This report, drawing on insights from two workshops, expert consultations, and research by a team at the Center for Global Development (CGD), underlines that global companies in refugee-hosting countries have a strategic interest in contributing to efforts that mitigate the potentially destabilizing consequences of a refugee influx. This shift to engaging through core business activities— and the energy among global businesses to help respond to historic levels of displacement—creates new possibilities for partnerships to address refugee crises.

The authors recommend that global businesses and their partners—including host governments, donors, civil society, academics and researchers, multilateral organizations, and domestic and regional businesses—collaborate to develop specific resources and mechanisms (standards for ethical conduct, business opportunities identification tools, country-level facilitation platforms, learning and evaluation tools, etc.). The framework for leveraging core business activities should help increase opportunities for refugee self-reliance and well-being. It proposes a greater focus on engagement that can generate sustainable social impact and demonstrate the business case for the economic inclusion of refugees.

Background information:

CGD is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to reducing global poverty and inequality. CGD is partnering with the Tent Foundation to identify sustainable ways for global businesses to help address refugee crises.