Podcasts about mastercard center

This week marked the first 100 days of the second Trump presidency. From the cutting of foreign aid programs to the laying off of government staff, we reflect on the second Trump administration's impact on the global development sector. On the topic of the U.S. government, the Department of Government Efficiency is also planning to shut down the Millennium Challenge Corporation. However, efforts are underway to try and save the agency, which has enjoyed bipartisan support and is seen as a key tool to countering China's geopolitical influence. We also look back at the key takeaways from the Global Inclusive Growth Summit hosted by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, where Devex was a media partner. To dig into these stories, and others, Devex Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar and Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

What are the real-world impacts of inclusive economic development, gender equity, and the transformative power of entrepreneurship? Social Impact Pioneers Nguyet Tran Thi Minh in Vietnam and Tanvi Jaluka in California. Nguyet is CARE Vietnam's Women's Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion Manager. She leads the Strive Women program—a collaborative initiative with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth that supports women-led micro and small enterprises in Vietnam. With years of private sector experience and a deep understanding of local financial systems, she shares insights into the barriers Vietnamese women entrepreneurs face, including access to finance, caregiving responsibilities, and limited digital literacy. Whilst Tanvi is CARE USA's Research Lead. Her work spans over a decade in global gender and development. Tanvi is passionate about the importance of impact evaluations, holistic measurement tools, and research that centres women's voices. Together, they highlight the need to move beyond traditional business metrics and understand indicators like confidence, control, and quality of life for women in emerging markets. Expect to hear insights financial health, business resilience, digital tools, caregiving responsibilities, and the real needs of women entrepreneurs. We'll hear why measuring confidence and control matters, how ecosystem collaboration can close inclusion gaps, and what businesses and donors can do to meaningfully support women's economic empowerment. Whether you work in social impact, financial services, or care about unlocking the potential of entrepreneurs this episode is packed with insight, real-world research, and action-driven solutions to support women entrepreneurs globally.

Payal Dalal, Executive Vice President of Global Programs at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Deval Sanghavi, Co-founder and Partner at Dasra, speak with Aleks Berditchevskaia, Principal Researcher, Nesta Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, about the Center's Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Inclusion Challenge, a global call for AI solutions to accelerate inclusion and economic empowerment. Dasra is a funding partner of the AI Challenge, and Dasra's other co-founder, Neera Nundy, participated as a judge for the Challenge. Done in partnership with data.org, the winners were announced in December 2024: https://newsroom.mastercard.com/news/press/2024/december/mastercard-center-for-inclusive-growth-and-data-org-announce-ai2ai-challenge-awardees/ In this Humanitarian AI Today podcast episode, guest hosted by Aleks Berditchevskaia, Payal and Deval speak in depth about the challenge, this year's five winners, and share their takeaways and learnings from the challenge and global submission process. Payal and Deval emphasize the importance of bringing partners together to organize and support these kinds of challenges and accelerators, which help source innovations and advance participatory approaches to technology development. They highlight the speed at which the technology sector is advancing and offer advice on keeping pace with, and adapting to, challenges and opportunities that are emerging. More about the Center's work and its upcoming Global Inclusive Growth Summit, taking place on April 24th in Washington D.C., can be found here: https://globalinclusivegrowthsummit.com/

Listen in to explore how microentrepreneurs can be the catalyst for economic growth, the systemic shifts needed to empower them, and the emerging trends shaping their future. Social Impact Pioneers - Werner Wallner, Managing Director of the Hilti Foundation; Amalia Johnsson, CEO of Hand in Hand International; and Payal Dalal, Executive Vice President of Global Programmes at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth join us to share their wisdom. With decades of experience in financial inclusion, entrepreneurship acceleration, and economic development, they bring invaluable insights into how small businesses can transform lives—and entire economies. Why Microbusinesses Matter Microbusinesses make up 90% of global enterprises and contribute to over 50% of global GDP. In Kenya alone, 50% of working-age adults are informal entrepreneurs living below the poverty line. Strategic investment in this sector could boost national GDP by as much as 60%. Hand in Hand's acceleration programmes—which offer advanced business training, credit access, and robust market linkages—have already increased participant incomes by 140%, often placing them among the country's top 15% of earners. But despite their enormous potential, micro-entrepreneurs remain the most underserved economic players, especially women. This episode delves into how we can change that. Delivering System-Level Change Transforming microenterprise growth isn't about isolated interventions—it requires systemic change. Our guests discuss how governments, financial institutions, and NGOs must coordinate efforts to unlock the full potential of micro-entrepreneurs. From broadening financial access to redefining women's role in entrepreneurship, this conversation underscores the urgency of moving beyond ‘entrepreneurs by necessity' and recognising them as economic powerhouses. Werner shares how financial inclusion initiatives have enabled thousands of women to build credit histories, access financing, and achieve long-term business growth. Meanwhile, Amalia highlights how tailored sectoral support for rural entrepreneurs is proving just as effective as urban interventions. Emerging Trends: AI, Cybersecurity, and Digitalisation The future of small business success hinges on emerging technologies. Payal discusses the game-changing potential of Generative AI, which is already enhancing financial coaching and unlocking new digital financing opportunities for small businesses. However, the shift to digitalisation also brings new threats—cybersecurity risks are escalating, and over 50% of small businesses that suffer a cyberattack fail financially. Our guests stress the need for proactive measures to protect entrepreneurs in the digital economy while ensuring technology remains an enabler, not a barrier. Whether you're a policymaker, an investor, an NGO leader, or simply passionate about economic empowerment, this episode is packed with actionable insights and bold strategies. Links: Mastercard, Center for Inclusive Growth: https://www.mastercardcenter.org Hand in Hand International: https://www.handinhandinternational.org Hilti Foundation: https://www.hiltifoundation.org Democratizing data analytics and AI to level the playing field for small businesses: https://www.mastercardcenter.org/insights/article/democratizing-data-analytics-and-ai-to-level-the-playing-field-for-small-businesses Hand in Hand: From informal entrepreneur to MSME owner: Making enterprise acceleration work for underserved women https://www.handinhandinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/From-informal-entrepreneur-to-MSME-owner-acceleration-learning-report.pdf

Shamina Singh is the Founder and President of the Center for Inclusive Growth — Mastercard's social impact hub. The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth was founded with the intention of redefining corporate engagement in the social sector, moving beyond traditional philanthropy to leverage the full spectrum of Mastercard's assets — technology, data, AI, expertise, and capital — in ways that drive meaningful economic inclusion. At the heart of this effort is a fundamental belief that networks power the modern economy, and access to these networks — whether financial, technological, or social — determines an individual's or a business's ability to succeed. Financial inclusion is a key pillar of the Center's work, recognizing that the divide between those who can access financial tools and those who cannot is not just an economic disparity but an opportunity gap with generational consequences. Just as income inequality has long been a focus of economic reform, the Center has identified a growing “information inequality” gap — the divide between those who have access to and control over data and AI, and those who do not. As the global economy becomes increasingly digital and data-driven, ensuring that historically marginalized communities and small businesses are not left behind is critical. One of the Center's flagship initiatives, Strive, focuses on small business owners, particularly those in the “missing middle.” These entrepreneurs often struggle with access to capital, digital infrastructure, and essential networks. The Center has identified three key barriers to small business success: access to capital, digital and cybersecurity resilience, and connections to information and expertise. By addressing these challenges, the Center aims to support what it calls “stability entrepreneurs” — small business owners who are not merely looking for rapid growth but for steady, reliable income that allows them to sustain and expand their businesses over time. This work is global in scope, spanning 30 markets, but the challenges vary across regions. While ambition and entrepreneurial spirit are universal, the structural barriers to success differ widely. For example, in some regions, women lack access to traditional forms of collateral, such as property, making it difficult for them to secure loans. The Center has worked with central banks in countries like India and Pakistan to help in the recognition of alternative forms of collateral, such as gold, as a means for women entrepreneurs to access capital. In a world of accelerating technological change, inclusive innovation is not just a moral imperative — it is an economic necessity. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.    

Danil Mikhailov, Executive Director of Data.org, on AI for Social Impact. Established five years ago by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Data.org is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the use of data and AI for social good.  The rapid evolution of AI and data science presents both an unprecedented opportunity and a growing challenge for the social impact sector. While AI-powered tools have the potential to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and increase efficiency, the gap between the private sector's adoption of AI and the ability of nonprofits to leverage these technologies remains significant. One of the most immediate impacts of AI on data work is its ability to automate many traditionally labor-intensive tasks, from data cleaning and visualisation to sophisticated data analysis. For social impact organisations, this represents a powerful efficiency boost, particularly for those with limited resources. Yet, while AI can enhance accessibility to data and streamline its use, it cannot replace human judgment, particularly in contexts involving vulnerable communities. The ethical deployment of AI remains paramount, and organisations must ensure that human oversight is preserved in critical decision-making processes. Beyond efficiency gains, AI is also reshaping how nonprofits and global grant-making organisations assess impact. Many NGOs possess vast repositories of historical data that remain largely untapped due to resource constraints. AI-driven document analysis and natural language processing are now unlocking these archives, enabling organisations to extract meaningful insights and make data-driven decisions.  The conversation also delves into the broader ethical considerations of AI, particularly the risks associated with overcorrection in training data. AI models are designed to reflect the information they are fed, and any attempt to engineer ethical biases — whether to correct for historical exclusions or to impose specific viewpoints — must be handled with caution. The balance between mitigating bias and preserving accuracy remains a complex challenge, as evidenced by recent controversies over AI-generated historical imagery that distorted reality in the name of diversity. The takeaway is that ethical AI cannot be an afterthought. It must be integrated into the design and development process from the outset, ensuring that social scientists, ethicists, and technologists collaborate in real-time rather than operating in silos. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.    

