Small Business Champions Winners

Winners

Professional association "Accompagnements Valeurs Expertises Conseils" (A.V.E.C) (Benin).

A.V.E.C (Support, Values, Expertise, Advice) is an independent network of private and public actors regulated by the law on associations. It is a multisectoral skills promoter that supports the initiatives of small and medium-sized enterprises, helping them to build their capacity to achieve the sustainable development of these initiatives, thus contributing to improving their socio–economic and professional impact.

• Project title:  Stratégie de réduction de l'impact carbone et optimisation énergétique des MPME béninoises (Strategy for carbon impact reduction and energy optimization of MSMEs in Benin)

• Description: The overall objective of the project is to build the capacities of MSMEs in Benin in industrial decarbonization good practices. Specifically, it will seek to :
  • Improve the knowledge of 600 MSMEs on decarbonization processes for industry
  • Support 600 small food businesses in defining their decarbonization strategies
  • Assist 600 MSMEs in implementing their strategies to reduce their carbon footprints

The project will be carried out over 10 months.

ITC article

Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) (Tanzania).

TCCIA is a private sector organization that has chamber branch offices in all 26 regions of Tanzania and more than 120 disctricts in the mainland. To facilitate the highest standard of value to its members, TCCIA offers a wide range of services including advocacy, international trade facilitation through issuance of certificates of origin, business planning and event coordination (trade fairs and trade missions), business networking, business training etc.

• Title of the project: Tanzania Go Green Project

• Description: A major goal of TCCIA is enhancing green production for economic development and environmental sustainability. Tanzania Go Green Project will raise awareness among businesses and policymakers about the difficulties MSMEs encounter in relation to decarbonization; highlight best practices that are helping small businesses to decarbonize their production and become more sustainable; and support small businesses' participation in international trade with a view to address climate change and business resilience through:
  • Workshops on green production. This will include a three-day capacity building workshop in each of the 8 regions of Tanzania mainland for 50 MSMEs in each region.
  • Conducting a summit with over 20 MSMEs, policymakers, NGOs and international organizations with a focus onleading to the transition to a green economy.

ITC article

Runners-up

Inclusive Trade Ltd (United Kingdom).

Inclusive Trade is an “eco-commerce” marketplace for sustainability vetted MSMEs. Inclusive Trade’s global community brings together sustainable MSMEs, conscious consumers, ethically driven businesses and industry stakeholders to create shared value for a sustainable future. Inclusive Trade aims to eliminate greenwashing and enable transparency across the value chain by vetting and verifying micro-businesses (MSMEs) for sustainability impact globally.

• Title of the project: Global MSMEs Verified for Impact

• Description: The objective of this project is to make accessible a self-assessment verification tool kit (backed by the UN SDGs), to MSMEs and to train them to measure and report on their sustainability to enable them to commence on their trajectory to becoming “the green” companies of the future and to start actively participating in global value chains.

Sidley Austin Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program

A premier international law firm, Sidley Austin's Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program (EE program) was established in 2012 and has provided quality legal services to 210+ impact-driven businesses, NGOs, and trade associations across 55+ developing countries. In collaboration with key allies and partners, the EEPB also contributes to strengthening the entrepreneurial and social innovation ecosystem by providing trainings and capacity building workshops to enhance the legal skills of entrepreneurs, government officials, and business associations.

• Title of the project: Key Legal Issues for Advancing Sustainable Business Practices

• Description: The Emerging Enterprise Pro Bono Program (EEPB) proposes a four-part workshop series for SMEs to unpack the legal issues key to implementing green business practices, scale up sustainably, access green finance and engage in carbon neutral business transactions. The workshop series will provide a practical approach to tackling these issues, tailored to enterprises in developing countries and with limited resources.