Introduction to the Tool
About B4MD and KPMG
Business for Millennium Development (B4MD) is a non-profit organisation established in mid- 2006 by a group of corporate donors and World Vision Australia. The mission of B4MD is to provide a leadership forum that will drive economic development in the emerging markets of the Asia Pacific in a way that contributes to poverty alleviation consistent with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The organisation aims to support Australian businesses to operate, innovate and grow in true partnership with the communities in which they operate. The vision for B4MD is that corporate Australia would realise the business opportunities provided by aligning core business with the MDG, which seeks to eliminate global poverty.
KPMG Australia is involved with B4MD to provide our honorary professional services in building a MDG assessment tool for companies to measure their MDG participation and contribution. The diagnostic will integrate in version 2 (early 2009) with an on-line software tool IBM are making as their honorary contribution.
Purpose
The purpose of this self-assessment tool is to measure the efforts of Australian businesses through core business operations to achieve the MDGs. Core business operations is defined as the primary function the business performs in its normal course of operations. The focus on contributions on core business operations and not other philanthropic contributions is consistent with B4MD's vision.
Companies can also benchmark themselves on their relative contribution to the MDGs. In addition the tool helps companies to manage and collect the data about their MDG contributions.
The MDG Framework has an outward looking perspective and takes into account the intentions, initiatives and actual impacts of the activities undertaken by the MNCs. Due to the nature of the millennium development goals the methodology is only useful for companies operating in developing countries. Therefore, the assessment of contributions from companies should focus on local micro entreprises and low income individuals (those earning less than US$1 per day) from developing countries.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
In September 2000, 147 heads of State and Government, and 189 nations, committed themselves to the United Nations’ Millennium Declaration to make the right to development a reality for everyone and to free the entire human race from want. They acknowledged that progress is based on sustainable economic growth, which must focus on the poor and human rights. The objective of the declaration is to promote ‘a comprehensive approach and a coordinated strategy, tackling many problems simultaneously across a broad front’. All 189 UN member states have pledged to meet these goals by the year 2015.
The specific MDGs are:
- MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- MDG 2: Achieve universal primary education
- MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
- MDG 4: Reduce child mortality
- MDG 5: Improve maternal health
- MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
- MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The MDGs are divided by the UN into 18 targets that include 48 indicators to measure progress.
For the purpose of this assessment, a "developing nation' are those that have a medium or low Human Development Index.
The Methodology
Please refer to framework document
Guide to completing the Self Assessment Tool
Please refer to framework document
Disclaimer
This tool is solely for the purpose for Businesss for Millennium Development's information and is not to be used for any other purpose or distributed to any other party without KPMG's prior written consent.