Dan Barker is the President and CEO of Halcyon, an incubator and investor in early-stage, impact-driven startups from around the globe. Dan joined Halcyon from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth where he was vice president focused on supporting cutting-edge research on financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. Prior to Mastercard, Dan was vice president for social impact at BlackRock. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Halcyon House site Dan's email Dan Barker on LinkedIn New Mexico Startup Alliance Run Albuquerque site Paul's Strategy Sessions Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode

Join host Amanda Hsieh as she welcomes  Shamina Singh, Founder and President of the Center for Inclusive Growth at Mastercard.  Together, they explore how Mastercard connects societal well-being with business success, focusing on financial inclusion, small business support, and  data science for social impact. Shamina also talks about Mastercard's commitment to sustainability and climate action, highlighting efforts to bridge data inequalities and foster economic resilience in a digital world. Tune in to learn how Mastercard is leveraging its resources to accelerate financial inclusion and advance sustainable development goals globally. Subscribe to the ESG Decoded Podcast on your favorite streaming platforms and social media to be notified of new episodes. Enjoy tuning in! Episode Resources: Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Website: https://www.mastercardcenter.org/ Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth LinkedIn: https://www.mastercardcenter.org/  Global Inclusive Growth Summit: https://globalinclusivegrowthsummit.com/summit/2024/agenda/morning-plenary/morning-welcome-to-global-inclusive-growth-summit/ Mastercard Strive Website: https://strivecommunity.org/ Climate Smart Innovation Hub: https://www.csih-cifar.org/ 

Payal Dalal, Executive Vice President of Global Programs at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (the Center), speaks with Aleks Berditchevskaia, Principal Researcher, Nesta Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, about the Center's data science work and commitment to advancing sustainable economic growth. Payal and Aleks look at real-life applications of data science and AI to address real-world challenges and drive social impact, discuss ways to ensure emergent technologies such as AI are inclusive and equitable, and examine how a participatory AI framework involving diverse voices and data in the development of AI tools can mitigate bias and maximize the positive potential of these tools to close existing inequities. They also discussed the Center's Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Inclusion Challenge, a global call for AI solutions to accelerate inclusion and economic empowerment. In partnership with data.org, the Challenge is accepting submissions through July 18, 2024. Link to the application: https://data.org/initiatives/challenges/artificial-intelligence-to-accelerate-inclusion-challenge/ Aleks Berditchevskaia is the Principal Researcher working at Nesta's Centre for Collective Intelligence Design which creates new ways for communities to use technology to harness their ideas and insights, act on the problems that matter and create the futures they want. Their work on humanitarian AI is focused on collective crisis intelligence technologies. These are tools that combine localized collective intelligence from affected communities and frontline responders, and AI. Since 2021, they have pioneered participatory AI methodologies that bring affected communities and frontline responders into the designing, testing and oversight of AI systems. Their research is funded by a grant from the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH). Keep an eye out for a forthcoming Humanitarian AI Today episode that will dive deeper into Aleks' work on participatory AI and the responsible deployment of humanitarian AI technologies.

Over the last couple of years we've had multiple guests questioning the economic and moral value of a college education. But Daniel R. Porterfield, the Aspen Institute CEO and former President of Franklin and Marshall College, strongly disagrees. In his new book, MINDSET MATTERS, Porterfield argues that in our age of rapid technological change, the college experience is particularly valuable, especially to young people from less privileged backgrounds. At a time when it's become fashionable to bash American universities, Porterfield's argument is a timely reminder of the personal and civic value of a college degree.Daniel R. Porterfield is President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. He has been recognized as a visionary strategist, transformational leader, devoted educator, and passionate advocate for justice and opportunity. At the Aspen Institute, Porterfield has worked to build upon the organization's legacy of societal influence and commitment to human dignity while positioning it for a future where it can make its most profound and lasting impacts. In recent years, the Institute has launched new initiatives focused on criminal justice reform, science and society, economic inclusion, grassroots and community leadership, and more. In the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, where the Institute was founded and where it maintains its Aspen Meadows campus, it has broadened its partnerships with the local community through the Hurst Community Initiative and deepened its connection with its aesthetic and cultural heritage through the creation of a $20 million educational facility and creativity corridor celebrating the works of Bauhaus master Herbert Bayer, one of the founders of the Aspen Institute. To respond to one of the most urgent challenges of our time, the Institute created the Aspen Partnership for an Inclusive Economy (APIE) in 2019 with a founding partner, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and a $26 million multi-year commitment from Mastercard. Through APIE, the Institute is bringing together its networks and programs with a diverse range of public, private, and nonprofit leaders to help reconstruct our global economy so that it drives greater security, opportunity, and resilience for all. Prior to leading the Aspen Institute, Porterfield served for seven years as the President of Franklin & Marshall College, a national liberal arts college founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1787. Under his leadership, Franklin & Marshall set records for applications, fundraising, and fellowships; developed cutting edge new centers for student wellness, career services, and faculty excellence; and constructed a new athletics stadium and visual arts center.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Last week we were the media partner at the Global Inclusive Growth Summit hosted by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The conference focused on how access to financial services are key to helping drive global development in low- and middle-income countries. During one of the events, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley stressed the importance of debt restructuring in order to help low- and middle-income countries overcome health and climate change challenges. We discuss the value of cash transfers for building resilience to crises by providing money to those in need quickly and efficiently, as well as how they can help increase financial inclusion globally. We also published a story on Grant Assistant, an AI tool supporting its users in the writing grant applications. From speeding up the process of navigating the paperwork to helping local and smaller organizations access USAID grants, we discuss the tool's potential impact on the global development sector. This week, the U.S. Congress passed a bill, which would unlock around $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid. We contemplate what this means for USAID and where the money could go. To dig into these stories, Devex Managing Editor Anna Gawel sits down with Yolande Wright, vice president of partnerships at GiveDirectly, and Devex Senior Reporter Michael Igoe for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

  Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Bloomberg News Global Economy Reporter Enda Curran and Bloomberg News International Economics & Policy Correspondent Michael McKee discuss the economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse. Shamina Singh, Founder and President of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, talks about fostering inclusive growth and financial inclusion. The Mastercard Global Inclusive Growth Summit takes place on April 18. Austin Allison, Co-Founder and CEO at Pacaso, explains modernizing real estate co-ownership to make second homes possible. And we Drive to the Close with Mace McCain, CIO at Frost Investment Advisors. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Bloomberg News Global Economy Reporter Enda Curran and Bloomberg News International Economics & Policy Correspondent Michael McKee discuss the economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse. Shamina Singh, Founder and President of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, talks about fostering inclusive growth and financial inclusion. The Mastercard Global Inclusive Growth Summit takes place on April 18. Austin Allison, Co-Founder and CEO at Pacaso, explains modernizing real estate co-ownership to make second homes possible. And we Drive to the Close with Mace McCain, CIO at Frost Investment Advisors. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Sandy pivoted from the path of medicine to lead the charge in philanthropy, he didn't just change careers—he reshaped her impact on the world. Our latest episode features this powerhouse of community development as he lays bare the intricacies of his journey, revealing the strategic twists and invaluable lessons learned along the way. From the personal resonance of working within the Latino community on health behavior changes to his ascension through the ranks at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Sandy's narrative is a testament to the power of intentional career moves and the profound understanding of one's work.Picture this: a transition from the healthcare trenches to the financial nerve center of banking, where community investment and advocacy become the new pulse points. Sandy illuminates her decade-long experience navigating shifts in the banking industry post-Great Recession and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act in fostering inclusive growth. He unpacks the complexities of corporate responsibility and community engagement, all the while juggling the personal pursuit of a master's degree to solidify his place in the tapestry of leadership as a person of color.But it's not just about climbing the professional ladder. Sandy's personal tribulations, such as the loss of his sister, intertwine with his career, reminding us of the importance of support and vulnerability in the workplace. As we wrap up the conversation, we delve into the art of negotiation, the pursuit of financial liberation, and the way our personal paths are inextricably linked to our professional journeys. Sandy's story serves as a beacon for anyone looking to blend their livelihood with their passion for making a difference, proving that with persistence, clarity, and a bit of heart, you can steer your career towards horizons that resonate deeply with who you are and aspire to be.Books/Resources: Bringing Down a DictatorCaste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonFlowers for Algernon by Daniel KeysSapiens: A Brief History of HumanKind by Yuval Noah HarariThank you for listening to #CareerCheatCode. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us across all platforms for updates and resources. Let's make an impact, one episode at a time! Host - Radhy Miranda LinkedIn Instagram Producer - Gary Batista LinkedIn Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Subscribe to our YouTube Clips ChannelFollow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Follow us on LinkedIn

Civil society plays an important role in skills development. In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie and Duygu Güner are joined by two stakeholders from the civil society sector: Deputy Secretary General and Head of Policy of the European Association for the Education of Adults, Raffaela Kihrer and Sertaç Yerlikaya, the country manager of 42 İstanbul, a coding school in Türkiye, Director of Türkiye Open Source Platform and Country Coordinator for the World Economic Forum's "Closing the Skills Gap Accelerator" programme. They discuss the need for cooperation and partnership among different stakeholders (industry, academia, government and civil society) in skills development, the role of civil society in building this partnership, and the importance of advocating for more involvement of civil society to help close the skills gap. This is part of a special Skills series of The Sound of Economics, where we discuss how we can utilise upskilling and reskilling initiatives to protect vulnerable groups of the workforce, how to build a resilient workforce and how to create a better functioning EU labour market. Relevant publications: Life skills and participation in adult learning, EAEA policy paper Partnerships and cooperations in adult education, EAEA background paper This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

