This publication marks the second edition to the pilot UNDP/Ministry of Investment report entitled Business Solutions for Human Development launched in 2007 at the first International CSR Summit jointly organized by UNDP and the American Chamber of Commerce. The main premise of the 2007 report was to better understand the CSR & philanthropic context in Egypt and to reinforce the role of the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Report showcased a number of innovative private sector and market-based solutions to alleviate poverty building on the UNDP global report entitled Growing Inclusive Markets.

UNDP is driven by a strong conviction that the private sector remains the greatest untapped resource, providing both investment and innovation, both of which are vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is in this context that the second edition of Report entitled "Development at a crossroads: the rising role of the private sector in Egypt" was produced. The Report has been prepared by a team of independent authors within the framework of a joint project of collaboration between UNDP and Industrial Modernization Center (IMC), namely the Egyptian Corporate Responsibly Center (ECRC).

The 2016 report does a trend analysis focusing on new forms of private sectorengagement in society including: Base of the Pyramid (BOP) business models, social enterprise, supply chain integration, environmental protection and sustainability while also maintaining a strong emphasis on the importance of corporate governance, combating corruption, gender equality, business compliance & promotion of the UN Global Compact principles. The 2016 report demonstrates good practices of business engagement, identifies gaps and proposes some approaches to better include the poor in market economies. The strong policy angle in the report relates much to the way forward for all stakeholders including government, civil society, and private sector and how they can all work in partnership to contribute to the achievement of the newly endorsed SDGs.