RESPONSIBLE COMPANIES

At UrbanEmerge, we understand the objectives of businesses who wish to increase their positive impact and we provide the approaches and tools to make it a reality. Private sector companies have an important role to play in their investment decisions and business operations now, to help reduce environmental degradation, improve human development and reduce the catastrophic impacts of climate change over the coming decades and beyond. Being a responsible business doesn’t have to come at an additional cost. It is possible to integrate sustainability into business with knowledge and planning. In addition, customers and clients are starting to normalise responsible business activities and sustainable impact is a way of standing out from competitors

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Relevant Projects:

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How can UrbanEmerge help you?

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A particular strength of UrbanEmerge is the integrated way of understanding sustainability and combining knowledge and expertise on sustainable urban systems and social development with private sector needs and ways of working, helping to identify possible pathways to improving sustainability and responsible operations.

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For example, Andreas Beavor, a co-founder of UrbanEmerge recently drafted a Handbook for the International Trade Centre to provide guidance to Chinese companies investing in manufacturing and agri-business in four African countries. He has also worked with the British Embassy in China to help them evaluate and learn from a £12million Prosperity Fund programme to improve the sustainability and private sector participation of infrastructure investments in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries.

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Guidance, strategy and awareness raising for sustainable and responsible business operations

UrbanEmerge can work with private sector clients to analyse and make recommendations on how to better integrate sustainability through their operations and decision-making processes.

 

Many private sector companies from SMEs to large corporations are aiming to achieve a triple bottom line, with positive social and environmental impacts complementing strong economic performance. This includes aspects such as understanding and advising on meeting voluntary standards that are prolific across many industries, that require companies to reduce environmental impact and maximise social development outcomes. We help organisations learn and continuously improve and amplify the positive narrative about their business activities through communications tailored to specific audiences.

 

Mainstreaming the SDGs through business operations

We can provide guidance to organisations on how to better align their business activities to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

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Although closely related to the service above, demonstrating how a business is aligning with the SDGs is something that is increasingly effective in communicating impact to clients and customers. Furthermore, the UN and World Bank are increasingly asking corporate partners for evidence of impact and for SDG-related measurements of purpose-driven activities.

 

Advisory services for designing, implementing and evaluating impact investing

We work with private sector clients that wish to achieve a triple bottom line, to design specific impact investing projects. We can also design and implement systems to monitor and communicate impact.

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Impact Investing is a powerful force for achieving sustainable outcomes. We provide research, analysis and recommendations for the design of impact investing projects in low- and middle-income countries. We draw on extensive programme design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning expertise in the international development sector.

 

Sustainability support to Chinese companies & SOEs in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries

With a partner based in Hangzhou, China, a strong network of Chinese experts and significant experience in many of the BRI countries in Africa and Asia, we are well placed to support Chinese entities find sustainable methods of investment, helping to secure international private sector financing.

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UrbanEmerge can work with clients to provide an integrated approach to sustainable investment in economic sectors or infrastructure, in BRI countries. We can identify and advise on the implementation of necessary technical or environmental and social safeguarding standards that are internationally recognised. We can also advise on international best practice and develop bespoke solutions for improving sustainable operations.