Dubai, 1 June 05 (WAM) - With an eye to the business community, theUnited Nations World Food Programme (WFP), its partner TNT, the globalprovider of mail express and logistics services and Maplecroft, the CorporateResponsibility specialist, launched today a Map of Global Hunger2005, which shows how companies can engage in fighting hunger worldwide.
The interactive Map, launched during the World Economic Forum AfricaEconomic Summit in Capetown, is the latest in the Maplecroft "Global Maps"series, a WFP press release said.
It is a business tool providing not only information - hunger hotspots,an analysis of trends and countries most at risk of malnutrition - butalso the case for corporate intervention as well as a framework for action.
"The benefits of WFP partnering with businesses in carrying out ourhumanitarian work are already proven. Our speed in providing food totsunami survivors and reaching the hungry in remote parts of Africa areclear examples. This Map will help us persuade more corporate partnersto come on board with WFP," said John Powell, WFP Deputy Executive Director.
The Map has been produced in response to increasing demand fromthe business community to understand and address the long-term issuesassociated with hunger. It was researched, designed and developed byMaplecroft in collaboration with WFP and supported by TNT in line withits long-standing partnership and commitment to the world's largest humanitarianagency.
Jeffrey Rowland, Director of Private Donor Relations, WFP and LudoOelrich, Program Director responsible for the WFP partnership at TNT willpresent the Map for the first time to members of the business communityat the Forum Africa Economic Summit workshop entitled "Taking Action toEliminate Hunger:What the Private Sector Can Do." Each year, WFP provides food assistance to an average of 90 millionpoor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 56 million hungrychildren, in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries. Since 2002,TNT has been an active partner of WFP, committing its knowledge, skillsand resources to help WFP tackle the greatest logistics challenge of all:fighting world hunger.
"Corporate social responsibility is now a benchmark for most companieswishing to attract quality employees as well as customers," said TNT'sLudo Oelrich. "As the developed world becomes more aware of how wholepopulations are ravaged by hunger, there is a growing need to inform andguide businesses wishing to step forward and help.""Besides the desire of both stakeholders and staff to assist the developingworld, it is also a fact that when people have enough food to eat thispromotes stability which in turn, stimulates emerging markets," Oelrichadded.
