News from the Partners in Transformation

IPD supports the economic participation of women

Often underestimated – in foreign trade, too: WOMEN  

There are many opportunities on offer in foreign trade, not only for economic development in partner countries but also for the equal treatment of women in everyday business contexts. This is why the Import Promotion Desk, as a member of Partners in Transformation – Business & Development Network, is actively committed to a feminist development policy. As export volumes increase, female entrepreneurs are able to expand production, create new jobs, generate investment capital and support social and environmental projects in their local communities. 

Within the framework of corporate development, one of IPD’s goals is to create new employment, and training and career opportunities for women. IPD specifically promotes companies led by women. The services on offer include networking, coaching and training as well as matchmaking with European companies.  The services IPD offers take the special needs of companies headed by women into account, which often face prejudice and discrimination.  

Find out more about specific IPD projects, such as the Women in Global Trade network, the current mentoring programme and the training offered by export promotion organisations in partner countries on our website here.  

Contact 
IPD – Import Promotion Desk 
Tabea Mack  
Head of Sourcing + Märkte (IPD Büro Bonn) 
mack(at)importpromotiondesk.de   

Caption:
At SIAL – the world’s leading food industry trade show – in Paris in October 2024, the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) invited female entrepreneurs and women working in foreign trade to the IPD network’s kick-off event ‘Women in Global Trade’. At the evening event, the network idea Women in Global Trade and future projects were presented. 
(c) IPD

DSIK offers new instructional videos

Sustainability and risk management for financial institutions worldwide 

The German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) makes available the knowledge and expertise of the German Sparkassen Finance Group in order to promote financial inclusion in partner countries. As part of the Business Membership Organisation Partnerships (KVP) programme, DSIK cooperates with partner institutions in the financial sector in order to promote private sector development and contribute to achieving the SDGs. 

For financial institutions worldwide, climate change and environmental and social governance (ESG) criteria pose new challenges – from risk analyses through to the development of comprehensive sustainability strategies. DSIK provides support in the form of two specialised tools: 

• Sustainable Finance Compass: financial institutions can develop a tailored sustainability strategy for all business areas and proceed with the targeted implementation of ESG goals. To learn more about SFC click here   
• ESG Risk Radar: this tool enables financial institutions to obtain a complete overview of ESG and climate risks in their credit portfolio and identify possible risk concentrations in order to take prompt countermeasures. To learn more about ESG click here.

Our instructional videos show you how these tools support financial institutions worldwide in effectively implementing sustainability goals and managing climate-related risks. Find out how we can jointly drive sustainable transformation in the finance industry.

Trade unions support socio-ecological transformation: Partnership-based advisory services and support for local trade unions

sequa launches trade union partnerships in a new programme under the BMZ initiative Partners in Transformation.    

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has expanded its offer of cooperation with the private sector. With immediate effect, German trade unions and their institutions can now obtain funding via sequa gGmbH for partnership projects with trade union organisations in BMZ partner countries. The new trade union partnerships reflect the closer integration of employee representation bodies in international economic development. 

The trade union partnerships mobilise the specialist know-how and many years of experience of German trade unions with the aim of promoting the socio-ecological transformation in partner countries. Central themes include creating good, high-quality employment, promoting sustainable and fair economic development and strengthening economic participation, especially for women. As well as sharing know-how, the focus is on partnership-based advisory services and support for local trade unions. 
 
Within the framework of the trade union partnerships, the German trade unions and their institutions operate as the lead executing agency and implement the projects in close cooperation with their local partners. Together, they set goals and implement the measures. Cooperation typically focuses on themes such as 

• Improving the partners’ internal structures and processes 
• Developing and optimising services for employees 
• Promoting social dialogue and improving advocacy for better conditions 
• Improving training content and methods relevant in practice. 

The first trade union partnership in Ukraine
The launch of the first partnership is scheduled for the end of 2024 in Ukraine. In the project, the German Education Union (GEW) will be cooperating with the Ukrainian Trade Union of Education and Science Workers (TUESWU) in order to strengthen trade union work in the Ukrainian education sector and improve advocacy for employees in their dealings with policymakers. 

Project proposals for trade union partnerships are welcome 
Interested German trade unions can submit their ideas in the form of a project outline to sequa (contact: Matthias Hertin, matthias.hertin(at)sequa.de). You will find further information and a template for your project outline at www.sequa.de under ‘Tools’.  

The trade union partnerships are offered under the umbrella programme Partners in Transformation run by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The aim is to promote cooperation with the private sector.  
 

develoPPP: 25 years of win-win for business and development

The article on the successes and impact figures from 25 years of cooperation between develoPPP and the private sector can be found here.

If you have any successes to report or would like to congratulate the participants and partners on this special anniversary: You can find the collective commitment on LinkedIn under the hashtag#25yearsdeveloPPP and further information under #develoPPP or visit the develoPPP website for information on the programme.