INSIDE GRAMEEN
Visit the world’s most innovative, inspirational, Nobel Prize winning social enterprise.
For a week in 2009 and in 2010, we gathered an international group of social entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and innovators in Bangladesh. We spent time getting under the skin of Grameen, the world’s best-known social purpose company.
At Grameen’s HQ in Dhaka we dialogued with Grameen founder and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. We went to the villages to meet with the grassroots staff of the bank and its borrowers.
In Bogra, five hours north of the capital, we were guests of the Grameen Danone Foods Ltd. This joint venture is perhaps the world’s best-known collaboration between a large multinational and a social enterprise.
Accompanied by the Bangladeshi staff and the Danone Communities team from Paris, we went from factory floor to the doorsteps of the villagers who buy the high nutrition yoghurt. We saw – warts and all – how this pioneering social business is attempting to align the resources and power of the two brands to benefit the poor of Bangladesh.
Inside Grameen was only possible because of the amazing hospitality, openness and generosity of spirit of our friends at Grameen and Danone. We thank you so much.
Notes from Inside Grameen 2010 from Dave Webster, IDEO
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DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN INSIDE GRAMEEN 2010?
Download the presentations here:
Corinne Bazina, Grameen Danone Foods Ltd
Nadina Perera, Yunus Centre
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Some feedback from participants:
“In 5 days I experienced more than I normally do in a whole year. My thoughts again and again return to all the fantastic things we experienced, I also keep thinking about you all as fantastic travel companions.”
- Hans Erik Brønserud, CEO, Middelfart Sparekasse, Denmark
“I learned so much and was so impressed with the people we met in all
walks of life. The access we had to Professor Yunus and the Grameen and Danone organisations was exceptional.”
- Dr Rhiannon Rowsell, Director Corporate Responsibility & Reputation, Astra Zeneca, London
“You managed to bring together a group of people that fired each other with ideas and inspiration. The week exceeded by a mile my expectations in terms of learning, inspiration and enjoyment.”
- Nick Stace CEO, Choice, Australia
“Amazing. So well organised and inspirational. I have learned so much about bottom of the pyramid marketing and how to build a social mission around a brand.”
- Myriam Sidibe, Global Social Mission Manager, Unilever, India