Sustainable BusinessRecent posts
Digital Innovation Expands Financing for Women-Led SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean
Loans and disbursements approved in less than 24 hours, enabled by artificial intelligence, and early invoice payments powered by fintech solutions are transforming access to credit for MSMEs, especially those led by women.
Fixing the Broken Rung: How Data Can Help Advance Women’s Careers in Latin America and the Caribbean
In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the greatest disruption in women’s career progression occurs during the transition into managerial roles. A collaboration between IDB Invest and LinkedIn, within the framework of the Development Data Partnership, uses large-scale labor-market data to identify where women’s participation declines and what barriers exist across sectors and career stages.
Addressing gender-based violence from the private sector: the experience of Laboratorios Bagó
Francisco Méndez, CEO of the pharmaceutical company, shares his company's efforts and achievements in fostering an inclusive and safe work environment.
The best of 2015: Surprising habits of productive women in the private sector
In Argentina, 61 percent of mothers work outside the home. In Chile, the US and Mexico, those numbers are 59 percent, 57 percent and 42 percent, respectively. Globally, that percentage is growing. As I prepare to join these women after the birth of my second child, I know I must find ways to be more productive and disciplined in my corporate environment. To tackle this, I spent my last weeks of maternity leave seeking the advice of the most highly productive women in the private sector I know. Their surprising answers on work-life balance, professional success and doing more with less offer tools for women, men and companies more broadly.
The best of 2015: Counterintuitive ideas for sustainable enterprises
Most business models are formulated by the top of the economic pyramid. Many business leaders and academics write about the "must haves" of a successful base of the pyramid (BOP) business model. Still quite a few of those business endeavors fail. While reasons for failure vary, experience shows that the ability to observe, listen and understand the BOP’s social codes and priorities is key to successfully formulate and set up profitable, sustainable enterprises that target low-income markets.
The best of 2015: How to make cultural tourism sustainable
If you want to start a hotel, the normal thing to do is buy some land, build the hotel, hire a few locals for cooking, cleaning and maintenance and open for business.
Ports vulnerable to climate change but not to inaction
By Joana Pascual On October 23rd 2015, Hurricane Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere. Maximum winds reached an unprecedented 200 miles per hour. Early that morning, this Category 5 hurricane was heading towards the Port of Manzanillo in Colima, Mexico. Luckily, the hurricane degraded quickly, and the port experienced no major damage.
Combining cattle and forestry: five benefits of silvopastoralism
One month ago I was in Paraguay, visiting with cattle producers to study an innovative production system. Even in spring, Paraguay is hot, and I was soon sweating under the intense sun. If I suffer from a twenty minute walk in the sun, how would cows that spend all day outside feel?
5 reasons to rethink biomass in Latin America
With less than a week to go until COP21, governments across the globe make their preparations to achieve an international, legally-binding agreement on climate change. And the progress is apparent. Over 140 countries, including most of Latin America and the Caribbean, have submitted their respective Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). These action plans allow governments to communicate internationally where climate actions will take place post-2020. One conclusion so far: clean energy will be fundamental to carbon emission reductions for all governments, including top global carbon emitters. With this is mind, it is important to remember the benefits of an underutilized renewable energy technology: sustainably sourced biomass.
