Introduction
The “Promoting a better enabling environment for Green and Inclusive Business in Ghana” (the GIBee) is a landscape study financed by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the Private and Financial Sector (PFS) programme and implemented in cooperation with the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA). The project is being implemented by CDC Consult Limited in collaboration with Dr Armin Bauer, an International Consultant, and Inclusive Business expert.
Background
Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana are critical to achieving the economic growth and development. MSMEs form the foundation of private economic activity in Ghana, accounting for approximately 70% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And employ approximately 85% of the workforce in Ghana[1]. However, unemployment remains one of the country’s major economic challenges and this was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In view of this, the GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is supporting the Ghanaian Government to tackle the high rate of unemployment, collaborating in the promotion of green jobs, and supporting local vaccine production via the Support to the Private and Financial Sector (PFS) programme which commenced in January 2023.
This project is supporting with implementation of one (1) of four (4) outputs of the PFS which is focused on promoting green business opportunities for MSMEs in Ghana. The project will build upon previous GIZ experience in implementing an Inclusive Business (IB) Approach. The Inclusive Business Approach assumes that there are four billion poor people living at the Economic Base of the Pyramid (BoP), and companies operating Inclusive Business models try to tap into this underserved global consumer market by seeking innovative ways to integrate the poor on:
- the demand side as customers e.g., by providing the BoP with access to essential goods and services; and
- on the supply side as distributors, suppliers of goods and services, or employees by creating new livelihood and income-generation opportunities for the poor.
Purpose and Objectives of the GIBee
The purpose of this project is to contribute to a better enabling environment for Inclusive Business (IB) and Inclusive and Green Businesses (IGB) in Ghana and to set up a programme in support of IB/ IGB. This is expected to contribute to green and inclusive growth and have a more long-term and systemic impact that leads to just transformation of the Ghanaian economy. The specific objectives are: Raise awareness on Inclusive Green Businesses (IGB) among key relevant stakeholders in Ghana; Assess companies with and potential to transition into IB, IGB, and GB models and profile them; Analyse the enabling environment for IGB in Ghana; Develop policy recommendations for IGB promotion in Ghana; Help the government set up a system to institutionalise IGB support.
Scope of the GIBee Ghana
Deriving from the above project objectives, the following scope of the project shall include:
- Advertise an Expression of Interest (EOI) through public call, business, and trade associations and through direct targeted approach.
- Development of a comprehensive IB/IGB company assessment rating tool
- Development of comprehensive /B/IGB Key Informant Interview (KII) guides
- Development of policy stakeholders interview guides
- Conduct of IB/IGB company assessment and development of assessment report
- Conduct of IB/IGB policy stakeholders’ interviews.
- Develop IB/IGB policy recommendations report that will create incentives for IB/IGB in Ghana.
- Facilitate the development and institutionalise an IB/IGB accreditation system in Ghana.
- Organise sensitisation workshops to create awareness of IB/IGB models in Ghana.
- Provide training and coaching support to potential IB/IGB businesses.
[1] SME Competitiveness in Ghana (International Trade Centre -2016)