This three part case series centers on a new business model developed by Hindustan Lever (HLL) to tap the business and sustainability potentials hidden in rural India. It focuses on a win-win partnership with rural, female self-help groups (SHGs). HLL assists SHGs to access micro credit, which is usually restricted. SHGs in turn buy HLL products and sell them in their villages in a decentralized way, thus creating various opportunities for rural communities such as training and income opportunities for women as well as better overall living conditions for their families. The A-case describes the cornerstones and key decisions reached during the inception phase of the project. It details the value chain and expected deliverables for the stakeholder groups. This first case of the series ends when the system has been set up and launched, but reveals none of the actual results.

The B-case of this three part series shows how performance lagged behind expectations. Women dropped out of the scheme, sales decreased during the harvest season, and the system risked losing momentum. HLL needed to decide whether to wait for the system to eventually take off, or to implement changes to the complex system of interdependent variables and players. This case shows how a mere innovation, as outlined in the A-case, is insufficient to create a sustainable model. Learning, facing reality, and giving the system time to evolve are key success factors.

The C-case of this three part series presents the actual changes that were implemented, the rather impressive successes achieved over time, and HLL's vision for the future. Within less than a decade, HLL hopes to build a pool of 100,000 self-employed women covering 500,000 villages, and reaching 500 million people, thus creating opportunities for rural women and their families to live in improved conditions and raise their overall standard of living.