One Year In: Meeting the Global Impact Sourcing Challenge
The Global Impact Sourcing Coalition (GISC), a BSR Collaborative Initiative, enables companies to foster inclusive growth and alleviate poverty through their global supply chains. See how the initiative has had an impact on workers' lives for the better.
One year ago, the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition launched our Impact Sourcing Challenge, with the goal of creating jobs for those most in need through the power of procurement and global supply chains. Businesses within the network are stepping up to the challenge: So far, 17 GISC member companies have pledged to hire more than 25,000 new impact workers by the end of 2020. This is a quarter of the way towards the target of 100,000 impact workers by 2020, and GISC members are encouraging more companies to make a pledge.
We are excited to share some of the stories of the impact workers who have been employed by GISC members since the launch of our Challenge in order to offer insight into how a company’s procurement decisions can truly contribute to poverty alleviation and inclusive growth around the world.
GISC is a network of leading organizations that aims to escalate the business practice of Impact Sourcing as a way to increase employment and career development opportunities for disadvantaged workers. The Impact Sourcing Challenge is the largest official commitment made to date for Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals and inclusive job creation.
“The Global Impact Sourcing Challenge is a great example of collaboration. Through intentionally choosing Impact Sourcing and increasing the number of impact worker jobs, companies are able to create social benefits on top of generating business value,” said Tim Hopper, responsible sourcing manager at Microsoft.
The Challenge has already made a difference to the lives of impact workers hired since its launch in March 2018:
Morgan, a core advisor at Webhelp in South Africa, took part in training with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. Prior to his job at Webhelp, Morgan was unemployed for six months, during which he was also dealing with the loss of his father.
“This job has made me a better individual, with more confidence and the skills to interact with new people. I've grown not only in abilities but also in will and determination due to how much Webhelp has believed in me. Better still, I know I have made my family proud,” Morgan says. Read Morgan’s full story here.
Khammai, an associate at Digital Divide Data (DDD) in Laos, was unable to complete her high school education because she needed to contribute to her family’s income. After undergoing months of training at DDD through the Lao Disabled Women's Development Center, she was successful in securing a job as an associate in May 2018.
“Before I had this job, my family was worried that I wouldn’t make a living growing vegetables, but now they are proud that I am able to step up and make a living for myself. Before coming to DDD, it was like I was starting from zero, but now it’s like I’m a nine or a ten. I now have ambitions to learn about business and open my own tailoring business in my home town.” Read Khammai’s full story here.
Mbolatiana, a "hiter" at isahit in Madagascar, had put her 10-year telecommunications career on hold to focus on having a family. After having two children, she started looking for work that would combine her need for professional fulfillment with the requirements of a stay-at-home mother. Mbolatiana’s job at isahit, a socially responsible platform for digital micro-tasks, allows her to work part-time via isahit’s online platform so she can work at home.
Mbolatiana said: “Since I became a hiter, I feel useful! I am able to use my analytical mind, attention to detail, and knowledge of the world of telephony. With my new skills, I have become unstoppable in the search for accurate information on the internet.” Read Mbolatiana’s full story here.
Gabisile, a customer service agent at Startek|Aegis in South Africa, needed to supplement her father’s pension following her mother’s death. At Startek|Aegis, she has received training and on-the-job learning to give her confidence in her position as a customer service agent.
“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. I have learned a lot in this role and have found the training to be very useful in helping me to manage the calls and pressures of a call centre environment. I have welcomed the challenge as I constantly strive to push myself.” Read Gabisile’s full story here.
These impact workers have been offered the opportunity for a good job, enabling their journey out of unemployment and poverty, due to the power of procurement and the intention of GISC’s network of inclusive employers. Through the Challenge, the GISC and its membership are creating more job opportunities and providing a sustainable career path to people who otherwise have limited prospects for formal employment.
To take part in the Global Impact Sourcing Challenge, visit gisc.bsr.org or contact us.
This article was originally published on: BSR
