The adidas-Group works to tackle difficult issues in its supply chain and also invests in the communities in which it operates.  The company's products are traditionally for the high end consumer market. How can multinationals think ‘outside the shoebox’ and about what else they can be doing to tackle some of the regions serious challenges?  By leveraging their core strengths and coming up with viable business models that bring social benefits.

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As noted here Bangladesh’s Nobel Laureate and the adidas-Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to form the Grameen-Adidas company to make sure that no one, child or adult, goes without shoes. Yunnus helped revolutionalise microfinance and show that banking for the poor is possible. He continues to challenge multinational companies to help create jobs and businesses that address poverty.  Companies such as Groupe Danone and Veolia have launched social business ventures with Grameen to serve the poor with nutrition and safe drinking water. While early base of the pyramid business (bop) models by MNCs were criticised for seeing the poor only as consumers, joint venture business models to form social enterprises have helped to ensure that there are shared benefits – for the business and for people living in poverty. Of course there will always be critics (see this blog for example) but only by beginning to think out of our boxes can companies start to address long term development issues.

Yunnus is quoted here explaining that this is a “health intervention to make sure that people in the rural areas, particularly children, do not have to suffer from parasitic diseases that can be transmitted through walking barefoot”. The company was quoted here some months ago and saying that key decisions on design, branding and price still needed to be finalised.