The future of work has become a prominent topic for research and policy debate. However, the debate has focused entirely on paid work, even though people in industrialised countries spend on average comparable amounts of time on unpaid work. This ranges from simple daily chores like sweeping the floor and cooking, to more complicated and controversial issues like robots looking after kids or the elderly.   In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro sits down with Ekaterina Hertog and Fabian Stephany to investigate the road less travelled, Ekaterina's research on the potential and the willingness of people to automatise unpaid domestic work. Around this topic, they discuss the aspect of work/life balance, the gender aspect, the question of services oriented towards the domestic work market and more. This was produced within the project "Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe" with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

There is a huge skill mismatch and skills shortages in the EU labour market. In 2022, despite the all-time high employment rate (74.6%), we are still seeing the highest job vacancy rate of 2.9%, which more than doubled compared to 2012 (1.3%). In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro discusses the importance of skills-based hiring with Duygu Güner and Mona Mourshed. How can this practice help remove the barriers between workers and the job market and how can it further assist digital transformation in our economy? They also discuss how to motivate workers as well as employers to adopt this new system. This is part of a special Skills series of The Sound of Economics, where we discuss how we can utilise upskilling and reskilling initiatives to protect vulnerable groups of the workforce, how to build a resilient workforce and create a better functioning EU labour market.  Relevant publications: Launching a Tech Hiring Revolution, Report by Generation Gotti, G., T. Schraepen and D. Güner (2023) ‘Technology Adoption dashboard', Bruegel Datasets The Midcareer Opportunity: Meeting the Challenges of an Ageing Workforce, Report by Generation This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Through organizations like Chicago TREND and with the help of new and federally regulated fintech platforms, community members and people of color who were excluded from ownership now have an opportunity not only to own a piece of a shopping mall or other commercial space, but also to see a return on their investment.Reporting for this story was made possible with funding from the Mastercard Impact Fund in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

The forced mass-scale shift to work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed both employees' and employers' perspectives on work location, demonstrating that more jobs could be done remotely than we could have imagined before.   Since we emerged from the pandemic, there is an ongoing debate about a full-scale return to office, as well as hybrid and remote work.   Employee surveys across different countries consistently indicate that employees prefer to remain working remotely and do not want to return to the office full time. At the same time, many companies are trying to bring their employees back to the office. In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro speaks to Tatiana Andreeva about her latest work researching employers' experience of working fully remotely during the pandemic and their approaches to returning to the office following the pandemic.  Relevant publication: Mulcahy, D., and T. Andreeva (2023) ‘Employer perspectives on employee work location: collaboration, culture and control', Working Paper 05/2023, Bruegel This was produced within the project "Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe" with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Digitalisation, robotisation and automation are changing the nature of jobs at an unprecedented rate. Newly emerging technologies are not only reducing the jobs performed by humans but also transforming the way people work. EU economies are undergoing a significant transition leading to the displacement of workers across all industries and workers find themselves in need of reskilling and upskilling to switch to jobs which are high in demand.  The European Commission has named 2023 as its European Year of Skills with the stated goal to give fresh impetus to lifelong learning, empowering people and companies to contribute to the green and digital transitions, while supporting innovation and competitiveness. In the new Skills series of The Sound of Economics, we discuss how we can utilise upskilling and reskilling initiatives to protect vulnerable groups of the workforce, how to build a resilient workforce and a create better functioning EU labour market. In the first episode of the series, Giuseppe Porcaro sits down with Duygu Güner and El Iza Mohamedou to discuss the critical importance of reskilling and upskilling, examining the obstacles workers face in adapting to this new reality, all while exploring the pathways to achieving a resilient workforce. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

In this episode of Work in Progress, Ida Rademacher, vice president at the Aspen Institute, joins me from the Global Inclusive Growth Summit in Washington, DC, hosted by the Aspen Institute and The MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth. Leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and nonprofits gathered at the Summit to discuss an important issue: How do we ensure that everyone has equal access to the opportunities created by economic growth, and how do we make sure that that growth is done responsibly? To quote the organizers: “It has never been more important to understand how constantly shifting demographics, circumstances, and technologies affect the growth, security, and prosperity of communities all over the world.” Rademacher and I touch on many of the same topics discussed at the summit: education, access to capital, jobs creation, and economic mobility and their roles in creating a more equitable society, one that becomes more inclusive in the face of massive growth. Here is some of what she tells me. The Definition of Inclusive Growth "When I think about inclusive growth, I think about more deeply shared prosperity. What does it look like when people are included? They have voice, they have agency, they have dignity, they have freedom. The places where I get really specific there are around how does a level of financial security enable that choice and dignity and freedom. That really becomes the bedrock for mobility." Education "(Education) is one of the fundamental building blocks. It's the equivalent of a public utility. When you think about what it takes to be a full participant in society and democracy, that is the fundamental role of education. What's the level of shared knowledge to navigate the systems in your life? The basics of education, the principles of education stay the same." Career Pathways "Our career pathways work is very substantive. The work we do is very much around thinking about how do you create the right incentives and peer groups within institutions so that you can accelerate learning and so that everybody can be focusing on the outcomes in terms of how are you equipping students today, no matter if they're K through 12 or in higher education, with the, both the hard skills and the soft skills to navigate a changing labor market." Good Jobs "The quality of job isn't just the wage and a very thoughtfully informed bundle of benefits, it's people's schedules. Somebody's limitations for being able to pursue night school or the changing demographic of who is a college student, it's just, it's radically different. But they might not be able to take classes because they work shift work or they're trying to juggle two jobs or they can't figure out the different ways to do that." Financial Security "People are dealing with huge amounts of financial shocks in their lives, lots of income volatility. I often say it's really hard for somebody to swing a baseball bat when they're standing in a canoe. The ability to even have a more forward-looking time horizon about the choices you're making comes from having some part of your day-to-day life feel manageable, feel understandable." What Inclusive Growth Looks Like "When more people can be producers, not just consumers in the economy, economy grows faster, it grows more sustainably, and it's in service of the broader ideals of a society. When you think about shared prosperity, if it doesn't show up on a household balance sheet at the end of the day, if the changes we're trying to make, if the ways that we're trying to make the economy work for more people doesn't show up in actual improvements in household net worth and the ability to manage your everyday life, then we're not there yet." This is just some of what Rademacher tells me in the podcast, which you can listen to here or wherever you get your podcasts. If you missed the Summit, you can watch it online here: Global Inclusive Growth Summit ...

In this episode of Work in Progress, Ida Rademacher, vice president at the Aspen Institute, joins me from the Global Inclusive Growth Summit in Washington, DC, hosted by the Aspen Institute and The MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth. Leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and nonprofits gathered at the Summit to discuss an important issue: How do we ensure that everyone has equal access to the opportunities created by economic growth, and how do we make sure that that growth is done responsibly? To quote the organizers: “It has never been more important to understand how constantly shifting demographics, circumstances, and technologies affect the growth, security, and prosperity of communities all over the world.” Rademacher and I touch on many of the same topics discussed at the summit: education, access to capital, jobs creation, and economic mobility and their roles in creating a more equitable society, one that becomes more inclusive in the face of massive growth. Here is some of what she tells me. The Definition of Inclusive Growth "When I think about inclusive growth, I think about more deeply shared prosperity. What does it look like when people are included? They have voice, they have agency, they have dignity, they have freedom. The places where I get really specific there are around how does a level of financial security enable that choice and dignity and freedom. That really becomes the bedrock for mobility." Education "(Education) is one of the fundamental building blocks. It's the equivalent of a public utility. When you think about what it takes to be a full participant in society and democracy, that is the fundamental role of education. What's the level of shared knowledge to navigate the systems in your life? The basics of education, the principles of education stay the same." Career Pathways "Our career pathways work is very substantive. The work we do is very much around thinking about how do you create the right incentives and peer groups within institutions so that you can accelerate learning and so that everybody can be focusing on the outcomes in terms of how are you equipping students today, no matter if they're K through 12 or in higher education, with the, both the hard skills and the soft skills to navigate a changing labor market." Good Jobs "The quality of job isn't just the wage and a very thoughtfully informed bundle of benefits, it's people's schedules. Somebody's limitations for being able to pursue night school or the changing demographic of who is a college student, it's just, it's radically different. But they might not be able to take classes because they work shift work or they're trying to juggle two jobs or they can't figure out the different ways to do that." Financial Security "People are dealing with huge amounts of financial shocks in their lives, lots of income volatility. I often say it's really hard for somebody to swing a baseball bat when they're standing in a canoe. The ability to even have a more forward-looking time horizon about the choices you're making comes from having some part of your day-to-day life feel manageable, feel understandable." What Inclusive Growth Looks Like "When more people can be producers, not just consumers in the economy, economy grows faster, it grows more sustainably, and it's in service of the broader ideals of a society. When you think about shared prosperity, if it doesn't show up on a household balance sheet at the end of the day, if the changes we're trying to make, if the ways that we're trying to make the economy work for more people doesn't show up in actual improvements in household net worth and the ability to manage your everyday life, then we're not there yet." This is just some of what Rademacher tells me in the podcast, which you can listen to here or wherever you get your podcasts. If you missed the Summit, you can watch it online here: Global Inclusive Growth Summit ...

Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Joe Mathieu delivers insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this special edition from the Global Inclusive Growth Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Aspen Institute, Joe speaks with: Bloomberg Government Deputy Managing Editor Wendy Benjaminson Bloomberg Politics Contributors Jeanne Sheehan Zaino and Rick Davis Former US Trade Representative, Vice Chairman and President of Strategic Growth at Mastercard Michael Froman Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya Bloomberg Markets Correspondent Kriti Gupta Bloomberg International Economics & Policy Correspondent Michael McKee Bloomberg Congressional Reporter Jack Fitzpatrick Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University Rachel Kyte  Staff Secretary and Senior Advisor to the President of the United States Neera Tanden See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta routinely makes the “best cities” lists — best places for creatives, best places to start a business, cities with the most Fortune 500 company headquarters, and, most recently, it topped Money magazine's annual “Best Places to Live” ranking. But Atlanta also finds itself at the top of a far less vaunted list: It ranked first for income equality among large cities, according to the latest U.S. Census data, with experts pointing to deep-rooted racial disparities in a city that is nearly 50% Black. The innovation for which the city is celebrated has not reaped benefits for all of its citizens, but that can change. In fact, innovative data tools and partners that connect Black families and entrepreneurs to the digital economy could go a long way in creating a more inclusive and equitable city. In the latest episode of “What's Next In,” Mastercard's podcast that informally explores technology, innovation and ideas, host Vicki Hyman chats with Atlanta's deputy chief equity officer La'Shawn Brown Dudley and Salah Goss and Arturo Franco, both with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, on how harnessing data with inclusion in mind can help leaders make smarter decision and use their resources more effectively. Dudley was part of the inaugural cohort of Data for Equity, a 10-week program that brought together equity, technology and data officers from around the country to learn new ways to use the power of data to advance economic inclusion. Launched by the Centre for Public Impact and the Center for Inclusive Growth, the program is part of Mastercard's $500 million In Solidarity initiative to narrow the racial opportunity gap, with a focus on Atlanta and six other American cities. In Atlanta, that work includes a $950,000 grant to the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs to support RICE's Big IDEAS curriculum, including education, technical and financial assistance, and support of Operation HOPE's 1 Million Black Businesses initiative, to create and grow Black-owned businesses through financial wellness education, small business coaching and help accessing capital.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of people have begun to work from home. However, the seeming flexibility of remote positions is not without its limitations, since the spatial distribution of such roles is vastly uneven.  In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Fabian Stephany and Monica Stephens to explore how remote work contributes to continued urbanisation. They give special focus to the importance of digital infrastructure and the proximity of service providers, as well as the gendered dimensions of working from home and how this can affect people's ability to work remotely.   Relevant publication:  The ‘anywhere' jobs are not everywhere – they're in cities, blog post by Fabian Stephany This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

My guest for today is Dr. Monique Vanni, Senior Engagement Manager for the Strive Community—a project supported by the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Director of Research for Caribou Digital, which implements the Strive Community.In this 'credible' conversation Monique and I talk about:0:00 Start — The relationship between Caribu, Strive and MasterCard and the goals of this global program03:30 The success and challenges of managing the Strive community remotely, including “archetypes” for people who thrive in virtual communities, and the challenges of training junior staff05:20 How Strive supports its community of small and medium-sized enterprises —not all of which are necessarily digitally savvy— through a network of partners; and the challenges of engaging new organizations digitally11:30 Monique's best and worst—examples of implementation in remote training provided to partners16:55 How Strive is enabling “leapfrog” moments for their partners so that they can skip multiple steps in their evolution to delivering digitally20:00 Agility to innovate and grow, when funding sources and partners are more institutional and “rigid,” and why there might be a real generational issue that needs to be addressed27:25 To LMS or not to LMS—We end our talk with the age old conversation about the many flavors and varieties of delivering learning virtuallySubscribe to eLearn Magazinehttps://www.elearnmagazine.com/newsletter/

Senior Program Officer Shona Sen hosts this Changemakers LA podcast episode, covering the support Angelenos need in accessing digital literacy and upskilling opportunities through LISC's Financial Opportunity Centers® (FOCs). LISC's FOCs are community partners that provide employment and career counseling, one-on-one financial coaching, low-cost financial products, and income support counseling free of cost to their neighborhoods and communities. Joining LISC LA for this conversation are: ● Susy Contreras, Community Development Program Director of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) ● Dawn Comer, Director of Technology Inclusion for the City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Budget and Innovation ● Sandra Bonneville, Financial Empowerment Program Manager for Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP) See full show notes for this episode at https://www.lisc.org/los-angeles/regional-stories/changemakers-la-podcast-financial-literacy-just-recovery/ This episode of Changemakers LA was made possible by Mastercard Impact Fund, with support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. If you want to learn more about how we support place-based initiatives for housing and economic development at LISC LA, please visit us online at https://www.lisc.org/los-angeles and follow us on Facebook @LISCLosAngeles.

The Internet was supposed to liberate us from powerful institutions. But the reality might be he who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself. In this episode of the Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro and Fabian Stephany invite Vili Lehdonvirta to present his latest book, Cloud Empires, where he explains how Silicon Valley technologists end up recreating digital forms of the very institutions that they were trying to render obsolete. They also discuss the labour market. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

How do you unlock the social impact potential of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)? And how can development entrepreneurs maximise their success? Meet social impact pioneer Richenda Van Leeuwen. Richenda is the Executive Director of ANDE - The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. Richenda and her team are dedicated to helping smaller businesses and the entrepreneurs who run them to succeed and to develop lasting social impact. There are approximately 400 million SMEs globally. SMEs make up the backbone of economies around the world. During this podcast, Richenda shares practical ways social entrepreneurs, anywhere in the world can access tools and support to grow. Richenda and ANDE help to create access to capital and access to technical assistance for smaller businesses and their leaders. Whether the businesses are at the incubation stages or accelerating and scaling. Working in ten different countries, with eight chapters across much of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Central America – Richenda explains: “My vision, is that you could be an entrepreneur anywhere in the world and have the access to finance and have the tools to help support you to have the best possible chance to succeed.” In addition to practical advice for SME leaders, Richenda also delves into the challenges holding us back from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and why getting local capital in locally denominated currencies is vital to unlocking the social impact potential of SMEs. She highlights the importance of engaging smaller businesses in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – as countries work out their climate action plans to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Ultimately Richenda is hopeful, listen in to hear more. Links: ANDE: https://www.andeglobal.org If you liked this, try: Partnering to go far with Clive Allison, Unilever and social entrepreneur: Nivedha RM: https://businessfightspoverty.org/clive-allison-and-nivedha-rm/ And Delivering inclusive growth with micro and small enterprises (MSEs) featuring Payal Dalal, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Ha Evelyn Nguyen, CEO of Canal Circle: https://businessfightspoverty.org/payal-dalal-2/

Independent work, self-employment and the gig economy have been evolving in the past decade, changing our understanding of traditional employment. However, with the rise in self-employment comes the need to adapt our laws and legislation to accommodate pension schemes and benefits that many self-employed do not have, compared with their traditional counterparts.   In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Diane Mulcahy and Milena Nikolova of Bruegel, to discuss the future of self-employment, what it means for traditional workers, and what it entails for policymakers. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Relevant Publications: Nikolova, Milena (2022) ‘Can working solo be good for entrepreneurs?', Bruegel Blog, 13 July Gruber-Risak, M., Hatzopoulos, V. and D.Mulcahy (2022) ‘Policies to support the self-employed in the labour markets of the future', Policy Contribution 08/2022, Bruegel Christie, R., M. Grzegorczyk and D. Mulcahy (2022) ‘Better pensions for the European Union's self-employed', Policy Contribution 05/2022, Bruegel

The list of barriers holding women from participating in the digital economy is long. Still, they are not inevitable—if governments, the private sector and financial services providers work together to remove them. Hear from Payal Dalal, Senior Vice President at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth on the collective strides made in the region and beyond, and the necessary holistic approach to further promote women's participation in the economy.

The last decade has seen a strong push to integrate new financial technologies into CDFI small business lending — a push exacerbated by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most CDFI small business lenders have begun the integration process, but found it challenging to fully access and reap the benefits of technology in finance (not to mention fintech). This shouldn't be surprising — experiences with technology across other industries and sectors could have predicted the hurdles to wide-scale adoption and successful implementation. This session identifies the critical issues the CDFI industry — and, crucially, its funders and investors — must address if they are to create value from/reap the benefits of technology: What is Total Cost of Ownership and why does it matter for technology tactical and strategic planning? Policy, process, or technology — which comes first and why? Why/how is scale important in realizing the benefits of technology? How do private and public funding practices create challenges, and what can be done to improve? This conversation features Business Ownership Initiative (BOI) Senior Director Joyce Klein and BOI Senior Fellow Tim Ogden. This webinar was developed as part of the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership, a collaboration between the Aspen Institute and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. For more resources from this event, including downloadable slides and transcript, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/integrating-technology-into-cdfi-small-business-lending-the-real-deal/

