Micro-enterprises play an essential role in company values chains and in communities. However, many micro-enterprises are struggling to survive and have to contend with multiple challenges. There is growing recognition that no single company, government, donor, or civil society organisation can help micro-enterprises to overcome challenges by providing support on its own. To succeed in the long run, in large numbers, micro-enterprises need a supportive community of organisations working together to remove the multiple barriers to success.
A Framework and Guidelines (available here) to help companies and their development partners enable micro-enterprises within value chains to thrive —and thereby improve business performance and development impact. The Framework can be used to: advocate for greater coordination and collaboration and more systemic approaches, including a more supportive policy environment; guide business’ internal organisational strategy, policies and procedures, and programme design and provide a framework for collaboration, with practical examples from participants’ combined pool of experience and their networks.
12 months, ending Q3 2016