Alleviating poverty boosts the bottom-line
A report commissioned by Australian leading enterprises argues a strong business case for the country’s companies to help alleviate poverty in their Asia-Pacific neighbours. By helping overcome poverty in the world’s fastest-growing economic region could improve the long-term bottom line of Australian companies, as well as addressing humanitarian issues; a win-win situation. If business could help bring stability to the region they would thereby create new markets for its products in the process.
The report concludes, “Global poverty represents a direct threat to the current and future prosperity of a range of Australian businesses through loss of potential markets, damage to foreign affiliates and a greater risk of regional instability. In addition, contributing to the development of poor countries by generating income, creating jobs and investing in local businesses and skills can present Australian firms with the opportunities of new markets.” Although, the European context was not examined in the report, findings can be translatable: Africa and parts of Eastern and Central European are potentially massive markets.