Artificial intelligence and automation are increasing in role, and no industry is immune. From doctors to gig workers, advances in AI are becoming a key determinant of job quality. This week on The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Laura Nurski and Mia Hoffmann, to discuss how technology affects work, whether good or bad, and what should we take into consideration for the future? This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Relevant Publications: https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/german-facebook-probe-links-data-protection-and-competition-policy | German Facebook probe links data protection and competition policy https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/uber-and-economic-impact-sharing-economy-platforms | Uber and the economic impact of sharing economy platforms https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/economic-value-personal-data-online-platforms-firms-and-consumers | The economic value of personal data for online platforms, firms and consumers https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/rise-sharing-economy-indonesia | The rise of the sharing economy in Indonesia https://www.bruegel.org/comment/european-union-course-become-big-loser-global-tech-race | Is the European Union on course to become the big loser in the global tech race? https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/practical-arrangement-cooperation-between-digital-economy-regulators | A practical arrangement for cooperation between digital economy regulators https://www.bruegel.org/working-paper/market-power-and-artificial-intelligence-work-online-labour-markets | Market power and artificial intelligence work on online labour markets https://www.bruegel.org/podcast/technology-product-unequal-power | Technology: a product of unequal power? https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/opening-digital-platforms-and-reducing-anticompetitive-risks | Opening up digital platforms and reducing anticompetitive risks https://www.bruegel.org/working-paper/platform-mergers-and-antitrust-0 | Platform mergers and antitrust https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/self-employment-covid-19-and-future-work-knowledge-workers | Self-employment, COVID-19, and the future of work for knowledge workers https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/regulating-big-tech-digital-markets-act | Regulating big tech: the Digital Markets Act https://www.bruegel.org/working-paper/platform-mergers-and-antitrust | Platform mergers and antitrust https://www.bruegel.org/working-paper/digital-platforms-and-antitrust | Digital platforms and antitrust https://www.bruegel.org/report/effect-digitalization-energy-consumption-passenger-transport-analysis-future-scenarios | The effect of digitalization in the energy consumption of passenger transport: An analysis of future scenarios for Europe https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/bridging-divide-new-evidence-about-firms-and-digitalisation | Bridging the divide: new evidence about firms and digitalisation https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/work-protection-digital-age-towards-new-social-contract | Work Protection in the Digital Age: Towards a new social contract https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/era-digitalisation-single-market-needs-software-update | In an era of digitalisation, the Single Market needs a software update https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/breaking-big-companies-and-market-power-concentration | Breaking up big companies and market power concentration https://www.bruegel.org/report/vertical-restraints-and-e-commerce | Vertical restraints and e-commerce https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/how-e-commerce-reshapes-markets-and-firms-strategies | How e-commerce reshapes markets and firms' strategies https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/big-data-and-first-degree-price-discrimination | Big data and first-degree price discrimination https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/industrial-internet-will-transform-policymaking | The industrial internet will transform policymaking https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/apple-discord | The Apple of Discord https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/new-eu-net-neutrality-guidelines-are-pragmatic-next-step | New EU net neutrality guidelines are a pragmatic next step https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/european-e-commerce-needs-better-visibility-cross-border-delivery-prices | European e-commerce needs better visibility into cross-border delivery prices https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/e-commerce-europe-parcel-delivery-prices-digital-single-market | E-commerce in Europe: parcel delivery prices in a digital single market https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/e-commerce-opportunity-growth-europe-people-and-business | E-commerce: an opportunity for growth in Europe, for people and business https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/better-pensions-european-unions-self-employed | Better pensions for the European Union's self-employed https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/inclusive-european-union-must-boost-gig-workers-rights | An inclusive European Union must boost gig workers' rights https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/making-antitrust-work-not-against-gig-workers-and-self-employed | Making antitrust work for, not against, gig workers and the self-employed https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/which-platforms-will-be-caught-digital-markets-act-gatekeeper-dilemma | Which platforms will be caught by the Digital Markets Act? The ‘gatekeeper' dilemma https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/policies-support-self-employed-labour-markets-future | Policies to support the self-employed in the labour markets of the future

In today's episode of Breaking Banks, we feature two of our sister podcasts, each with an eye to the future.We start with Jennifer Tescher's EMERGE Everywhere. Jennifer sits down with Shamina Singh, Founder and President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, to discuss the quest for a more sustainable and equitable future, and how she's developing solutions to make the global economy work for everyone. Then, we introduce you to the newest podcast in the Breaking Banks' family, The Futurists with hosts Robert Tercek and Brett King, as they take you into the future with renowned thought leaders who are creating the future of tomorrow. In this piece we spotlight PJ Manney, a leading thinker focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence in respect to ethics and how humanity will adapt. See you in the future! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwPaUcP1c7Q

People spend a significant portion of their lives at work; job thus has a huge impact on a person's well-being. This week on The Sound of Economics, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Laura Nurski and Janine Berg to discuss how to enhance job quality, how technology will impact its dimensions and how to involve workers in the design of technology. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Relevant publication: Nurski, L. and M. Hoffmann (2022) ‘Beating burnout: identifying bad jobs and improving job quality', Policy Contribution 07/2022, Bruegel

This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Parag Mehta, Managing Director and President of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter. He works with a team of experts who leverage the bank's assets, insights, and expertise to develop and advance policy solutions that drive inclusive economic growth in the United States and around the world. Prior to joining JPMC, he served as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the philanthropic hub of the company. Parag previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy. Parag also spent more than four years directing communications for a civil rights agency in the U.S. Department of Labor and served on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential transition team as a liaison to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and to LGBTQ+ Americans. Parag earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a B.A. in Plan II Honors from The University of Texas at Austin. He and his husband Vaibhav Jain are currently petitioning the Delhi High Court in India for recognition of their marriage in a landmark case which could pave the way for marriage equality in the world's largest democracy. Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

In this episode of EMERGE Everywhere, Jennifer sits down with Shamina Singh, Founder and President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, to explore her fascinating career from politics to the private sector. Shamina discusses her quest for a more sustainable and equitable future, and how she's developing solutions to make the global economy work for everyone. 

The internet is changing the way we work. In this episode, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Laura Nurski and Fabian Stephany to discuss the utilisation of online work across countries and occupations, what it means for the society, and how policymakers should better regulate it. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Over the last year, media headlines have been filled with stories of workers from various industries on strike and attempting to unionize. The roots of these efforts lie with workers in the 1800s and early 1900s who first attempted to organize and used strikes to protest low wages and poor working conditions. Those early labor movements contributed to the passage of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, which gave workers the right to organize into unions and made it the official policy of the U.S. to encourage collective bargaining. Union membership surged after the passage of the NLRA and peaked at 35 percent of wage and salary workers in 1954. The NRLA had less of an impact for women and people of color, however, whose main occupations in agricultural and domestic work were deliberately excluded from the law, exclusions that still negatively affect millions of workers today. The impact of NRLA in supporting collective bargaining has also waned over time. Today, only 10 percent of wage and salary workers belong to a union including 34 percent of public employees and six percent of workers in the private sector, very low compared to most OECD countries though unionization is declining globally as well. The future of work and job quality rests in part on workers having agency and some ability to influence their work and workplace. The NLRA provides the legal foundation for workers' right to exercise that agency. As we look to shape the future of work, what lessons can we learn from the NLRA's history, impact and effectiveness today? This event includes opening remarks from the Honorable Marty Walsh (U.S. Secretary of Labor), followed by a panel discussion featuring Roy Bahat (Bloomberg Beta), Jennifer Epps (The LIFT Fund), Dr. Annelise Orleck (Dartmouth College), and moderator Charisse Jones (USA TODAY). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Surdna Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth for their support of this series.

Feeling distraught about the state of the world? This episode is for you. It turns out your pessimism is not evenly shared. Younger people, particularly younger people in the developing world, have a bright view of the future and expect their lives to be better than their parents. “This is the optimism of the tech generation that can see a way forward,” an expert on generational change, Dr. Eliza Filby explained. “They have a sense of what's possible because they have access to information.” Which also means their hopefulness is built on a clear-eyed view, says co-host Edie Lush. “It's not all rainbows and chocolate chip cookies,” she observed. “They do also see the challenges.” But they believe they have access to the education, skills and support to tackle those challenges, from climate to mental health to healthy food. "I think technology helps us learn alot more effeciently and faster," said Eden van Wyngaardt, a student in South Africa.  While many people in the developed world feel their expectations thwarted and worry that young people won't do as well as their parents, in the developing world there is a strong sense of possibility and agency.  “The world that we would want to have depends on each and everyone's personal actions,” said Ibrahim Kondeh, whose story of survival as a refugee from west Africa was featured on earlier episodes of Global GoalsCast. Eden and Ibrahim were two of the young people interviewed for this episode. We asked them several of the questions from a UNICEF survey of 21,000 people, young and older, all around the world. This intergenerational survey identified the optimism of the young. “Young people are 50% more likely than older generations to believe the world is becoming a better place,” reported Unicef, a Global GoalsCast partner. This episode was sponsored by Mastercard and features Payal Dalal of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Thanks to our partners at One Young World and iamthecode.org for introductions to some of the young people we interviewed.

