Inclusive business (IB) plays a vital role in fostering sustainable economic growth and social development within the ASEAN region, integrating people at the base of the economic pyramid (BoP) into the value chain. Since 2017, ASEAN has been at the forefront in promoting the agenda of inclusive business, calling on Member States to build an enabling environment to encourage inclusive business practices in the region, which includes the establishment of accreditation systems to recognise inclusive businesses. 

In 2023, the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) endorsed the Plan of Action for the Promotion of Inclusive Business in ASEAN (2023-2027), and the Ministers responsible for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) adopted the Joint Ministerial Statement titled  “Declaration on Promoting Inclusive Business Models: Empowering Micro, Small and Medium  Enterprises for Equitable Growth”. These two documents highlighted the need to support the establishment of national IB accreditation systems in ASEAN that recognise businesses with IB models, and to promote, to the extent possible, a standardised ASEAN approach to IB accreditation. The documents also encouraged that such accreditations be linked to possible government support. By establishing a system for accreditation of inclusive businesses, governments can acknowledge their contribution to poverty alleviation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reward the businesses for their contribution, thereby creating incentives for them and others to establish and expand inclusive businesses.

 Download the IB Readiness Assessment Tool here.