Featured Blog Posts – February 2009 Archive (15)

Social Media and Volunteering: Blessing or Curse?

I write this blog with three groups in mind; volunteers, non profits, and companies with volunteer programs. For these three audiences, social media continues to expand its importance, taking a central role in the success of any volunteer endeavor. I blogged about this last month -… Continue

Added by Chris Jarvis on February 25, 2009 at 16:25 — No Comments

Direct supply versus Fairtrade

Time to join the debate the belief is something is better than nothing but is that really so.

The choices we take often present two fairly simple aspects, hard or easy and that really is the challenge between direct supply and fairtrade.

Direct supply requires a real knowledge of your supply chain - some people view it as a chance to map the carbon footprint of a product effectively but rarely are the fforts as indepth as they need to be. Fairtrade massages the socially… Continue

Added by Mark Trotter on February 25, 2009 at 11:41 — 2 Comments

Global food crisis will deepen without action to support small farmers, warns Fairtrade Foundation

PRESS RELEASE - FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION

Efforts to tackle the global food crisis will fail without urgent action to support small farmers in developing countries, says the Fairtrade Foundation in a new report launched today, The Global Food Crisis and Fairtrade: Small farmers, big solutions?

The report highlights the seriousness of the… Continue

Added by Business Fights Poverty on February 19, 2009 at 23:00 — No Comments

Investment opportunity for Clean Businesses (www.ccvf.org)

For companies seeking investment or investors interested in the Clean Business sector, the California Coast Venture Forum has announced the launch of their Clean Business Investment Summit™ on March 26, 2009 at the Corwin Pavilion at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

With increased interest from investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses in emerging markets such as clean tech, ethical, green, socially responsible, and sustainable enterprises, the Clean Business Investment… Continue

Added by Alissa Sears on February 19, 2009 at 17:25 — 2 Comments

Mike Barry: Business can drive development for good, core commercial reasons, but it has to be smart about how it does it

By Mike Barry, Head of Sustainable Business…

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Added by Business Fights Poverty on February 18, 2009 at 20:00 — No Comments

Study reveals link between media and investment in Africa

Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, is today launching its sixth annual Africa Business Reporting Awards. Initiated by Diageo in 2004 the awards seek to encourage more prolific business journalism in Africa and to increase the continent’s share of voice in the international media.

A study commissioned by Diageo, and published today to coincide with the first call for entries for the Awards, reveals that coverage of business in Africa has proliferated during the last… Continue

Added by Jo Crawshaw on February 17, 2009 at 15:34 — No Comments

Does Corporate Social Responsibility Affect the Bottom Line? Yes....and No

Corporate Social Responsibility is not an option. Even companies with poor CSR performance rankings are scrambling to get it right. This may become the most important business strategy on the horizon.

The question everyone is asking

Does CSR… Continue

Added by Chris Jarvis on February 16, 2009 at 16:09 — No Comments

THRIFT THE GOLDEN KEY TO WEALTH CREATION

In "Advice to a Young Tradesman," Benjamin Franklin the great American Economist, Diplomat, and Entrepreneur wrote, "In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality, nothing will do, and with them everything."

These immortal words ring ever so true now in this age of unbridled consumption culture… Continue

Added by Trevor Simumba on February 15, 2009 at 22:56 — No Comments

Unleashing the human entrepreneurial spirit

Extreme Poverty causes extreme death. It creates extreme need. It demands extreme urgency, extreme compassion and sustainable & scalable solutions that deliver extreme help. Global emergencies need the participation of the global business community.

It is crucial that global business performs with a sense of PURPOSE, and not just performs for short term shareholder interests.

We know that charity alone is not the answer in tackling poverty, nor is business. But great… Continue

Added by Steve Jennings on February 15, 2009 at 18:00 — No Comments

Join the dialogue on Obama and social entrepreneurs

I am a writer for NextBillion.net and would love to hear from the Business Fights Poverty community about what members are thinking and doing regarding social entrepreneurship and the new Administration.

Added by Jenara Nerenberg on February 14, 2009 at 3:30 — 2 Comments

Corporate Social Responsibility is Just Self-Interest

The world has changed. Even in this economic downturn corporations are being pressured to adopt socially responsible and sustainable practices. But how much should business be responsible for? And where are the lines between business, government and non-profits?

I am trying to figure something out.… Continue

Added by Chris Jarvis on February 13, 2009 at 15:07 — 1 Comment

Frontline SMS

The other day my mobile buzzed announcing the arrival of a text . . . from Tanzania! It read:

Hi simon! i hope ur fine,

I am grace mdc from

kinondon area since u

come u r 2 quiet why?

nothing is going on

from grace mdc tanzania

Frontline SMS! That is Grace in the pictures. She owns and runs one the Coca-Cola MDCs (Manual Distribution Centres) in Dar Es… Continue

Added by Simon Berry on February 12, 2009 at 23:31 — No Comments

World's poor to be helped by 'txt msg' technology

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID):

Mobile phones, text messages and fingerprint recognition could soon bring "branchless banking" to millions of the world's poorest people to help lift them out of poverty, International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander said today.

At an event today, Mr Alexander announced a £1.4 million UK-led three-year project that will lay the foundations for financial… Continue

Added by Business Fights Poverty on February 12, 2009 at 23:00 — No Comments

DFID Minister Gareth Thomas on how business and government can do more for poor countries

British companies have made real progress in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in recent years but it is time to go further. Working and investing in developing countries is good for development and the bottom line.

This was the message DFID Minister Gareth Thomas gave to more than 100 business representatives at an event at the Shell Foundation on Wednesday night (11/2/09).

Gareth Thomas said the challenges of recent months with the food, fuel and financial… Continue

Added by Overseas Development Institute,Department for International Development & Business Action for Africa on February 12, 2009 at 22:00 — 1 Comment

Corporate Social Responsibility Legislation On The Way

A new "revolutionary" bill is on the way. One senator has come up with a bill that will compel every company in Nigeria to devote 3.5 per cent of its gross profit to what he terms "corporate social responsibility". - Osebumere Odia…

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Added by Chris Jarvis on February 5, 2009 at 16:43 — 1 Comment