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The Shell Foundation Enterprise Solutions to Poverty Report

17 May, 2005

'Required reading in Downing Street' was how The Times described Enterprise Solutions to Poverty, a new report published by the Shell Foundation. Using a series of case studies in Africa and India, the Shell Foundation explains how multinationals operating in developing countries can apply non-financial assets - such as their convening power, networks and inherent business savvy - to the problems of poverty and in doing so move beyond traditional forms of CSR and social investment. As such, Enterprise Solutions to Poverty argues that business thinking and the core competencies of multinationals are untapped resources in the fight against poverty. There is a particular emphasis on the importance of market-oriented approaches to poverty and the nurturing of pro-poor small enterprise. In conclusion, the report calls for partnerships between public and private bodies to be recast along business lines.

The online version of the report is available at:
http://www.shellfoundation.org