In this section, we will update you with announcements from the ecosystem of inclusive business, pre-selected according to their relevance for inclusive business ventures.
The European Union, through the European Commission, and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), has agreed to provide EUR 60 million to the European Investment Bank and African Development Bank's joint Boost Africa initiative, enabling it to support higher-risk investment. Boost Africa is enabling change and creating opportunities across Africa by targeting investment that backs young and female entrepreneurs.
Major household brands and palm-oil buyers Nestle and PepsiCo have backed a scheme that aims to invest $1 billion in forest conservation across Southeast Asia over 25 years. The Rimba Collective, developed by Lestari Capital, a Singapore-based impact investment firm, will fund projects that protect and restore more than 500,000 hectares of tropical forests in Indonesia and the region.
Cambodia is taking the lead in ASEAN regional adoption of the model for inclusive businesses by launching the Inclusive Business Landscape Study Report. The study was announced at the inaugural Inclusive Business Champions Meeting for Cambodia, which was held virtually under the direction of Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Are you a policymaker interested in Inclusive Business? GIZ ISED is offering a Zoom workshop for inclusive business policymakers in Indonesia tomorrow, 23 March, 2021, at 13:30 WIB | 7:30 CET. Speakers include high-level politicians, academics, and representatives of international organizations.
On 18 March 2021, the government of Cambodia – through the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI) - and its partners will inform about next steps on its proposed new Inclusive Business strategy (the IBeeC). The meeting will also launch the Inclusive Business landscape study for Cambodia, prepared with support from ESCAP and iBAN.
The UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Business Call to Action signs a financing agreement with the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) to boost impact management and implementation of the SDGs. With Sudan, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as focused countries, the new partnership will establish an increased Business Call to Action (BCtA) presence in the Arab region to promote the concept of inclusive business for impact management enterprises.
VC firm Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) has partnered the Mastercard Foundation to support businesses in the education sector to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
African Alliance Asset Management has partnered with Tshikululu Social Investments, a leading social investment manager and advisor, to create a new African-led impact investment solution targetted at global investors.
Access and leadership participation are two important dimensions of women’s empowerment in Feed the Future Activities in Bangladesh. Engaging the private sector makes both possible, as companies learn, adapt, and expand their business models to be more inclusive.
LGT, the international private banking and asset management group owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein, has integrated its direct impact investing activities into a newly formed and branded entity, Lightrock, a global private equity partnership that seeks to achieve financial as well as societal and environmental returns.