The Incubator pillar of B4IG is geared towards accelerating, piloting, and scaling-up new inclusive business models such as addressing diversity and inclusion challenges, access to essential goods and services, inclusive sourcing, and inclusive value chains and ecosystems.
Since its launch in May 2020, the Incubator has had the opportunity to work closely with 22 project teams from diverse industries and geographies on their journey towards advancing their inclusive business initiatives.
For this third year, we are pleased to welcome 11 projects and their inspiring teams from all around the world. These projects address a variety of topics, including ethnic diversity, youth employment, parenthood support, and the circular economy. Teams attend collective training modules covering the core success factors of inclusive businesses, have 4 days of individualized tutoring, and have access to networking opportunities with B4IG members and beyond!
We welcome the following companies into the 2022 Cohort:
- BASF – Their project aims to shift the BASF leadership culture to make it more inclusive.
- Caisse des Dépots (in partnership with Valo) – The Valo group is developing a circular and inclusive economy project as part of a cross-border ecocity built on former French and Luxembourg industrial wastelands.
- Danone – Supporting parents’ balance between their professional life and parenthood by bringing large corporations onboard the” Family Friendly Company” project.
- Panera Bread – Their Dream project creates a path to franchise ownership for BIPOC employees through access to training, experiences, and credit.
- Henkel (in partnership with Redi School) – Their program focuses on supporting the digital career of refugees and migrants in Germany to increase their employability and bring diversity to IT.
- Unilever – Unilever is working to increase the employability of young sales professionals in developing markets. Through a global platform, unemployed youth will be trained to get entry-level jobs within Unilever as Frontline Salesforce and Brand Promoters.
- AXA Italy – The AXA team is working on providing access to healthcare insurance for underprivileged single mothers through a ‘suspended’ micro-donation system.
- BNP Paribas – BNP is launching an institute to professionalize micro-credit institutions on green micro-credit management.
- Danone Spain – Their innovative, integrated solutions program aims at supporting mothers through access to breastfeeding resources. Such resources include access to a products and services portfolio based on science and consumers’ needs.
- L’Oréal – The L’Oréal team is framing a 360-sourcing strategy that will lead to a more inclusive IT & Tech industry.
- Vinci – Vinci’s inclusive recycling project aims at empowering waste pickers in Vinci Concessions’ territories by facilitating the development of local partnerships with waste pickers’ organizations.
In addition to the Incubation Program, the Incubator and its partners designed a Collective Training Program that is open to all B4IG members. This program was co-designed with experts and academics to raise awareness, strengthen, and reinforce inclusive business capabilities within B4IG member organizations to equip any project leader with the fundamentals of inclusive business management.
Upcoming Training Sessions:
- May 19th, 3-4 pm CET: Design your impact measurement processes – operated by ESSEC Business School
- June 7th, 3-4 pm CET: Enhance robust partnerships – operated by InclusEO Consulting and Root up
- June 21st, 3-4 pm CET: Engage stakeholders & communicate efficiently – operated by TruePoint
- July 5th, 3-4 pm CET: Connect to consumers & clients – operated by Hystra Consulting and Ogilvy Marketing Agency
Please email incubator@b4ig.org to register for these sessions!
