Marketplace
Marketplace History
The Marketplace concept originated in Holland, and has been adapted to and implemented in many parts of the world. It has been very successful in Europe and an adapted version of Marketplace was implemented by the World Bank in China in 2006.
The world wide recognition of Marketplace tells us that we, as a global
society, are getting serious about corporate social responsibility. Marketplace
allows us to do much more than ‘tick the box’ of corporate
social responsibility. It allows us to be active in our communities, to
make a genuine difference and to truly touch lives in need.
| Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Europe began CSR Marketplace
in Brussels in 2005. This version of marketplace
involves business representatives exchanging ideas and learning about
corporate social responsibility.
“With the European Roadmap for Businesses, the time is ripe
for business leaders to make a commitment to deliver a more sustainable
and competitive enterprise. Thereby, our ambition is clear: Europe’s
business leaders and policy makers must work together to achieve
a responsible, innovative and inclusive Europe”. (Source:www.csreurope.org) |
| The first China Development Marketplace, initiated
by the World Bank in partnership with a number of government, multilateral
and bilateral, and private sector organizations, was held in 2005-06,
with an aim to promote civil society development in China. In the
course of 10 months, the China DM received 975 proposals from NGOs
all over country and mobilized over US$650,000. 30 winners were selected
and received grants up to $30,000. The winners proposed reducing poverty
through a range of different approaches. Some winning ideas include
supplying environmentally sustainable biogas to single mothers in
Hubei province; creating support networks for waste collectors in
Shenzhen province; and training Muslim children of poor herdsmen in
Xinjiang with vocational skills using a creative combination of microcredit
and apprenticeships.
(Source: www.developmentmarketplace.org.cn). |
| In Albania, the 1st marketplace was held in 2006
and was attributed to USAID’s rule of law project which centred
on fighting corruption throughout the country. According to Gerald
Meyerman, Chief of Party for USAID’s Rule of Law project, the
right strategies to fight corruption and to foster transparent and
accountable governance need to be tailored to local realities and
culture. The best way to achieve this is by inviting community groups
and NGOs to propose innovative ideas that deliver results at the local
or national level. The project’s first call for proposals resulted
in submissions from 144 NGOs across Albania, of which 54 were selected
to compete as finalists and exhibit proposals at the event. Twenty-five
finalists were organizations from outside the capital city, Tirana.
Winners were selected by public voting (20%), technical evaluations
(40%) and a panel of judges (40%). Each finalist received a certificate
of participation; the 31 winners were given plaques and a commitment
from USAID’s Rule of Law program to help develop and ultimately,
fund, their proposals in accordance with USAID regulations and grant
award procedures. (Source: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/press/success/2007-01-02.html) |