The Inclusive Business Process represents the journey that a company may undertake as it moves from a nonexistent program to a sustainable inclusive business. The overall process and brief definitions are illustrated below. Detailed considerations for each step of the process, pertinent to a specific maturity level, will be presented once the maturity diagnostics is taken. To take the maturity diagnostics, please proceed to the Diagnostics page.

  • Understand Inclusive Business
    Appreciate the concept of inclusive business, the opportunities that it offers for companies, the poor, and society, and how it aligns with the global sustainable development agenda as articulated by the SDGs
  • Define Business Opportunity
    Explore how engaging in inclusive business across the company’s value chain can help address existing challenges and offer unique opportunities.
  • Analyze Environment
    Evaluate opportunities to engage in inclusive business and assess potential markets including the political and economic context. Develop the program’s business case.
  • Assess Capabilities
    Consider how an inclusive business would fit with the company’s strategy and evaluate the company’s ability to support the program financially, operationally, and culturally. Begin educating senior leadership and aligning internal resources.
  • Plan for SDG Impact
    Determine how the business can contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and evaluate which SDGs the business is best positioned to impact based on external and internal considerations.
  • Design
    Armed with knowledge of the environment, the company’s internal capabilities and the potential SDG impact, design an inclusive business that effectively meets the needs of the business as well as the target population.
  • Test
    Select a representative market to discover how the business model will perform in real market conditions without the risk of a more expansive rollout. Ensure commercial viability through this testing phase.
  • Measure & Refine
    Develop frameworks to measure financial results and social impact against pre-set targets. Use resulting data wisely to refine the business model. Communicate the program’s impact.
  • Grow
    Grow the size, scope or scale of the solution in a sustainable manner to increase benefit for both the business and society. Given many ways to grow financially and expand impact, consider which option is best for the inclusive business in the content of the larger company’s priorities and capabilities.

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