Poverty alleviation constitutes a multi-faceted problem. It is on the one hand extremely local and leads to enormous deprivation of at least half of the world’s population. But on the other hand, it is an extremely international problem as well through the operation of global markets – in particular of resources – and the functioning of value chains. It has increasingly become acknowledged that the role of corporations and the private sector is vital for sustainable solutions to poverty.

The Max Havelaar lecture stimulates the thinking on poverty issues in a balanced manner, without making use of the usual simplifications either in support or against the involvement of firms in development. The Max Havelaar Foundation is proof of this approach: it is aiming at a continuous improvement in its strategy towards labelling products – increasingly in a variety of partnerships with NGOs, corporations and governments.

Read more about the background, the aims and organization of the Max Havelaar Lecture

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