Stimulating green growth through donor-business partnerships in developing countries

This scoping report discusses different models of partnership between donors and businesses to promote green growth, and presents a number of examples of different kinds of approaches that have been adopted.

The paper reviews a series of case studies drawn from developing countries around the world, showcasing different partnerships adopted between business and donors.

Download my report here.

Email me at alastair.t.marke@gmail.com  

Risk Waiver: Closing the protection gap and easing the flow of credit

Lending to UK consumers and businesses has stagnated over the last five years. The credit our businesses and households rely upon to prosper is simply not as available as it needs to be.

Recent polls illustrate that consumer confidence has been running at low levels since the recession and have remained stubbornly low since. This lack of confidence ultimately bears out in consumer spending levels, which are currently still 3.9 per cent down on pre-recession levels. Also, taken as an average, workers are in real terms earning no more than they were ten years ago. Given that consumer spending in total comprises 65 per cent of UK GDP, a relaxation of credit constrains would have a substantial impact on economic growth and household earnings.

Designers to be the ‘angels’ for the world’s poor

‘People, Profit, Planet’, or 3Ps, are the yardsticks by which modern designers draw on their sketchbooks if they design products, services or systems for the sake of sustainable development in which everybody in the (derelict) community shares the benefits of their innovation. In the interest of global well-being, this is arguably the course for the design industry in the new era because its potential to contribute to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals is immense. Be it, regrettably, yet to become a norm for the entire industry because leading voices on sustainable design are lacking, as Seymourpowell’s Chris Sherwin indicates in his recent article. Indeed are such voices really lacking or simply not penetrating enough?

‘Community Energy’ under a siege by London and Brussels

In a seminar on community energy held in Westminster last week, many agreed that the potential for ‘community energy’ in the UK is massive. Some speakers shared their experience in the rigorous battle with finance and planning regulations at the start-up stage of their community-owned energy schemes. Following on from such discussions, we could also ask to what extent ‘community energy’ can be financed in the existing framework set by the commission in Brussels, which has been leading our ‘greenest ever’ government in London by the nose. 

Financing ‘Community Energy’: Why do legal structures and a green bank matter?

Amid the threats of soaring energy prices and global climate change, it gives us every reason to go ahead with ‘Energy Localism’ – community sustainable energy projects – which can stimulate local green growth and motivate a ‘Big Society’. Unless you are lucky enough to have a hidden goldmine in your community, it is often the financiers, not any business angels, who can give an energy project the green light. A legal structure or company model often carries too many implications.

Recast company models to take ‘popular capitalism’ off the ground

Against the ‘predatory capitalism’ that anguishes lots of working people today, co-operatives are a viable business model that puts money back into the people’s pockets. Announced in the Queen’s Speech, the new Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, which aims to remove barriers to British companies and boost economic growth, would be the first step towards realising this. Alongside the introduction of the bill, I would expect a lot from the reviews of tax and regulatory treatment for employee-owned businesses that HM Treasury and BIS will conclude later this year.

In my last blog article, I mentioned ‘social franchising’ can make this happen much sooner. But before it does, we need something that can plug into the ‘normal’ system to gain co-ops a solid footing. The Government in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill could go further with a recast or hybrid company model for easing incorporation and seeking finance.

Driving Britain to ‘popular capitalism’ with social franchising co-operative model

Capitalism has for centuries been our economic doctrine as the ‘best’ system to reward individual efforts and distribute wealth. With now over 90 percent of Britain’s productive assets owned by two square miles in the City and exercerbating income inequality, it is the time to fix the system if we want a fair society for all. This is also the ‘responsible capitalism’ which the Occupy LSX campaigners ask for. Seemingly far away, the panacea for today’s predicament is, in fact, close at hand – the ‘co-operative’ model, or Rochdale Rules dating back to 1840s.

Sustainability & Innovation

In this inaugural edition of the Seymourpowell TV series, Seymourpowell's Head of Sustainability, Chris Sherwin, answers the question: "How will sustainability change our approaches to design and innovation in the future?"

I would welcome everybody who has watched this video to contribute to the online discussions in the Seymourpowell Design and Innovation Network by clicking here.

Email me at winstonkm.mark@googlemail.com