UNDP and the private sector

UNDP recognizes that achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) depends on vibrant economic growth driven by markets and private enterprises that create jobs, provide goods and services for the poor and generate tax revenues to finance essential social and economic infrastructure. The private sector - from large multi-national companies to small enterprises and cooperatives servicing local markets - also has an essential role to play in achieving broader UNDP goals in areas such as energy and environmental service delivery, crisis prevention, gender equality and democratic governance.

In many of our programme countries the preconditions for private sector development and the emergence of inclusive markets - i.e. markets that extend choice and opportunity to the poor as producers, consumers, and wage earners - are not yet in place.

Inclusive Market Development on the Ground

To facilitate inclusive market development, UNDP focuses on connecting and integrating local producers with domestic and global markets. In this work we target specific markets and address market constraints at all levels by working with the private sector, government, civil society and UN specialized agencies. More information of Inclusive Market Development.

Research and Advocacy on Inclusive Markets and Business Models

The facilitation of inclusive markets at the country-level is supported by the global initiatives Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) and Business Call to Action (BCtA). GIM is a UNDP led global research and advocacy initiative, which seeks to understand, enable and inspire the development of more inclusive business models, whereas BCtA challenges companies to adopt such inclusive and competitive models.