Bangalore, India – On August 5th, business leaders, policy experts, and stakeholders will gather at The Good Business Forum: Redesigning the Bottom Line to explore how social impact agendas can drive positive business outcomes. Hosted by Good Business Lab, this event will take place at the Bangalore International Centre. Good Business Lab is a global NGO that uses rigorous research and human-centered design to identify and proliferate worker-wellbeing programs across the Global South.
From its work with firms across India, Latin America, and the US, the GBL team has observed a common concern that keeps business leaders up at night: How can businesses stay competitive in an increasingly challenging global economy laden with volatile labor markets, shifting demand, and rapidly changing regulations? Faced with this competitive pressure, firms often prioritize traditional strategies, viewing investments in ESG as an obligatory must-do, rather than an ROI-positive strategy.
Recent data, however, tells a different story. ESG leaders achieved an average annual stock return of 12.9%, outpacing non-ESG oriented leaders by 4%. GBL’s research, supported by large foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, confirms that investments in worker wellbeing drive competitiveness in the global marketplace. This growing body of evidence underscores that social responsibility is not just a compliance concern, but a catalyst for improved business performance.
A tentpole issue for GBL, which the Good Business Forum will zoom in on, is gender equity in the supply chains. Redesigning the Bottom Line will provide insights on how focusing on gender equity can significantly impact worker wellbeing, productivity, wages, and the firm’s bottom line. Panels will discuss practical pathways to supporting women workers, from managerial readiness programs to financial inclusion to grievance redressal mechanisms. We will also explore how human-centered design can enhance gender-specific interventions.
Making meaningful progress on social impact agendas without losing sight of business results requires robust data strategies, effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and strong feedback loops from workers. The Forum will build understanding on actionable steps that the private, public, and development sectors can implement to achieve improved livelihoods for workers and enhanced bottom lines for firms.
For more information, visit the official event page.