Professor Myriam Sidibe Urges Corporates to Blend Profit with Purpose in Africa

By The Inspirer.

14 September 2025 — Professor Myriam Sidibe has returned to the TED Global stage with a powerful call for corporations to rethink how they do business in Africa.

In her latest talk, “Sex, Soap and Alcohol,” the long-time advocate for ethical business urged companies to design models that combine profit-making with people-driven programmes tackling the continent’s most urgent social issues.

“Everyone talks about building a better world. But without a business model designed to get us there, it’s just wishful thinking,” Sidibe said. “In the private sector, we’ve seen a retreat. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion scaled back. Environmental, Social, and Governance diluted. Brands once bold are now afraid of being called ‘woke’.”

Sidibe, who serves as Chief Mission Officer at Brands on a Mission (BoaM), emphasized that African citizens increasingly expect brands to be active players in solving local problems — from health and education to gender-based violence.

She highlighted the severe health challenges facing women and girls. Each year, 8.3 million women undergo unsafe abortions, while 210,000 die from pregnancy-related causes. At the same time, 42 million women receive no treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear a disproportionate burden of HIV, with women and girls accounting for 63% of new infections.

BoaM has partnered with governments and corporates to respond to these challenges, including through Fatima, an AI-powered YouTube series that gives teenage girls a platform to discuss issues such as contraception, mental health, and safe spaces to grow and learn — often considered taboo topics.

Sidibe also recalled her role in spearheading a global handwashing campaign that brought together corporations, NGOs, governments, and academics. The initiative aimed to save one million babies annually in Africa by promoting handwashing with soap. It ultimately changed the behaviour of one billion people worldwide and helped propel Lifebuoy into a billion-dollar brand, showing that social impact and profit can go hand in hand.

In South Africa, Carling Black Label’s #NoExcuse campaign provided another example. By working with township groups, the beer brand encouraged men to embrace “strength through respect” to combat gender-based violence. The initiative sparked a 40% increase in men speaking publicly against abuse, while also strengthening consumer trust.

“Brands can become powerful forces for dignity and change,” Sidibe concluded. “Supporting programmes that promote change means creating value for both business and society — not doing it alone, not doing it overnight, but doing it with purpose.”