Aid Review Highlights Importance of Volunteers and Business

Monday, 11 July, 2011

The Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness has shown the importance of volunteers in the development sector.  The report states: 'Australia should integrate business engagement activities into existing AusAID programs, with a focus on leveraging business engagement as a form of aid. For example, the volunteer program involves deploying professional business volunteers overseas. Such approaches could be significantly expanded as a targeted approach to engaging with business, leveraging the intellectual and administrative capacity of business in development activities' (page 228).

Section G (page 228) examines the whole area of aid and volunteers and sees this as the way forward as a cost effective way of working in developing countries and fragile states.

Recommendation 21 deals specifically with corporate social responsibility - 'The power of business should be harnessed and business innovation should be encouraged, including through an annual consultative forum'.

ABV is positioned to take advantage of these suggested initiatives.  Our name says it all - 'Australian Business Volunteers'.

The full report can be downloaded at:  http://www.aidreview.gov.au/report/index.html

---