The Base of the Pyramid Protocol Initiative

The Base of the Pyramid (BoP) Protocol Initiative is an action research program launched in 2003 to develop and refine a corporate innovation process geared for the unique challenge of sustainably serving Base of the Pyramid markets.

The initial framework for the BoP Protocol process was developed in 2004 through an intensive four-day design workshop at the Johnson Foundation's Wingspread Conference Center. The workshop brought together a diverse mix of social entrepreneurs and non-governmental organizations, a dozen managers from the project's four corporate sponsors, and thought leaders from various academic fields such as International Development, Social Work, Economic Anthropology, and Design.

Working from this framework, the 1st Edition of the BoP Protocol was released in March 2005. Since then, CSGE has partnered with two corporations to implement the BoP Protocol. The first project was launched in 2005 by S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. in Kenya, and the second was launched in 2006 in India by the Solae Company, a subsidiary of DuPont.

Upcoming BoP Protocol projects are planned in Mexico, the Philippines, and the United States.

Download the BoP Protocol
The recently-released 2nd Edition of the BoP Protocol reflects over three years of in-field learnings from two projects. You can download the BoP Protocol, in its entirety via the links below. If you wish to purchase a print version, please contact Susan Anderson.

• The Base of the Pyramid Protocol, 2nd Edition (2008)
• The Base of the Pyramid Protocol, 1st Edition (2005)

Current Protocol Projects

• S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Kenya
• DuPont/Solae, India