AI is fundamentally changing the economy, it has the power to improve workers' experience if AI uptake is done well, or it can create new inequalities depending on workers' educational level. Giuseppe Porcaro and Mario Mariniello are joined by Teemu Roos, AI expert and founder of the online course Elements of Artificial intelligence. They talk about how AI education can improve work in Europe, Teemu's AI course, and how educational systems can foster a more equal society.  This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Is technology change neutral? This question is essential in the discussion under the scope of the future of work. In this episode, Bruegel's own Giuseppe Porcaro and Mario Mariniello speak to David Spencer about the nature of technology, its impact on the quantity and quality of work, the cost of the technological transition and how to make sure it benefits everyone. This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

The pandemic has heightened many organizations' focus on job quality: now is the time to shift focus from fixing workers to fixing work. Companies are facing pressure to improve factors that contribute to job quality including wages, benefits, workplace safety, racial and gender equity, and opportunities to learn and grow. But often overlooked is the content of the work—how does what we do align with who we think we are? In his new book, “Dirty Work: Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America,” Eyal Press explores the toll of moral injuries at work, highlighting the working conditions of jobs that typically go unseen and raising disquieting questions about our society and its dependence on these jobs. For anyone concerned about job quality, “Dirty Work” is essential reading. We hope you enjoy this conversation with the author. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Surdna Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth for their support of this series.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the important role benefits play in workers' lives. Paid leave, health insurance, workers' compensation, and retirement plans cushion life events and equip workers to live safe and dignified lives. Our current system of benefits, though, leaves behind millions of workers. This event will explore how to make work-related benefits accessible to more people, including public and private sector approaches to portable and universal benefits. Hear from a panel of leaders who have worked on innovative benefits programs for workers, covering a range of sectors and benefits. Each will speak about their efforts to expand benefits to more workers, share lessons learned, and offer insights for others interested in developing new approaches. Speakers include Lise Anderson (Assistant Executive Director, Writers Guild of America West), Andrew Greenblatt (Executive Director, IDG Benefits Fund), Palak Shah (Social Innovations Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance), and moderator Anmol Chaddha (Principal, Reimagining Capitalism, Omidyar Network). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Surdna Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth for their support of this series.

This week's episode is about moving from one country to another to start school. Heading off to university is a significant milestone in one's life, and even more so if it also means traveling abroad to a whole new country on your own. For international students who started university during COVID the experience has been a little different, but as vaccines are doled out and the health situation looks a bit more hopeful this year's international students may be considering a few different options as they return to their degree in the Fall. We thought we'd speak with someone who's been an international student himself while a graduate student, and is also very familiar with the needs and situations of international students on a major university campus. Professor Joseph Wong is Vice-President, International, University of Toronto, where he is also the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs, and Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He held the Canada Research Chair in Health, Democracy, and Development for two terms from 2006 to 2016. He is the author of many academic articles and several books, including Healthy Democracies: Welfare Politics in Taiwan and South Korea and Betting on Biotech: Innovation and the Limits of Asia's Developmental State. Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals, in collaboration with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Professor Wong founded the Reach Alliance, a model for student-led, faculty-mentored, multi-disciplinary research dedicated to investigating the pathways to success for innovative programs that are reaching the world's most marginalized populations.

This summer, we've been speaking with employers to learn how businesses are adopting technology in the workplace, and if COVID-19 accelerated these efforts; how digital transformation is impacting skill needs for frontline workers; and what approaches businesses are taking to support development of digital skills for frontline workers.This virtual event looks at what we have learned from employers and what can and should be done to help workers build the skills they need to advance in the workplace. This is the third part of a year-long study looking at how COVID-19 and heightened attention to racial inequality were affecting businesses, their operations, skill needs, hiring and HR practices, and education and training programs. Speakers include Andres Alcantar (Senior Workforce Lead, Texas Association of Community Colleges), Kelly Ryan Bailey (Global Skills Evangelist, Emsi Burning Glass), Amy Blair (Research Director, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program), Patti Constantakis (Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Walmart.org), Maureen Conway (Vice President, The Aspen Institute; Executive Director, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program), Reggie Davis (Senior Director of Distribution, The Container Store), Daryl Graham (Senior Vice President of Philanthropy, Strada Education Network), Rachael Stephens (Program Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy, National Governors Association), and moderator Jaime Fall (Director, UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

What does inclusive growth really mean and how can supporting micro and small enterprises (MSEs) help achieve this? These are just some of the questions my guests in this podcast are dedicating their work to. Meet Payal Dalal, Senior Vice President for Social Impact of International Markets at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Ha Evelyn Nguyen, CEO of Canal Circle who are building financially inclusive ecosystems for the underserved. The World Bank estimates that more than 50% of employment worldwide is within smaller businesses. Payal reveals that more that 40% of these businesses were at risk of failing during the pandemic. Our conversation delves into how we can better support these businesses to create not simply exponential growth but genuine resilience. Hear Payal and Evelyn explain the opportunities digital tools and technology can provide to MSEs; why partnering is essential; and reveal how the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth is partnering with Caribou Digital to launch Strive Community. The Strive Community is the new $19 M global programme with the aim of helping 5 million MSEs digitize their operations, access and use finance and enter new markets. Listen in to find out more and how you could get involved. Links: Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth - https://www.mastercardcenter.org/ Canal Circle - https://www.canalcircle.com Strive Community - https://www.StriveCommunity.org LinkedIn: @Strive-Community - https://www.linkedin.com/company/strivecommunity Twitter: @StriveBusiness - https://twitter.com/StriveBusiness

One year past the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of non-retired adults say the lingering consequences will make it harder for them to meet their financial needs and goals. Unfortunately, this situation is not new. For years prior to last year's recession, too many American families – particularly Black, Hispanic, and other nonwhite families – constantly struggled to stretch paychecks to cover life's essentials. But these struggles were too often overlooked. Now, however, as the US economy emerges from COVID-19, business leaders are considering an array of solutions to shape an equitable and inclusive recovery and take action for racial equity. One path: making worker financial wellness a corporate priority. Research shows that improving workers' financial wellness benefits not only workers themselves, but also business outcomes such as productivity, innovation, customer satisfaction, and employee turnover and engagement. This event focuses on what companies can accomplish when they pursue improving the financial health and resilience of workers. Senior executives from companies who have tackled a range of issues as they work to build employee financial wellness discuss how they came to prioritize the issue, some of the surprises and challenges encountered, and lessons that others can build on. Tune in to this engaging, timely, and important discussion on how we can work together to build worker financial health and resilience. Speakers include Marissa Andrada (Chief Diversity, Inclusion and People Officer, Chipotle), Sarah Keh (Vice President, Inclusive Solutions, Prudential Financial), Franz Paasche (Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, PayPal), and moderator Lauren Weber (Reporter, The Wall Street Journal). The companies on the panel are part of the Worker Financial Wellness Initiative launched in October 2020 by PayPal and JUST Capital in collaboration with the Financial Health Network and Good Jobs Institute. WFWI's goal is to raise workers' financial security to be a C-suite and investor priority. Companies commit to conducting assessments to gauge the financial vulnerability of their workforce, and they join a community of practice to identify opportunities to improve their long-term resilience. The first cohort reaches over 260,000 American workers and includes Chobani, Chipotle, Prudential, Verizon, and Even. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Professor Joseph Wong is Vice-President, International at the University of Toronto, where he is also the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He held the Canada Research Chair in Health, Democracy and Development for two terms from 2006 to 2016. He is a graduate of McGill University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   He is the author of many academic articles and several books, including Healthy Democracies: Welfare Politics in Taiwan and South Korea and Betting on Biotech: Innovation and the Limits of Asia's Developmental State, both published by Cornell University Press.   Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. in collaboration with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Professor Wong founded the Reach Alliance, a model for student-led, faculty-mentored, multi-disciplinary research dedicated to investigating the pathways to success for innovative programs that are reaching the world's most marginalized populations: http://reachalliance.org/what-is-reach.    This is a conversation that you don't want to miss.   Connect with us on:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbss_podcast/ Facebook: @DifferentBoatSameStorm  Twitter: @DBSS_podcast   Abhayjeet Singh Sachal (co-host)  Atharv Agrawal (co-host)  Mei Ling Phung (editor)  Anisha Huq, Amar Aziz, and Mehar Kamra (communications and outreach)

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the value of caregiving work and the need for equitable and affordable access to care – for children, for elders, for those with a disability, and for all of us in hard times. Yet care work remains underpaid and often invisible, contributing to the inadequacies of the US care system and deepening challenges for caregivers and families. As we move from crisis to recovery, how can policy contribute to building a care economy that dignifies the work of caregivers and expands access to quality, affordable care? How can our systems center gender and racial equity to construct a care economy that serves all families? And how can our society support a healthy and sustainable caregiving system for our post-pandemic future, one in which the demand for caregiving is poised to continue to grow? This special event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program explores these questions and more. The event features an exciting lineup of policy and practice experts, cultural leaders, and caregivers, including Justin Baldoni (Director and Producer, “Clouds,” “Five Feet Apart”; Actor, “Jane the Virgin”; Cofounder, Wayfarer Studios), Erika Beras (Reporter, Marketplace), Heather Boushey (Member, Council of Economic Advisers, The White House), Abby McCloskey (Founder and Principal, McCloskey Policy LLC), Ai-jen Poo (Executive Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance; Director, Caring Across Generations), Dan Porterfield (President and CEO, The Aspen Institute), Adria Powell (President and CEO, Cooperative Home Care Associates), Mitt Romney (US Senator from Utah), Tina Tchen (President and CEO, TIME'S UP), and Dorian Warren (President, Community Change; Cochair, Economic Security Project). Speakers discuss the important role of caregiving in our economy and society, as well as a variety of ideas for building an equitable care economy both in the near term for recovery and in the long term for a post-pandemic future. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Economic growth can and should be inclusive, and the way to get there is to connect small businesses and individuals with the networks that drive the modern economy. In this B-Side episode, Alison L. Eskesen, vice-president at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, tells BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol how helping people gain access to these essential networks "can set in motion a virtuous cycle of equitable growth and sustained poverty reduction." Recorded remotely on March 18. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez and Sam L. Marcelo.

