Leaving No One Behind: Israeli Business and Inclusive Growth

Leaving No One Behind

Israeli Business and Inclusive Growth

 

Leaving No One Behind draws the distinct Israeli way of business impact on inclusive growth, and gives a comprehensive overview of how businesses can boost inclusive growth. The book includes some 35 case studies of both established and emerging practices of businesses in Israel. The book, released in December 2019, was co-authored by Maala and Prof. David Grayson, a global expert on Responsible Business and Corporate Sustainability.

Leaving No One Behind - Israeli business & inclusive growth

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Full BookExecutive Summary | Interviews

 

So what is Inclusive Growth? 

Inclusive Growth is defined by the OECD as “economic growth that is distributed fairly across society and creates opportunities for all.” Simply put, it is growth that benefits everyone.

Alongside the systemic risks that climate change poses to the financial system and to society, is the parallel systemic risk from hyper global inequalities. These are two sides of the same coin: both demand transformative change in business and in society in the coming decade. If economic growth is only enjoyed by the few, it will not be sustained by the many. Equally, prosperity has to be achieved within the constraints of One Planet.

Inclusive Growth in Israel

While Israel is enjoying stable economic growth and has become a global hub for hi-tech, R&D and entrepreneurship, it also faces significant social challenges. These include high rates of inequality and the highest poverty rate amongst the advanced economies (19.3%). While unemployment rates are low, there is a high share of low-paid jobs in the labor market and Israel . In addition, minorities (namely Arab Israelis, Ultra-Orthodox Jews and people with disabilities) are under-represented in the labor force, and as they grow as a percentage of the total population, there will be declining productivity and rising poverty, unless their workforce participation rates can be improved.

These two, somewhat contradicting, cases of a prosperous, startup & hi-tech economy, alongside a struggling, left-behind economy are increasingly referred to as “Israel’s two economies”.

Business impact on Inclusive Growth

While there is no doubt that strengthening and enhancing inclusive growth requires governmental action and policy, businesses can also have a major impact in four main pillars of business operation:

(1) work-place

(2) market-place

(3) supply-chains

(4) active corporate citizenship in the community.

 

Leading Israeli businesses are already responding to challenges of inclusive growth in new and innovative ways: empowering entry-level employees; strengthening suppliers’ resilience and increasing their CSR performance; innovative products & services to help vulnerable customers become more included in a rapidly changing marketplace; and expanding community and broad stakeholder engagement.

We welcome you to watch short interviews with a number of companies who’s case studies are included in the book. The interviews were conducted by Prof. David Grayson at the Maala conference in December 2019 in Tel Aviv.

Leaving No One Behind Interviews

Maala will continue to develop the inclusive growth agenda, standards and practices to engage more businesses, both in Israel and internationally. Stay tuned for more on business impact on inclusive growth.

Download the book to learn more