Oxfam Poverty Footprint

"Oxfam is well aware of the extraordinary potential of business to positively influence the lives of poor people ... This paper offers insights into how business can work with governments and organisations such as Oxfam to combat poverty. It is the result of our extensive experience of working with businesses—small and large—all over the developing world."

Jeremy Hobbs, Director, Oxfam International

Companies around the world are increasingly concerned about the impacts that their businesses have on societies in their home countries as well as abroad. For many companies operating in developing countries, impacts on society are related to the effects of their operations on development and poverty reduction, and in turn play an important role in determining the success of the business itself. Understanding the links between business and development can highlight real opportunities for enlightened businesses to make a positive difference.

This paper explains Oxfam's Poverty Footprint Methodology, which helps companies to comprehensively understand how their operations affect the people in their value chains and the communities and countries where they operate.