Economic empowerment made-to-measure: How companies can benefit more people

Industry Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an industry investment rating [1][2][3] Core Viewpoints - The report focuses on economic empowerment and how companies can benefit more people by improving income and affordability [1][9][16] - It analyzes 120 economies, covering 90% of the global population, categorized into lower-income (GDP per capita < $5,000), middle-income ($5,000-$20,000), and higher-income (>$20,000) groups [2] - The empowerment line is defined as the private cash expenditure required for basic needs, including a 10% allocation for recreation and a 5% savings buffer [3][5] - The report estimates the share of the population below the empowerment line using consumption and distribution data [6] - It highlights the importance of stable jobs with sufficient wages and affordable essential goods (housing, food, transportation, healthcare, education) for economic empowerment [12][16] Income Analysis - The report uses four labor market metrics: working-age population, labor force participation, unemployment rates, and stable jobs with sufficient wages [12] - For countries with GDP per capita > $10,000, it considers time-related underemployment and low-pay rates, while for those < $10,000, it focuses on formal employment share [13] - The analysis identifies best-performing countries based on labor market metrics and estimates the population that could be lifted to empowerment by improving one element [14][15] Cost Analysis - The report calculates a "lowest-cost line" for essential goods and services, excluding statistical outliers and identifying top-quartile economies [18][19] - It estimates the population that could achieve empowerment through improved affordability by comparing costs to the lowest-cost line [20] Cost-to-Impact Ratios - The report evaluates cost-to-impact ratios for initiatives aimed at economic empowerment, using external data and academic assumptions [21] - It notes that ratios may improve with better targeting or more substantial benefits, such as supporting housing for low-wage employees [22]