WHAT IS INCLUSIVE BUSINESS? 

Inclusive businesses provide goods, services, and livelihoods on a commercially viable basis, either at scale or scalable, to people living at the base of the economic pyramid (BOP) making them part of the value chain of companies´ core business as suppliers, distributors, retailers, or customers.

To serve the low-income market and make profit at the same time, IB companies must innovate.

While many firms work with or sell to the base of the economic pyramid, few provide them with relevant solutions to address poverty. Only those companies providing relevant solutions to address poverty can be called inclusive business. More...

ESCAP’S INCLUSIVE BUSINESS PROGRAMME IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA

In 2019, ESCAP and iBAN launched a joint initiative to help governments to enhance the policy environment for inclusive business in South-East Asia. ESCAP and iBAN have provided country-level analysis and policy advice to Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines and Viet Nam. National landscape studies have identified existing and potential inclusive business companies and analysed the overall context in which they operate. Based on this analysis, the studies provide recommendations for policymakers and institutions to encourage inclusive businesses.

ESCAP and iBAN have also supported regional policy (such as the Guidelines for the Promotion of Inclusive Business in ASEAN) and knowledge exchange, through policy dialogues, regional studies and the organisation of the Second ASEAN inclusive Business Summit in 2019 and the Third ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit in 2020.

ESCAP leverages its expertise in promoting impact investment, sustainable and responsible business and inclusive innovation to support policymakers develop inclusive business policies and provide a sub-regional platform for sharing knowledge and lessons learned across South-East Asia. More...

USEFUL LINKS

Policy Development for Inclusive Business
Inclusive Business in ASEAN
Inclusive Business in ASEAN Member States