Oxfam GB has launched a new series 'Briefings for Business'. The purpose of this series is to explore a new form of dialogue with companies through which they can share experiences of how poor people are affected by business operations.

The first in the series looks at business and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aim, amongst other things, to halve poverty, lower levels of hunger, reduce maternal and childhood mortality, and increase access to water and sanitation.

The new World Bank World Development Report 2008, for the first time in 25 years, is dedicated to agriculture. The WDR includes a call to action in response to the modernisation of procurement systems in integrated supply chains and supermarkets, so that small farmers can share in these growth opportunities.

photo: UnileverSpeech by Patrick Cescau, Group Chief Executive of Unilever, 25 May 2007

According to Patrick Cescau, the "agenda of sustainability and corporate responsibility is not only central to business strategy but will increasingly become a critical driver of business growth... I believe that how well and how quickly businesses respond to this agenda will determine which companies succeed and which will fail in the next few decades."

International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) have announced a strategic partnership to engage business as a partner in sustainable development in Pakistan's rural communities. The partnership includes Nestle Pakistan, and has a focus on the dairy industry.

Folleto de la Alianza WBCSD-SNV sobre el tema de negocios inclusivos en América Latina.

La Alianza entre el World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) y el Servicio Holandés de Cooperación al Desarrollo (SNV) acaba de publicar un folleto (20 páginas) acerca de su trabajo al mediar oportunidades de negocios inclusivos en América Latina.

The Trouble with Supermarkets - A Way Forward. March 2, 2007

A blog by the late Robert Davies who was the CEO of the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF).

Raising Our Game: Can We Sustain Globalization? SustainAbility, June 2007

In a blunt assessment of the business operating context in 2027, a new report sponsored by Shell, Ford, Novo Nordisk, Vodafone, The Skoll Foundation and others predicts that not only will there be new rules for sustaining business success over the next twenty years, but that "the game itself is poised to change profoundly. There will be winners and losers; but there is no more business as usual."

27 April 2006. AT Kearney has published its 2006 Global Retail Development Index (GRDI). This index is designed to help retailers prioritize their global development strategies, by ranking 30 emerging countries based on more than 25 macroeconomic and retail-specific variables. Findings are as follows. On a regional level, Asia reclaimed the lead position from the maturing markets of Eastern Europe. As part of Asia, the Middle East posted the highest retail sales growth globally, led by United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Mediterranean held steady with mixed results, while Latin America recovered from its economic crises and enjoyed a strong return on the Index. Finally, Africa remains outside the game, but that is not stopping retailers from entering this populous region.