradication of poverty.

In the context of international development, we assist companies to realise the opportunity for extending their value chains to those living at the ‘base of the economic pyramid’ – to buy from, distribute through or market to poor people.  The focus is on both empowering and enabling entrepreneurs through enterprise development.

Enterprise development relies on skilled talent, to sustain entrepreneurs and grow the small businesses they create. In the majority of instances, small and medium enteprises (SME) owners require management training, business advice, finance and investment in local infrastructure before they can service MNCs. And because it is MNCs businesses which set the standards and expectations, they are best placed to provide appropriate resources to SMEs.

Achieving long-term economic growth is heavily reliant on human capital, both operationally, and as a source of innovation. If entrepreneurs and MNCs are to compete and grow, they must invest in their workforce. In addition, they require a skilled talent pool from which to recruit their future employees and to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the local economy. These two activities combined are defined as employability. The emphasis is not only on vocational or technical skills, but also on business acumen, leadership and life skills, financial inclusion and corporate culture.

These two work streams combine to create IBLF’s programme on Employability and Enterprise Development. IBLF’s latest research – The Business of Jobs - draws from 22 case studies across the world, which highlight the opportunity for business to take a lead role in creating jobs and increasing the wealth of communities.

To view and download the working paper, click here. For a black and white version, click here.

To read the executive summary of our latest working paper, please click here.

IBLF is currently seeking partners among business, government and civil society to support us in delivering in-country collaborative action. To join the programme, please contact Graham Baxter at graham.baxter@iblf.org.

Case Studies

Employability

IBLF Youth Career Initiative

Deloitte Employability Initiative

Cisco Least Developed Countries Initiative

Diageo Tomorrow's People

European Alliance for Skills on Employability

General Electric Passport for Success

Infosys Campus Connect

InterContinental Hotels Group Academy

Microsoft Elevate America

Monster Rozgar Duniya

PROMINP

Enterprise Development

Anglo American Emerge

Believe Begin Become

Centro de Apoio Empresarial

Equity Bank Kilimo Biashara

Gambia is Good

Grofin

SABMiller Saanjhi Unnati

SAP PlaNet Finance

Unilever Novella

Walmart Market Alliance for Rural Entrepreneurs

Youth Business Russia