The racial wealth gap in the United States is a wide and persistent gap between the median household income of different races – most greatly visible between Black and white households. The country's history of systemic racism has weakened Black Americans' ability to achieve economic security. With financial services systems and policies built to keep communities of color out, four Aspen Global Leadership Network Fellows are stepping up to find a way in. The key? Revitalizing Black-owned banks.By bringing together their diverse expertise from across the legal, nonprofit, financial, and government sectors, Fellows Ashley Bell (Civil Society Fellow: a Partnership of ADL and the Aspen Institute), Yolanda Daniel (Finance Leaders Fellow), Lauren McCann (Civil Society Fellow), and Tishaura Jones (Rodel Fellow) collaborated to launch the National Black Bank Fund and Foundation (NBBF). At the center of their impact is their relationships: to one another and to other bold leaders who are literally putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to commitments made to center diversity and equity in business operations. The group was recently awarded by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Aspen Institute with an inaugural Global Inclusive Growth Spark Grant for their innovative work. Listen to this episode of the Value of Leadership podcast to learn why nurturing Black-owned financial institutions is so closely aligned to the success of Black communities, how NBBF shepherded a $30 million deal with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, and what it takes to step into the arena and join the fight for racial justice in America. Learn more about the work of the National Black Bank Fund and Foundation at blackbankfund.com.

California, it's often been quipped, is where the future happens first. From technology and entertainment to policy and social reform, California is often at the leading edge of our latest trends—and work is no exception. While California boasts a strong economy by many measures of growth, too many Californians have not enjoyed the benefits of the state's broader economic success and the extraordinary wealth generated. As the nation grapples with demographic and geographic economic inequities that have been growing over the first two decades of the 21st century, and that have been exacerbated in this time of national crisis, what does the Golden State plan to do so that workers of every race, ethnicity, geography and gender have what they need to support themselves and their families, and thrive now and in the future? Established prior to the COVID crisis, California's Future of Work Commission has been tasked with confronting this question. It aims to create a new social compact for California workers, based on an expansive vision for economic equity that takes work and jobs as the starting point. As we've seen in the economic fallout of COVID-19, our policies, practices, and institutions are badly in need of an upgrade. The decisions we make now—on job quality, equity, wages, working conditions, advancement, and more—will chart the course of opportunity for generations of Californians to come, and for our nation as a whole. Now is the time to lay the foundation for a more vibrant and inclusive economy than the one we had before. We invite you to hear firsthand what California is doing to build a brighter future of work. Our speakers include the co-chairs of California's Future of Work Commission, Mary Kay Henry (International President, Service Employees International Union) and James Manyika (Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company; Chairman and Director, McKinsey Global Institute), as well as Julie Su (Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency) and moderator Eduardo Porter (Economics Reporter, The New York Times). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Sarah Glaswand is a storyteller, strategist, and innovator specializing in content strategy and social change communications. Currently, as Digital and Social Media Manager at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the philanthropic arm of Mastercard, Sarah is responsible for leading social media strategy, community building, and analytics efforts that strengthen and advance Mastercard's thought leadership on inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Among the many unexpected lessons of 2020 was a recognition of the importance of essential workers. We saw how much we rely on the people who work in our food systems, who care for our children and our loved ones, who deliver packages, and who keep our public spaces clean. We learned to say thank you to so many of them, and in this season of thanks, we reflect on how we can do more than say thank you by improving the quality of essential jobs. As the year draws to a close, we discuss the important role of essential workers in our economy and society and a variety of approaches for improving essential work. Our speakers include Angelina Drake (Chief Operating Officer at PHI, Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellow, and former home care worker); Terrill Haigler/Ya Fav Trash Man (Philadelphia Sanitation Worker); Linda Nguyen (Chief of Staff at the UFCW Local 770 and Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellow); Zeynep Ton (Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management and author of The Good Jobs Strategy); and moderator E.J. Dionne (Columnist at the Washington Post and EOP Advisory Council member). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Small businesses have been hammered by the pandemic, and business owners of color have been hit particularly hard. These business owners also faced significant challenges in accessing the Paycheck Protection Program, in part because banks were the primary vehicle for delivering these loans. While people of color are often locked out of traditional lending, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) can offer a promising alternative to those who have been left behind. This event, “Scaling Lending to Entrepreneurs of Color,” the first in our Global Inclusive Recovery and Rebuilding series developed under the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership, explores the challenges that entrepreneurs of color face in accessing credit, and what can be done to address them. What are the unique needs of business owners of color, and how are they shaped by the racial wealth gap? Why are smaller loans essential in reaching entrepreneurs of color, and why is it so challenging for lenders to make smaller loans? What are some innovative ideas to help CDFIs to scale their microlending? Joyce Klein (Director, Business Ownership Initiative, The Aspen Institute) moderated this discussion featuring Michael Barr (Joan and Sanford Weill Dean, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan), Marla Blow (Senior Vice President, Social Impact, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth), Tim Ogden (Financial Access Initiative, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University), and Francisco Lopez (Vice President, Business Innovation and Partnerships, Dreamspring). The Global Inclusive Growth Partnership is a collaboration between the Aspen Institute and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. This event series explores different topics related to economic growth and recovery, and how different sectors like civic engagement, health, education, and criminal justice intersect and interact with economic growth and financial security.

Even before the pandemic, in an allegedly strong economy, workers at the bottom end of the opportunity scale were struggling to support themselves and their families. No single metric is more striking in this respect than the divisions in wealth between men and women, and between white households and households of color. White households have roughly 10 times the wealth of Black households. Households headed by single women have less than 40% of the wealth of those headed by single men. Workers and families in low-wealth households face daunting barriers to achieving common financial goals, such as owning a home, investing in education, starting a business, saving for retirement, and taking control of their economic future. The pandemic has exacerbated and heightened awareness of these inequities, and there is a mounting sense of urgency to surface practical solutions. Broadening opportunities to participate in the ownership of business assets can help address this wealth divide and offer working people the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the success of our economy. This discussion includes perspectives from research, business, policy, and worker-owners. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series, and to Citi for its support of this special event.

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, Mike Froman, Chairman of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and U.S. Trade Representative during the Obama administration, joins AGI's Jeff Rathke and Peter …

Questions about the future of work have shifted in this time of pandemic, prompting overdue discussions about workplace health and safety, the unemployment system, health insurance, and fair wages and benefits. What policies can support a thriving future of work? What roles do we want private business to play? And what strategies will build a future of work that addresses long standing inequities and inequalities and provides opportunities for all to thrive? California's Future of Work Commission and Jobs and Recovery Task Force have been working on these questions since before the pandemic and have begun implementing innovative policies to address the critical challenges facing working people in today's economy and tomorrow's. This discussion features Julie A. Su (Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency), Angela Glover Blackwell (Founder in Residence, PolicyLink; Member, Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery), and moderator Meghan McCarty Carino (Workplace Culture Reporter, Marketplace). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series is taking a pause as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Prior to the global pandemic, the relatively high small business start and ownership rates among entrepreneurs of color were a bright spot in a period of declining US entrepreneurship. But small businesses have endured some of the hardest stresses of the pandemic, as forced closures and physical distancing have decimated earnings for restaurants, salons, childcare centers, and other services we all rely on. Businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color have been particularly impacted by declining revenues, and despite government efforts to get money into people's hands, many small businesses have not received the support they need. This is partly a problem with the delivery systems used: programs that flow through banks miss those that have historically been underserved. Fortunately, there are lenders who serve these businesses and communities: Community Development Financial Institutions. CDFIs are mission-driven lenders that serve the parts of America that too often get left behind, including people of color, returning veterans, new citizens, and more. What role can CDFIs play in supporting entrepreneurs and advancing equity during this uncertain time? And how can policymakers, investors, philanthropy, and others support the work of CDFIs? The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series has moved to an all-virtual format as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

Restaurants and their workers have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the crisis, food and drinking establishments were an important part of the business fabric in communities across the country, and these businesses employed over 12 million people. But as food businesses lost business, millions of restaurant workers lost work. The most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows employment in restaurants and bars has been cut in half, with industry observers estimating even greater job loss. And among those who continue to work, many still endure limited hours, low wages, and poor benefits that have characterized the industry for far too long. Food and drinking establishments have been an important source of employment for women and people of color, who are over-represented in the industry's lower paid occupations. As recent events demand attention to systems of racial injustice, we must acknowledge the interconnection of racial justice and economic justice. As we start to emerge from this crisis, can we reimagine restaurants, and restaurant work, so that workers, businesses, and communities all thrive? In this conversation we talk about ideas for business practices, public policies, and partnerships, including an innovative public/private effort that's addressing the interests that workers, small business owners, and communities all share in a thriving restaurant sector. The discussion features Nikki M.G. Cole (National Policy Campaign Director, One Fair Wage), Saru Jayaraman (President, One Fair Wage; Director, Food Labor Research Center, University of California, Berkeley), Mutale Kanyanta (Owner, LOCALS Food), Dan Simons (Co-Owner, Farmers Restaurant Group), and moderator Maureen Conway (Vice President, The Aspen Institute; Executive Director, Economic Opportunities Program). The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series is taking a pause as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

The following is a conversation between Shamina Singh, Founder and President of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Denver Frederick, the host of the Business of Giving. In this interview, Shamina Singh, Founder and President of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, shares the following: • Connecting 1 billion people to the digital economy • Opportunity Zones Inclusive Growth Score • Commitment to support small business

The global pandemic has transformed our lives in sudden and unexpected ways. Much is still unfolding, but the available data suggest the economic and human cost of this crisis will be profound. And these costs will not be borne equitably. Our long-standing divides by class, race, and ethnicity are widening as the coronavirus has a disproportionate impact on workers in low-wage jobs and communities of color. In a timely new book, American Poison: How Racial Hostility Destroyed Our Promise, New York Times economics reporter Eduardo Porter examines “how racial animus has stunted the development of nearly every institution crucial for a healthy society, including organized labor, public education, and the social safety net.” Now these institutions are failing us all. This virtual book talk with the author discusses how we arrived here and the lessons history holds for finding a better way forward. As we make plans to rebuild from this crisis, we must not repeat the exclusionary mistakes of the past. We can emerge to a healthier society—and a stronger economy—than the one we left behind, if we choose to make it so. This conversation features opening remarks from Aspen Institute President and CEO Dan Porterfield, and is moderated by Vice President for Policy Programs and Executive Director of the Economic Opportunities Program Maureen Conway. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America discussion series is taking a pause as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.

