Institute for Development Impact - I4DI

👕 Fit check! Do you know what the carbon footprint of your outfit is today? On World Circular Textiles Day, we are reminded of the persistent challenges exacerbated by the textile and fashion industry, including low wages, poor working conditions, and a linear production model that generates excessive waste and environmental harm. These deep-rooted issues demand more than incremental changes—they require a bold shift toward circularity, or the reuse and recycling of resources in closed loops. Rethinking how textiles are produced, consumed, and reused offers the opportunity to reduce waste, promote fairer wages, ensure more stable employment, and build a more sustainable future. At I4DI, we partner with multinational corporations and industry leaders to improve their sourcing practices and integrate circularity into their value chains. By supporting our partners in transitioning to more responsible production models, we help build a textile industry that is resilient and regenerative, benefiting both people and the planet. Partnerships, like I4DI’s collaboration with USAID and Gap on the Women + Water Global Development Alliance, demonstrate the power of collaboration in improving the well-being of women and communities affected by the textile and garment industry. 🧵 Join us in challenging this unsustainable model! Comment below and let us know your favorite sustainable fashion practices. #WCTD2024! #Circularity #CircularEconomy #InternationalSustainability #Sustainability Sources: Ellen MacArthur Foundation | Reuters | The Business of Fashion | The National Institutes of Health

One of the highlights of my Northwestern University Masters Program is the opportunity to take immersive courses. This past June, I had the privilege of taking a course on Circular Economy and Sustainability in the San Francisco. I gained a deeper understanding of the role sustainability plays not only for our world but also for companies that hope to be successful. Thanks to our incredible professor Preeti Shroff-Mehta we were able to learn from experts within the San Francisco government, The World Bank, Uber, Flex, Amazon, La Cocina - Nonprofit Kitchen Incubator , The Nature Conservancy, and Institute for Development Impact - I4DI This course provided an opportunity to explore the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility and the responsibility we have both as an organization and as an individual. I am incredibly grateful for our professor, our speakers, and my peers.

We are thrilled to announce that Institute for Development Impact - I4DI has joined forces with CDM Smith on the MCA-Indonesia II Program Management Support Contract, an important support component for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Indonesia Infrastructure and Finance Compact (MCA-Indonesia II) – a five-year grant between MCC and the Government of #Indonesia. Under this collaboration, I4DI will leverage its expertise in living incomes, data-driven decision-making, monitoring, and evaluation to support the implementation of programs aimed at enhancing access to finance, building capacity, and promoting gender inclusion among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Our role involves providing technical assistance, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and ensuring that the program's initiatives are both impactful and sustainable. By empowering women entrepreneurs, strengthening the managerial and operational capabilities of MSME owners and staff through targeted training and mentorship, and working with financial institutions to develop innovative financial products tailored to the unique needs of MSMEs, we are supporting more inclusive economic growth and helping MCA-Indonesia II contribute to poverty reduction across Indonesia. This partnership underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing the livelihoods of MSMEs in global majority countries, particularly those owned and managed by women. We look forward to working closely with CDM Smith, MCC, and local stakeholders to make a lasting impact on Indonesia's economic landscape. #I4DI #MCAIndonesiaII #MSMEs #SustainableGrowth #EconomicDevelopment #SustainableFinance #MEL Photo Description: U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Indonesian Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati sign the Indonesia Infrastructure and Finance Compact. Photo credit: Millennium Challenge Corporation

Institute for Development Impact - I4DI has officially wrapped at #climateweek! 🌎 💚 It's been a busy but energizing week full of important knowledge sharing, reflection, connection, and goal-setting with partners who share I4DI's commitment to #sustainability. Three key takeaway from the week: -Voluntary corporate commitments to climate and sustainability targets are important, but they often lead to #greenwashing. Grounding progress in science and evidence is essential. -Innovative climate finance solutions can unlock pathways to resilience for those most vulnerable to climate risks, but scaling these solutions remains a barrier. Broad-based partnership and coordination must accelerate now to bridge the enormous #climatefinance gap. -While it's encouraging to see momentum behind the promise of regenerative agriculture, addressing the interconnectedness of biodiversity loss, emissions, and livelihoods requires an integrated and holistic approach that goes beyond individual supply chains and projects to address these challenges at the #landscape level. I4DI is proud to be at the forefront of the movement to design evidence-based and locally-led solutions that leverage #partnership to solve for sustainability and climate resilience. We're ready to get to work after this important gathering!

I had the pleasure of participating in the Business Fights Poverty Global Goals Summit today, where we explored how to tackle climate risks and expand insurance access for vulnerable populations. While insurance provides crucial financial protection, we’ve learned that simply offering it isn’t enough. #Agriculturalinsurance programs face significant challenges, including lack of trust, cumbersome administrative procedures, perceived lack of tangible benefits and difficulties in achieving economies of scale needed to make promising insurance models viable. Tailored solutions, education, and trust-building are essential to make these models work. During the session, I presented a promising solution implemented through the ACTIVE project—the closed-loop agricultural model. These systems connect agricultural processors or off-takers with farmers, incentivizing them to adopt better practices. Integrating insurance into these models not only promotes sustainable farming but also provides financial protection. Companies like Mars Indonesia have used this model to safeguard cocoa farmers against droughts through satellite-based insurance. #sustainability #agroforestry #climateresilience #justtransition Danang Ariawan

