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Jul 22, 2021

Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania under the Finance2Equal Tanzania

This case study presents findings and recommendations of a survey done in 2020 by IFC in partnership with Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania under the Finance2Equal Tanzania program. The study explores family-friendly workplace policies implemented by the bank and how employers can implement gender-smart strategies that support gender inclusion and yield benefits for companies.

Jul 19, 2021

Public Sector Advisory Operations in Fragile African Markets

The report, Public Sector Advisory Operations in Fragile African Markets, presents lessons learned and recommendations for improving project delivery of public sector advisory projects aimed at supporting governments' finance, private sector, and entrepreneurship agenda in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Jul 19, 2021

Creating Markets in Malawi: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Malawi Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints, & policy recommendations for private sector development.

English | 129 pages | 2021 IFC

Jul 8, 2021

Navigating through COVID-19: Country snapshots on how the pandemic affected MSMEs in the Middle East and Africa

These country snapshots look at the state of business operations in countries across the Middle East and Africa and how businesses are navigating the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The notes look at three main areas: The financial health and resilience of the MSME sector in the country, the crisis response and future plans of businesses, and MSME support needed from governments and financial institutions.

Jul 6, 2021

Fiji TC Yasa Business Survey

Tropical Cyclone Yasa (TC Yasa) crossed Fiji on December 17-19, 2020. It was one of the strongest cyclones recorded in the Pacific and the second Category 5 cyclone to hit Fiji since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

Jul 2, 2021

Architectural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Products in Nepal

Jul 2, 2021

Blended Concessional Finance—The Benefits of Transparency and Access

Blended concessional finance, the combination of commercial finance from the private sector and development finance institutions (DFIs) with concessional finance from public and other sources, is increasingly being used by DFIs to support developmentally important projects where normal DFI or commercial finance is not available because of the high risks involved.

English | 8 pages—July—Note 105 | IFC 2021

Jun 29, 2021

Sourcing2Equal Kenya: Barriers and Approaches to Increase Access to Markets for Women- Owned Businesses

An IFC Sourcing2Equal study on gender-inclusive sourcing to understand the barriers that women-owned SMEs face in accessing procurement contracts in the private sector in Kenya

Jun 28, 2021

Creating Markets in Mozambique: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Mozambique CPSD provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints and policy recommendations.

English | 246 pages | 2021 IFC

Jun 25, 2021

Leading Tanzanian Women in Financial Services

Tanzania’s financial services sector is an important engine of economic growth and includes banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, and credit reference bureaus.

Jun 22, 2021

Creating Markets in Bangladesh: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

Bangladesh Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) evaluates constraints to realizing private sector potential, identifies strategic entry points for private investment.

English | 172 pages | 2021 IFC

Jun 21, 2021

Barriers and Opportunities for Refugee Women to Engage in the Digital Economy

The digital economy 1 can offer a new and promising path forward for people seeking employment across the globe. Online platforms are altering the future of work, reducing barriers to entry and blurring the distinction between formal and informal labor.

English | 75 pages | 2021 IFC

Jun 17, 2021

Enabling A Competitive Mobile Sector in Emerging Markets Through the Development of Tower Companies

Sharing mobile network infrastructure through specialized companies called towercos is a business model with the potential to accelerate access to quality mobile connectivity for individuals and businesses in emerging markets. A significant number of developing countries have yet to adopt this model, however, and many others continue to struggle with competition issues within their tower markets. This note provides the rationale and policy options for a light regulatory regime that can enable the entry and sustainable development of a dynamic market for towercos in emerging markets. The note also discusses the evolution of the towerco model into small cells and distributed antenna systems, both of which help enable high-speed mobile connectivity technologies like 4G and 5G.

English | 8 pages—June—Note 104 | IFC 2021

Jun 17, 2021

Focus 15: Sustainability Committees: Structure and Practices

This paper proposes the sustainability committee as a mechanism for managing and governing sustainability and provides guidance on this issue to directors and senior managers. It draws from good practice examples of sustainability committees in both developed and emerging markets, which include: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Jun 17, 2021

Food Safety Reforms, Learning from the Best

This report was developed as part of IFC’s advisory activities to support and strengthen food safety systems in emerging markets.

English | 146 pages | IFC 2021

Jun 16, 2021

Demand for Digital Skills in Sub-Saharan Africa

The study was conducted jointly by IFC and the World Bank as part of the Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) initiative under the broader umbrella of the Human Capital Project (HCP) framework. The DE4A initiative seeks to harness the digital technologies and innovation to transform Africa’s societies and economies to promote Africa’s integration, generate inclusive economic growth and stimulate job creation. The HCP aims to accelerate more, and better investments aimed at better equity and economic growth.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

14 pages | © June 2021 IFC | Complimentary

Jun 3, 2021

The Power of Batteries to Expand Renewable Energy in Emerging Markets

The global power and transportation sectors of the future will be fundamentally different from today, igniting opportunities for investment in new technologies that can bolster resilience and lower carbon emissions. One of those key technologies is batteries, which are creating increasingly compelling solutions for storing and distributing renewable energy.

Jun 3, 2021

Hydrogen's New Horizon— Scaling Up Clean Hydrogen for the Power Sector

EMERGING ENERGY SOLUTIONS A series on emerging energy trends and opportunities from IFC

Jun 3, 2021

Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)

The Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) was developed to support countries’ efforts to build capacity of State ownership entities, SOE boards, and SOE senior management.

Jun 3, 2021

Emerging Energy Solutions

Emerging Energy Solutions

May 27, 2021

Small Business, Big Growth: How Investing in SMEs Creates Jobs

This report aims to capture the key constraints that SMEs typically confront and provide a methodology better suited to measuring the job creation effects of SME finance initiatives by DFIs like IFC.

English | 102 pages | IFC 2021

May 26, 2021

Women and e-commerce in Southeast Asia

Across the globe, e-commerce is thriving. In Southeast Asia, the e-commerce market has tripled in size since 2015, and it is expected to triple again by 2025. Two new IFC reports show that this growth could be even higher if we invest in women entrepreneurs on e-commerce platforms.

English | IFC 2021

May 26, 2021

Women and e-commerce in Africa

Across the globe, e-commerce is thriving. In Africa, the number of online shoppers has increased by an average of 18 percent every year since 2014, with similar growth anticipated over the next decade. IFC’s latest report shows that this growth could be even higher if we invest in the women entrepreneurs on e-commerce platforms.