For decades, Baltimore's Marlin Steel has adroitly combined a nimble and innovative manufacturing production system with a commitment to their forty associates – offering above average pay and benefits, employee cross training, and sizable bonuses each pay period for meeting and exceeding production goals. This good company/good job focus pays off in dedicated workers, first-rate quality, happy customers, and admirable growth. In recent weeks, their capacities proved up to an enormous challenge to quickly produce vitally needed equipment to fight against the COVID-19 virus. Drew Greenblatt, president and owner of Marlin Steel, spoke with EOP Executive Director Maureen Conway about his company's efforts in the midst of this crisis. Marlin Steel offers a model and good practices that many manufacturing and other employers can aspire to emulate. During this difficult era, they've put worker health first — implementing extensive measures to distance, clean facilities and work stations, and screen — while maintaining essential work to deliver essential equipment used in the frontline response to the global pandemic. The Economic Opportunities Program's Opportunity in America in-person discussion series is taking a pause as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of Opportunity in America. Learn more at as.pn/opportunityinamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

By all the usual measures, the US economy is healthy. Unemployment is low, job growth continues to be robust, GDP is growing and 2019 was a great year on Wall Street. But while economic measures indicate a strong economy, too many people's economic lives are precarious. Stagnating wages, rising expenses, uncertain incomes and limited opportunities to get ahead leave far too many people across the country feeling left out of today's economic success. What is missing from our economic measures? And how could better measures help us address the economic divides and build shared prosperity? In a new book Unbound: How Inequality Constricts Our Economy and What We Can Do About It, Heather Boushey, President and CEO of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, considers how inequality is restricting growth and imagines how a more equitable economy would function. The book also raises two key questions: How can we better measure our economy to understand how it can improve the lives of individuals and how do we better support working families so we can set them and their children up for success? The Economic Opportunities Program, Ascend, Financial Security Program, and Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation host a book talk with Heather and a panel discussion including other experts to explore these questions about defining and measuring economic success and how we can work more broadly to create growth with purpose. This event features Heather Boushey (President and CEO, Washington Center for Equitable Growth), Daniel Alpert (Managing Partner, Westwood Capital LLC and Affiliates), Sapna Mehta (Director of Policy and Research, Groundwork Collaborative), and moderator Maureen Conway (Vice President for Policy Programs, The Aspen Institute; Executive Director, Economic Opportunities Program). This event is part of the Opportunity in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart.org, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth for their support of this series. For more information, visit as.pn/opportunityinamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

Meet Payal Dalal, Vice President for Global Programs at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The Center is the philanthropic hub of Mastercard and is focused on developing new partnership models and activating Mastercard assets. During this podcast Payal shares the latest thinking in groundbreaking partnerships and highlights some of the Center’s key partnerships including with Accion to modernise and digitise financial service providers and CARE USA to support female entrepreneurs in emerging markets; she also flags a new model of partnership: private-private partnerships and cites two examples of private-private partnerships with the garment and FMCG sectors. Links to more information about these partnerships can be found below. She also talks about the role partnerships play in delivering the SDGs. This podcast is also really useful if you are newly exploring the potential of business to deliver social or environmental good. Payal takes us on a succinct journey through the evolution of this agenda. From businesses simply giving away money to local charities forty years ago through to the latest thinking about shared growth and commercially sustainable social impact. And finally hear Payal’s career advice. She is someone who has successfully moved across sectors, from NGO, to political, to multinational business. Two words – “Be flexible.” I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I do.

Are colleges and universities an untapped resource for Opportunity Zone development? Plus, what can we expect to learn from the census tract level sales transaction data that the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth is releasing later this month? Anu Varadharajan is a tax professor at Tulane University. Dr. Michelle Thompson is a planning and urban studies professor at the University of New Orleans and data fellow at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Show notes and transcript at OpportunityDb.com

“There are networks that power the modern economy. They can be financial networks…social networks, energy networks, transportation networks…You have to be connected up into these networks in order to realize your full potential.”  Shamina Singh on Green Connections Radio But 1.7 billion people are not connected to these networks, and most of them are women, according to Shamina Singh, President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.  Listen to this engaging and inspiring interview with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson about leveraging and partnering with NGO’s and nonprofits to address this “poverty of access.” You'll hear: ·       Why “access” to these networks make all the difference.·       What “data philanthropy” is and how to leverage data for good.·       How to innovate for the daily challenges of people who are not like you.·       Creative solutions, from “pay as you go” clean electric power, to finding “a proxy for credit score,” to fintech powering sustainable cities.·       How to build successful partnerships.·       The environmental, health and economic costs of cash.·       Career tips and more! “ You’ve got to have representative views at the table, otherwise you’re missing something. How do you have true innovation if you’re missing something?” Shamina Singh on Green Connections Radio Read my Forbes blog about this here too. You'll want to check out these interviews too: You'll want to check out these interviews too: Sarah Cho, Director of Research and SurveyMonkey on measuring inclusion. Rainia Washington, VP, Global Diversity, Lockheed Martin, on “innovating with purpose.” Charlotte Burrows, Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on when and how to file and claim, and how to find out your options. Ellen Stofan, Director of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (first woman), on innovating a legacy institution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senior Bruegel fellow Zsolt Darvas discusses the impact and integration of migrants in the European Union, based on a new research paper he has co-authored with Uuriintuya Batsaikhan and Inês Gonçalves Raposo. Joining him on 'The Sound of Economics' is Manu Bhardwaj, vice president for research and insights at the Mastercard Centre for Inclusive Growth, while Sean Gibson takes the reins of his first podcast as the new Bruegel press officer. Zsolt Darvas has written several blogs ahead of the release of the research paper, the issues of which are discussed in this episode: [How the EU has become an immigration area](http://bru.gl/2AXuNIm) by Zsolt Darvas [Support for intra-EU mobility of people is on the rise](http://bru.gl/2nRx2HH) by Zsolt Darvas [The challenge of fostering financial inclusion of refugees](http://bru.gl/2AhUHml) by Zsolt Darvas In addition, watch Bruegel's event on the same topic: [Better policies for people on the move](http://bru.gl/2B9Qx3t) SPEAKERS  Manu Bhardwaj, Vice President for Research and Insights, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, & Zsolt Darvas, Senior Fellow, Bruegel PRODUCTION  Sean Gibson & Giuseppe Porcaro

Data has the potential to help fuel social change across the world, yet many relevant datasets remain locked away and siloed across government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations. What kind of collaboration does it take to make this data available to different actors working to create change? In a series of TED-style talks, Melinda Rolfs of the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, John Wilbanks of Sage Bionetworks, Greg Bloom of Civic Hall Labs and Open Referral, and ST Mayer of Code for America talk about how to develop not only the right tools, but also the right relationships to make data collaboration happen. Jake Porway of DataKind then leads a discussion on how we can collectively harness data for the greater good. View the slides from this session here. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/unlocking_data_and_unleashing_its_potential

Today, approximately two billion people lack access to financial services. Because of their exclusive reliance on cash, these individuals operate in a “shadow economy,” are subject to greater criminal activity, higher transaction costs, and do not enjoy the same opportunities, benefits, and protections of traditional bank accounts and financial services. Last year, the World Bank and several organizations from the public and private sector announced a commitment to extend basic financial services to everyone by 2020. -- Shamina Singh, the President of Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth, discussed the importance of financial inclusion to the U.S. and global economy and how governments, private sector leaders and philanthropic organizations have been focused on research and solutions to address these issues and foster greater inclusion. -- Featuring: Shamina Singh, President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Chair of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Yuwa Hedrick-Wong is the Chief Economist and Chair of the Academic Advisory Council at MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth – a group that just might make you doubt what you think you know about multinational financial organizations.  He’s also the Global Economic Advisor for MasterCard Worldwide. Prior to his global role, he was Economic Advisor to MasterCard in Asia/Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. He has served as economic strategist and advisor to over fifty leading multinational companies, advised executives and boards of directors for over 100 leading international businesses, and has delivered key note addresses at various prestigious business conferences around the world.  He is a regular commentator interviewed on CNBC, BBC World, CNN, CCTV (China), CBN (Shanghai), BTV (Beijing), Channel News Asia, Bloomberg Forum and many others. Hedrick-Wong believes that economic growth drives shared prosperity – that it is not just limited to a single class or group of individuals. The Center for Inclusive Growth works to expand the middle class—in both developing and developed nations —in order for a better sharing of the benefits of economic development. According to Hedrick Wong, “in this situation, there is large-scale betterment—a boost to the common good—and growth for MasterCard’s business as well: a win-win process.” He stresses the importance of taking this a step further. “We work with governments to create a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusive growth—and of equity,” he explains. “The impact of this can lead to being a win-win-win situation.” It’s a revolutionary approach to economic development.  And one we delve into during this extended interview.