Farmers face increasing risks from #climatechange, and while climate insurance has the potential to provide much-needed support, it must address real needs to be effective. Many current models face challenges in accessibility, awareness, and delivering tangible benefits. Tomorrow, at the ‘Enabling a Just Transition Through Climate Insurance’ Workshop hosted by Business Fights Poverty, I4DI’s CEO and Co-Founder, Azra Kacapor Nurkic, will explore how climate insurance can be designed and scaled to truly meet the needs of vulnerable populations. Drawing on I4DI’s work with farmers and financial institutions, Azra will share insights on what it takes to create models that work for those who need them most. Learn more about I4DI’s work expanding farmer access to crop insurance and financial services in partnership with Mars Inc. and USAID here: https://lnkd.in/e_fgcnR2

We are thrilled to announce that the Institute for Development Impact (I4DI) has attained ISO 27001:2022 certification, the international standard for information security management systems. This significant milestone underscores our commitment to safeguarding data and providing robust, secure technology solutions to our partners worldwide. Over the past year, we have invested heavily in our infrastructure to protect against data breaches and cyber threats. With these investments, we are more empowered than ever to innovate confidently, knowing that we have robust processes and security measures in place. At I4DI, our mission is to deliver the best available data and evidence to decision-makers, enabling them to make informed choices for the sustainability of our society and planet. By ensuring the integrity and security of this data, we amplify its impact. Achieving ISO 27001:2022 certification enhances our ability to offer secure, reliable technology offerings that our clients can trust. This certification demonstrates our commitment to maintaining that trust through continuous improvement of our security practices. It assures our stakeholders that we prioritize the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data. Looking Ahead Attaining ISO 27001 certification is a part of our ongoing journey towards excellence. We will continue to uphold and exceed these standards, recognizing that robust information security is essential to our mission and the broader goal of sustainable global development. Over the next five years, the Institute’s strategic plan calls for it to invest heavily in offering enhanced strategic advisory services, expanding its innovative technology solutions, and forging robust partnerships with international agencies, governments, and the private sector to promote systemic change and global prosperity. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated team and supportive partners who made this achievement possible. Together, we are building a more secure, data-driven future for our society and planet. #technology #ISOcertification #iso27001 #innovation For more information about our services and commitment to data security, please visit i4di.org.

I4DI is thrilled to be part of Climate Group's Climate Week NYC 2024! Our Director of Sustainability & Climate, Lauren Ropp, will be engaging with thought leaders and innovators to share I4DI's experiences and gather new insights. We are eager to discuss our latest work in sustainable landscapes, agricultural value chains, carbon markets, and climate tech at this important gathering of change agents. If you're attending this year, we'd love to connect with you. #ClimateWeekNYC #I4DI #Sustainability 🌏 💚

72% of Americans say that chocolate and candy are key to their emotional well-being. And while chocolate can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, it’s also vital to the environmental and economic health of communities worldwide—especially for the 6 million smallholder cocoa farmers who rely on cocoa for their livelihoods. On this International Chocolate Day, we want to acknowledge these farmers’ indispensable role in sustaining the global cocoa industry. Smallholder farmers, particularly in West Africa and Southeast Asia, face significant challenges including low incomes, lack of access to resources like finance and training, and increasing climate pressures. For example, in #Ghana, many cocoa farming households earn less than $2.15 per family member per day —far below the amount needed for a decent living. Similarly, in #Indonesia, erratic rainfall and rising temperatures threaten both yields and incomes. To tackle these challenges, sustainable farming and income diversification efforts are critical. Through projects like Cocoa Yiedie in Ghana and Advancing Cocoa Agroforestry towards Income, Value, and Environmental Sustainability (ACTIVE) in Indonesia, Institute for Development Impact - I4DI is supporting farmers with improved agricultural techniques, access to financial resources, and sustainable land management practices. These initiatives are helping farmers not just survive, but thrive. As global demand for chocolate grows, supporting programs like these—focused on sustainable farming practices, agroforestry, and gender equality—is essential to ensuring a viable future for cocoa farmers. On this day, we extend our gratitude to our partners, including Mars, USAID, and Livelihoods Venture, for their ongoing support in making cocoa farming more sustainable. #InternationalChocolateDay #CocoaFarmers #LivingIncome #ClimateAction #I4DI (Sources: World Cocoa Foundation, Cocoa Initiative, National Confectioners Association)

Yesterday, I4DI's Data Scientist, Palak Agarwal, and Senior Education Fellow, Linda Hiebert, had the pleasure of attending the launch of the Choosing Our Future: Education for Climate Change report by the The World Bank. The session and panel discussions were incredibly insightful, and attendees walked away with three key takeaways from the report: 1️⃣ Education can be a bridge for pro-climate behavior change at scale.  2️⃣ Education can help generate the skills needed for the green transition. 3️⃣ While education can propel climate change efforts, it must also adapt to it. ➡️ You can view the full report here, https://lnkd.in/eAmtqxth We also invite you to visit our Climate Change and Education Dashboard, a tool for visualizing critical data on the intersection of education and climate: https://lnkd.in/ebFGUEwV. We are excited to continue these conversations and explore opportunities for collaboration. If you're working at the intersection of education and climate action, we'd love to connect! 🌱 #ClimateEducation #GreenTransition #Sustainability #I4DI #ClimateAction