Participants in the BCtA include both multinational and national companies committed to contributing to development solutions through their core business activities.
BCtA company initiatives are:
1. Able to generate economic and development benefits, such as:
- significant new employment opportunities in developing countries,
- local supply chain and enterprise development,
- innovations and/or technologies that support enterprise development or environmental management,
- access to goods or services in previously underserved markets.
2. Clearly linked to the company’s core business
The initiative should be part of the core competencies of the company and sustainable within the business. It should not purely be a philanthropic or social investment activity. It should also not be a one-off activity, but should be scalable and replicable within a given market or across new markets.
3. Incorporate a fresh approach to business for the company
The initiative should enable the company to access and serve markets in ways not previously achieved. It can represent a pilot, an expansion or an acceleration of transformative business activities and operations. It should not be a long-standing, mainstream business activity of the company that is re-submitted to the BCtA without any added value. Initiatives that continue an established way of working without generating increased benefits to developing countries would not qualify under BCtA.
4. Able to generate measurable results
The initiative should have SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound) objectives. Companies will be requested to provide regular reports on the progress of their initiatives, including appropriate quantitative and qualitative data.
