Is it possible that one day you receive a call from your employer that the company is trying to take care of your financial issues and your family to help you have a more happy and productive life? While it might sound a little absurd it is not impossible as several companies are embarking on social projects which can help to eliminate global poverty. It is not about just offering healthcare benefits but being an active participant in family issues.
The Business Spotlight Program is the greatest proof that poverty can be reduced with the right approach such as the Poverty Stoplight Network. It is an effective way to address poverty elimination, which is a special program by Fundación Paraguaya that took 4 decades to develop. It was founded back in 1985 and almost 40 years have passed already. It was solely established to end political, social, and economic discrimination during the critical time of military dictatorship. Comprised of a poverty metric and coaching methodology, the Spotlight can help poor families sustain themselves and make them self-efficient actionable, and achievable indicators.
Six Dimensions of Poverty Tracking -
- Income & Employment
- Health & Environment
- Education & Culture
- Housing & Infrastructure
- Organization & Participation
- Interiority & Motivation
After assessing the families with color categories of “reds” (very poor) and “yellows” (poor), the program can help them turn into “greens” (non-poor) with effective success strategies. It is currently being used in over 60 countries by 850+ civil society organizations.
How Can Employers and Private Sectors Benefit from it?
Before launching the idea in the global market, Spotlight has been experimenting with its workers to eliminate poverty by activating the entrepreneurial spirit among everyone. The idea was implemented quite effectively and being a product of the private sector, Spotlight has done a great job in empowering its employees. More than 330 companies in over 24 countries are now utilizing Spotlight which includes Brazil, Portugal, South Africa, and the United States.
The Founder and CEO of Fundación Paraguaya, Dr. Martin Burt said, “We believe that business is an untapped sector that should be utilized and with its involvement can lead to a more cohesive global effort to eliminate multidimensional poverty.” With more confidence in the project, Dr. Burt said, Imagine the potential of poverty elimination when our tool and coaching methodology are added as a benefit by the 138.6 million businesses that employ 1.63 billion people worldwide, 51.3% of the world’s population.”
According to a recent study from Oxford University, workers and employees are 13% more productive when they are happy and their well-being is important for the company. With this latest program, employers can have a better understanding of their employees and how to support them in a way that benefits the company. Agencies can facilitate strategies to address multidimensional poverty. When the company addresses the issues of the employees, they feel valued and receive a higher sense of job satisfaction.
Other than the benefits of high productivity, the companies can also achieve more success at business and investor events by showcasing community-based programs or corporate-led philanthropy. It is the main ingredient of sustainability and corporate social responsibilities which help in company tax deductions. As a result, the companies can receive more ROI or return on investment by empowering their workforce.
Other than Fundación Paraguaya and the Business Spotlight, many other organizations are creating programs that can change the global economic landscape, such as B Lab. More organizations will be developing in the coming days.
