TERI Home


hda.jpg (11658 bytes)

Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002
Ensuring sustainable livelihoods:

challenges for governments, corporates, and civil society at Rio+10
8 - 11 February 2002, New Delhi

hdx.jpg (5704 bytes)
Home Themes Speakers Papers Bulletin Media coverage
8 Feb. 2002 9 Feb. 2002 10 Feb. 2002 11 Feb. 2002
                                   
    10 February 2002: Plenary session 6

    Creating business models for the poor: expanding sustainable development

                              
Chairperson

Real video

Mr Clive Butler
Corporate Development Director, Unilever, UK

 

 

          
Speaker

Real video

Dr T P Singh
Director, TERI School of Advanced Studies

"Companies are recognizing the need to align their business interests with current developmental thinking."

 

 

           
Speaker

Real video

Mr Hanns Michael Hoelz
Global Head Sustainable Development, Deutsche Bank, Germany

"The world is waiting for action and not mere communication tools."

 

 

 

                              
Speaker

Real video

Mr Prasad R Menon
Managing Director, Tata Chemicals Limited, India

 

 

           
Speaker

Real video

Mr Emmanuel Haton
Senior Advisor on Lower Carbon Growth, BP, UK

"We need to get away from the vicious circle; the situation of those in it is going to get worse."


 

     

                  
Speaker

Real video

Ms Judith Samuelson
Executive Director, Aspen ISIB, USA

"We need to balance the complex relationship between business success and social, and environmental progress."

 


           
Speaker

Real video

Ms Meera Shenoy
Advisor, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, Hyderabad, India

"Small efforts should be made to make meaningful differences."



                                        
Session summary

There is a need to reorient business mindsets away from serving affluent clientele towards the less privileged; indeed, we must create business models that increase the purchasing power of the poor. Though corporates cannot replace governments, they must consider the interests of customers, employees, and society beyond their shareholders. Innovative ideas, social networking, and a state-facilitated conducive environment would catalyse this.

Designs of pro-poor business models should derive from experiences, ambitions, and ingenuity of the poor as well as mainstream business skills. By creating markets for rural produce, corporates can strengthen rural economies and also access untapped talent.

Isolationism will not work; businesses must collaborate with NGOs and governments to empower the poor. Micro-credit is an important learning tool in this context. Another innovative form of investment is the ‘financial convergence product’, a combination of working capital, fixed costs, and risk mitigation for sustainable rural development.

Synchronizing the triple bottom line for sustainable development through addition of economic value, harmonization of environmental factors, and building social capital in the community is beneficial.

It is critical to sensitize the managers and leaders of tomorrow about sustainable development principles. Although the current focus is on maximizing shareholder value, core teaching in business schools must integrate social responsibility and management for sustainability. For long-term change, this must also blend into corporate recruitment policies.