Can approaches such as inclusive business set in motion processes of inclusive development? What would such processes look like? Explorations on the theme during the lecture will focus on the subjects of frugal innovation and living wage.
‘Inclusive business’, ‘frugal innovation’, ‘base of the pyramid’, ‘living wage’ – these and similar concepts have attracted attention from scientists, policy makers and practitioners from civil society organisations (CSOs) and private companies. While the terms themselves sound appealing enough, they are not always easy to define, and despite positive expectations it is unclear whether the implementation of these concepts can trigger processes of inclusive development in emerging economies.
The keynote presentation at the 2016 Max Havelaar lecture will be delivered by Pavan Sukhdev, the world-renowned environmental economist whose fields of study include the green economy and international finance, and Joseph Ogutu, Director of Strategy & Innovation at Safaricom, a leading mobile network provider, well-known for making financial services accessible to low-income households in Kenya.
The Max Havelaar lecture is a full-day event, with workshops, panels and pitches, as well as presentations. In the morning, participants can join workshops on topics such as frugal innovation, living wage and human rights, and living wage and certification. During lunch, young entrepreneurs will present their inclusive business ideas to attendees. Their ideas will be evaluated by the audience, and the most appealing pitch will receive starting capital from KPN – € 1,500 – as part of the KPN Sustainable Development Goals Challenge.
Other contributors are Irene Visser of NABC, Professor Rob van Tulder from RSM, and Professor Cees van Dam of RSM’s Partnerships Resource Centre, plus Wilbert Flinterman of Fairtraide International.
The 2016 Max Havelaar Lecture will take place on Wednesday 2 November 2016 at Erasmus University Rotterdam. For more information and registration, please see here.