Sustainable Business

Primer on Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) in India

In many parts of the world, the word ESOP carries different connotations and serves distinct purposes. In the United States, ESOPs are typically integrated into the retirement benefits system, regulated under laws like ERISA, and are designed to build long-term wealth as part of an overall retirement strategy. By contrast, Indian ESOPs are structured much

Inclusive Business Models: Creating Economic Security for Low-Income Communities

In today’s rapidly evolving global economy, inclusive business models are emerging as a transformative force for addressing poverty, inequality, and systemic barriers to opportunity. Unlike traditional business strategies that prioritize profit above all, inclusive business models are designed to integrate low-income communities into the value chain as producers, employees, suppliers, and consumers. By doing so,

Creating an Informal Network of Employee Ownership Consultants to Help in Countries with Emerging Economies

As you know, we have long celebrated the power and potential of employee ownership to transform businesses and communities. From enhancing productivity to fostering a sense of belonging and mutual success, the benefits are immense. Today, we want to invite you to be a part of an exciting new initiative: starting an informal network dedicated

Beyond Philanthropy: How Businesses Can Create Lasting Economic Opportunities for Workers

In an era of increasing economic inequality and job insecurity, businesses play a pivotal role not just in creating profits but also in shaping the broader socio-economic landscape. While corporate philanthropy often garners attention for its efforts to alleviate poverty and support communities, businesses have a much greater opportunity to foster lasting change by directly

Bridging the Divide: Corporate Innovations in Fighting Poverty

In today’s world, the battle against poverty is not solely in the hands of governments and nonprofits. An emerging trend shows that corporations, often seen as profit-driven entities, are increasingly playing a vital role in bridging the gap between the wealthy and the impoverished. Through innovative business models and creative solutions, companies are contributing to

An interview with Apoorva Bapna, Chief Culture Officer at WPP India

Dr. John Hoffmire: It’s a delight to have the chance to reconnect with you, Apoorva. My lasting impression of you when you were a Chevening fellow at Oxford was that you were a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Your work at WPP India has garnered significant recognition, especially in the realms I’ve just mentioned.

An interview with Ravi Gadepalli, Consultant to The World Bank and Principal Consultant for Transit Intelligence LLP

Dr. John Hoffmire: Ravi, you’ve been actively involved in public transport and electric mobility reforms in India for over a decade now and you started working across South Asia in recent years. What inspired you to focus on this sector, particularly in a country as complex as India?

Ravi Gadepalli: Hello John.

The secret ingredient of business success

Too often, employees are unmotivated and unhappy, with no real incentive to invest much of anything into their place of work. Investment expert Pete Stavros thinks there’s a better way, and he’s on a mission to rethink corporate structures to expand who benefits from a thriving company. Sharing personal stories of his own journey along

An Academic Perspective on Blended Finance and Impact Investing

In this podcast episode, we delve into a deep conversation about the evolution of blended finance over the years. We explore early structures such as the world’s first social impact bond in Peterborough, among others, and discuss concessional finance’s role in uplifting individuals out of poverty through

Center on Business and Poverty Index

Click on the highlighted words right below this sentence to see how the index model works.

Copy of Center on Business and Poverty Index – Updated 03-02

The Center on Business and Poverty, in cooperation with students and a wonderful professor at Vanderbilt University, have invested a great deal of time and effort to create an

Chevening and Gurukul Programmes Alumni Reunion January 2024

Individuals from the Chevening Research, Science and Innovation Leadership Fellowship Programme (CRISP), in conjunction with the Gurukul Programme alums who studied at Oxford University held their first ever joint reunion, recently, in Kochi, India.  Including Chevening administrators and staff from Oxford, we had 28 who came from all over to attend.

Chevening is an organization established

2024-02-14T12:28:03-06:00

How To Make America More Affordable

For the last two years, the debate on the economy has centered around inflation.

After reaching a 40-year high last summer, inflation as measured by economists is now approaching normal levels. But despite the rapid slowdown, millions still feel squeezed by a decades-long affordability crisis.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans struggled to afford sky-high prices

Interview with Amita Dahiya, Project Lead (Entrepreneurship) Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusive Leadership, XLRI

John Hoffmire: I’m always interested to hear how someone’s career evolves and, in some ways, changes direction. I often refer to such a career path as “following the current” as in the current of a river. It seems like your career has been a bit like that, would you agree?

Amita: Yes, I think I would agree that

Inequality and Poverty

While the steep rise of inequality in the United States is well-known, long-run data on the incomes of the richest shows countries have followed a variety of trajectories. Here are four articles, written by Joe Hasell for Our World in Data, that explore a wide range of indicators on inequality and poverty

Businesses Addressing Poverty in India

India is a country with a rich cultural heritage and a fast-growing population and economy. However, it still faces a enormous challenge of poverty. According to the World Bank, in 2018, about 44.8% of India’s population lived below the international poverty line of $1.90 per day.  Those are the most up-to-fate figures since India

Creating Sustainable Jobs: A Key to Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Breaking the cycle of poverty requires addressing the root causes of poverty and providing individuals and communities with the resources they need to build better lives. One of the most effective ways to do this is by creating sustainable jobs that provide stable employment opportunities and access to the resources needed to build assets and

Half of American households have no retirement savings

In 2019, about half of American households had no savings in retirement accounts, according to the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). These accounts include individual retirement accounts; Keogh accounts; certain employer-sponsored accounts, such as 401(k), 403(b), thrift savings accounts; and pensions.

Personal saving has grown more important as

What is Participatory Capitalism?

The Macmillan Dictionary defines participatory as allowing or encouraging everyone to take part in something. The Collins English Dictionary says that capitalism is an economic and political system in which property, business, and industry are owned by private individuals. So, one can properly assume that participatory capitalism is encouraging everyone to take part in an

2022-07-04T13:11:27-05:00

CSV


We are at the initial stages of starting CSV. Please, if you know of temporary firms in the US and Europe that place international graduates with employers, please contact John Hoffmire at hoffmire@wisc.edu. We are especially trying to place graduates with programming and other computer technology skills.

Visit the CSV website

2021-12-08T11:31:40-06:00
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