Scaling of inclusive, responsible and sustainable business models

This report analyses how Inclusive, Responsible and Sustainable Business Models (IRSBMs) can drive systemic change in agricultural and extractive value chains. The concept of IRSBMs was developed within Oxfam’s FAIR for ALL programme to frame how business models can address systemic social and environmental challenges

Drawing on literature and case studies, it identifies four scaling pathways:

• expansion within firms
• replication by like-minded businesses
• adaptation by conventional firms
• institutionalisation through legal reform

It argues that firm-level innovation alone is insufficient; achieving scale requires supportive conditions in producer organisations, services, markets and governance. Without addressing structural constraints and root causes - such as power imbalances and weak regulation - IRSBMs risk remaining isolated successes.

The report outlines strategic roles for civil society, including capacity building, evidence generation, coalition building and policy advocacy, and proposes a framework to guide decisions on which scaling mechanisms to pursue.