Business & UN

2010 World Business and Development Awards Launched

  • 19 May 2010

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) are pleased to open nominations for the 2010 World Business and Development Awards in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – eight internationally-agreed goals to alleviate poverty by 2015.

Created in 2000, the Awards recognize the key contributions the private sector has made to the MDGs, demonstrating how innovative business models, backed by strong partnerships, can enjoy commercial success and at the same time improve the lives of millions of people.

“Increasingly the private sector is a critical component for increasing aid effectiveness and achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” said Jean Rozwadowski, Secretary General of the ICC.  “The World Business and Development Awards are the first international business awards given on a biennial basis to recognize business for its role in alleviating poverty and fostering an enabling environment for enterprises of all sizes and sectors to grow, create jobs, and pursue technological innovation and cooperation.”

With the deadline for MDGs achievement set for 2015, the UN system has devoted 2010 to building a renewed momentum for working toward them.  In less than 150 days, leaders from business and government will convene in New York for the special MDGs summit, hosted by the UN Secretary-General.  The Summit aims to produce a global action agenda, specifying the roles and partnerships – including those of the private sector – required to achieve the Goals.

The deadline for nominations for the World Business and Development Awards is 1 July 2010. Companies, institutions and associations of all types and sizes are invited to participate by nominating a project that documents business activities leading to progress in one or more of the MDGs.

The winners will be announced and presented with an award on 21 September 2010 in New York on the sides of the MDGs summit during a ceremony presided over by high-level officials. Winners will be profiled in the publications and on the official websites of ICC, UNDP, Business Call to Action, and IBLF.

An international judging panel made up of ICC Secretary General Jean Rozwadowski and IBLF’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Graham Baxter as well as leaders of non-governmental organizations, business entities and international agencies will make the final selection.

Past winners of the World Business and Development Awards include both multinational and small-to-medium size enterprises. In 2008, 10 companies were recognized for their commitment to fight poverty and improve the lives of millions of poor people across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Winners included Safaricom for their M-PESA mobile banking platform that provides over eight million subscribers in Kenya with a access to banking services; SMART Communications for helping 40 million people gain access to communication and micro-enterprise opportunities through its mobile phone services in the Philippines; and Diageo for its efforts to build the local sorghum value chain in Nigeria and contribution to the development of approximately 27,000 jobs.