The private sector should be accepted as a positive driving force behind global poverty reduction - and the international development community needs to stop being so scared of the profit motive. So argues Peter Davis of the Overseas Development Institute this week.But why does suspicion and concern still surround the role of companies overseas?
Perhaps it’s the continued controversy around the heroes and horrors of supply chain ethics in sectors as broad as electronics and fashion. Some have felt the bite of getting it wrong or, Primark might argue, appearing to get it wrong.
Consumer-facing brands like Apple and Levi Strauss are now leading the charge towards reassuring their customers that there’s a warm glow and no murky shadow behind their products. Some are scared of the risks, others have seen the opportunities.
The flurry of activity so far this year to push up standards in supply chains is refreshing. Those companies that do it with real commitment will reassure the international development community. And those that communicate it right will be rewarded by consumers.
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