Introduction
Gender-sensitive, climate-responsive livelihoods enable both women and men to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Sustainable growth and business models meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
There are several ways to link gender-sensitive, climate-responsive livelihoods with sustainable growth and business models. One option is to invest in businesses that are owned and operated by women and offer climate-friendly products and services. Another option is to support businesses that provide training and employment opportunities for women in climate-resilient sectors. Additionally, governments can create policies that support the development of gender-sensitive, climate-responsive livelihoods — for example, policies that promote gender equality in the workplace and support the development of low-carbon economies.
Such enterprises need to take an innovative and forward-looking approach. They can operate in a variety of sectors that influence human society in some way.
The following table illustrates how different innovations could help in developing a sustainable business that supports the four most important impact areas of gender-sensitive, climate-responsive and community growth-oriented businesses:
| Focus of business (examples) | Socio-economic environment | Socio-cultural environment | Socio-natural environment | Socio-cognitive environment | |
| Product innovation | Handcrafted products from non-timber forest produce or from natural fibres | Improves economic opportunities for marginal and Indigenous communities | Continues the practice of traditional skills and knowledge that are specific to the community and encourages the adoption of best practices in emerging contexts | Protects forests and grasslands; promotes reforestation and planting | Informal learning and training via community resource people and identifying livelihood opportunities that are possible using local resources |
| Process innovation | Processing and harvesting locally grown food to be sold in local and distant markets | Encourages the development of home-based and small-group businesses
Creates a business ecosystem to take care of various aspects of business practices, such as packaging and marketing Creates employment opportunities |
Develops a culture of reduced wastage, develops by-products — for example, compost — and helps communities prepare for times of stress | Creates by-products that can be used to create environmentally friendly practices; encourages the use of natural energy sources such as solar power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions | Introducing new processes and adapting existing processes leads to horizontal learning in the community and capacity building for various aspects of business |
| Education and outreach innovation | Using infomediaries in order to create opportunities around accessing new information and training, and assisting in developing businesses | Creates access to new information, strategies for adapting to a changing world and training to support local producers | Creates a culture of learning and seeking possibilities for individual and community growth | Leads to sharing and developing good practices for creating a positive environmental impact | Developing social cognitive capital encourages growth and a positive attitude towards learning and adaptation |
| Development of new institutions and institutionalisation of processes | Developing a support system for working mothers and creating “safe spaces” for collaboration | Supports collaboration through provision of common infrastructure and spaces — for example, common facility centres where community members can practise crafts or dry and process vegetables — to self-help groups and joint liability groups for production and/ or growth of business | Develops a culture of collaboration and an ecosystem of small production units to give economies of scale | Can create protocols for waste management
Use common or shared facilities that are energy-efficient to reduce carbon footprint of a business |
Supports horizontal and peer learning, exchange of ideas and personal accountability, which leads to specific learning and the development of expertise |
When you are developing a business model you must use a matrix like the one above to help you understand the scope of the business and its impact on the community.
Activity
Before you progress through this unit, use the examples in the table above to help you make a list of possible interventions and businesses that would fulfil the criteria in the table. Outline their possible impacts in the four contexts mentioned in the table: socio-economic, socio-cultural, socio-natural and socio-cognitive.
Outcomes
On completion of this unit you will be able to:
- identify which parameters to consider in order to develop gender-sensitive, climate-responsive, sustainable livelihoods.
- identify the scope and design of such livelihoods.
You will do this by considering the following topics:
- Designing a gender-sensitive, climate-responsive” enterprise: Parameters to consider
- Essential components of a community enterprise model
Terminology
Joint liability group (JLG): A joint liability group (JLG) is a group of people who come together to save money and take out loans together. The group is usually made up of five to ten people who live in the same village or neighbourhood. Each member of the group guarantees the loans of the other members. If one member of the group cannot repay their loan, the other members are responsible for repaying it.
Self-help group (SHG): A self-help group (SHG) is a financial intermediary committee, usually made up of 12–25 local women between the ages of 18 and 50. They are very common across the world, and especially in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Fair trade: Fair trade is a trading system that aims to ensure that producers in developing countries receive a fair price for their goods and have decent working conditions. Fair trade products are certified by independent organisations that ensure that they meet certain standards — for example, paying producers a minimum price and providing them with safe working conditions.
Fair trade is important because it can help to improve the lives of farmers and workers in developing countries. When producers receive a fair price for their goods, they can earn a living income and support their families.
Business model: A business model is a framework for how an enterprise creates, delivers and captures value. It describes the company’s products or services, customer base, channels for reaching customers, cost structure and revenue model.
Inclusivity: Inclusivity is the practice of ensuring that everyone feels welcome and respected, regardless of their background or identity. It is about creating an environment where everyone can participate and contribute fully.
Horizontal learning: Horizontal learning is a collaborative approach to learning where individuals share their knowledge and expertise with each other. It is often informal and can happen in a variety of settings, such as at work or school, or in social groups.
Scale advantage: Scale advantage is the ability to produce more goods or services at a lower cost per unit. Small enterprises can come together and aggregate their efforts to grow. This way, the smaller enterprises can find out how to optimise their efforts and redistribute their responsibilities. It can also help them to negotiate their prices better and secure bulk supply contracts. (It is also referred to as economies of scale.)
Community of practice (CoP): A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common interest or goal and who come together to learn from each other and share their knowledge. CoPs can be formal or informal. They are found in all kinds of settings, including workplaces, schools and neighbourhoods.
