Post-MDGs: What role for business?

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Paula Lucci – Research Fellow

16th November 2013

Today…

1. MDGs • What they achieved • Common criticisms• MDGs and private sector actors

2. Business and development • Examples of impact• Examples of initiatives

3. Post 2015• A different landscape• So…what role for business in a new set of goals?

3

1.MDGsWhat have the MDGs achieved for us?

4

1.MDGs Common criticisms

5

Means v ends ProcessBilateral ODA from DAC donors

1.MDGsWere private sector actors involved?

6

Little involvement:• MDG 8:improving access to affordable essential drugs

and ICT • Some MNCs involved in related debates/initiatives

(e.g. Business Call to Action)

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2.Business and developmentExamples of Impact

+ -

Investment and job creation, training

The poor may not benefit from those jobs

Innovation Innovation won’t happen in areas that do not represent a profitable market

Resource mobilisation (tax/royalties)

Tax avoidance

Can violate minimum standards of responsible behaviour

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2.Business and developmentExamples of initiatives

Core business CSR

Key challenge: measuring contribution

Standard compliance

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3.Post-2015 Different landscape

• More emphasis on productive sectors/jobs

• More interest in private sector actors?

• More open process? But concerns over capacity to engage from different actors

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3.Post-2015:What role for business?

Goal areas:1. Economic transformation and jobs

2. Transparency and accountability agenda (e.g. under governance goal)

Delivery:3. Delivery through partnerships (e.g. leverage

expertise/R&D)

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Post-2015: Areas relevant for business

engagement

1. Economic transformation and jobs

• Include ec transformation & jobs in an opening statement

• Use reporting on relevant goals, targets and indicators to change behaviours– E.g. a goal/target on jobs, – Optional indicators for enablers of growth

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Post-2015: Areas relevant for business

engagement

2. Transparency and accountability agenda

• Propose a separate accountability framework for businesses (building on existing frameworks,e.g.GRI)

• Step up work on human and natural capital method

• Recommend governments set mandatory reporting for large businesses as a listing requirement

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Post-2015: Areas relevant for business

engagement

3. Partnerships agenda

• Include guidance on ‘good’ partnerships, drawing on the experience and evidence to date.

• A streamlined UN process to assess the case for a partnership?

 • To ensure trust is built, make it a prerequisite for

(large) firms involved to disclose information (e.g. following GRI)

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p.lucci@odi.org.uk