Expert Dialogue "the role of governance for inclusive business"

Context

Companies and development organizations alike are investing in the development of inclusive businesses as a way to build future growth opportunities and alleviate poverty. These businesses include people living in poverty in various roles along the value chain, from producer to consumer, and create value for them as well as for the company. With experience in the development of these models advancing, it becomes increasingly clear that governance is a crucial enabler of these businesses. Governance is the process of designing and maintaining rules that allow to achieve joint objectives. Relevant governance processes take place within the corporation, among coalitions of partners as well as on the level of public policy.

Guided by inputs from academics and role plays based on company examples, 25 experts from the development, business and academic domain discussed how rules could enable inclusive business models. One key insight was that rule setting processes need to take account of existing formal and informal institutions to be effective. Discussions also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the ultimate target group - low-income communities - have a voice in the rule setting process.

Presentations

The presentations, which were held in German, can be downloaded via the links below:

Prof. Dr. Ingo Pies, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg: Governance-Innovationen - Bedeutung, Herausforderungen, Lösungen

Kai Sacher, Danone: Die Danone BOP Organisation als Grundlage für kreative Freiräume mit klarem Business-Kontext

Gorgi Krlev, BASF: Pro-Poor-Business Models for Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets

Dr. Dina Badry: Tetra Pak als Beispiel für einen integrativen Value Chain Approach

Judith Vietmeyer, PlanetFinance: Focusing on the Shea Butter Supply Chain in Ghana

Dr. Clemens Pirker, Hyve AG: Innovations Management 2.0 - Welchen rahmen brauchen Innovationen im Unternehmen?

Prof. Dr. Christian Seelos, IESE: Gruppenkoordination als Basis von Sozialunternehmen

Dr. Christian Thauer: Fostering Regulation? Public-private Interaction, CSR, and the Strengthening of Regulatory Capacities in Areas of Limited Statehood