How can you promote international matches between entrepreneurs that are both profitable and sustainable? Join us in Sustainable Match-making!

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is high on the agenda of many companies that do business in Africa and Asia, but where and how can you find a matching company in emerging markets? In return, local entrepreneurs in Africa and Asia are looking for investors, business partners and advisors that can support them on the long-term.

The Agri-ProFocus network, together with Oxfam Novib and MVO Nederland, has come up with an initiative called Sustainable Match. