Darian Stibbe

I am the Director of The Partnering Initiative - a specialist programme of the IBLF - which works with all sectors to 'drive effective collaboration for a sustainable future'. We are responsible within the BIF programme for supporting the brokering of effective cross-sector partnerships to enable inclusive business models.

Call for nominations of the World Business and Development Awards 2012 now open!

2. Feb 2012

Do you have a successful inclusive business model that is both commercially successful, and is contributing to development?

The International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have just launched a call for nominations for their World Business and Development Awards 2012.

The Awards are the pinnacle of recognition for how companies can, through their core business activities, help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The 2012 Awards, organised with the Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the UN Global Compact, focus on inclusive business models: sustainable, commercially-viable business initiatives that expand access for low-income people to goods and services, or improve their livelihoods by engagement in value chains as direct employees, suppliers or distributors.

The Awards are open to all sizes of organisation, in two categories: SMEs and Large companies. Social enterprises and NGOs are welcome to apply as long as the nominated initiative is using a commercially-viable business model.

Winners of previous Awards have included: CEMEX’s Productive Centres for Self-employment which provide training and direct opportunities for unemployed or low-wage members of the community to join their supply chain by manufacturing construction materials; and LifeSpring Hospitals’ creation of eight hospitals delivering affordable maternity healthcare at a third to a half of prevailing market rates.

As IBLF’s CEO, Clare Melford, says, "When businesses apply the full force of their core business activities to development challenges and measure their success both by profit and social outcomes, there is no limit to what can be achieved. We hope that the WBDA will again stimulate businesses of all sizes and in all regions to bring forward their best examples and so accelerate progress towards achieving the MDGs."

The Awards will be presented at a high-profile gala event during the June Rio+20 conference, culminating the Business Day on June 19th.

So, go to WorldBusinessAwards.net and nominate your project. But be quick, nominations close on March 25th.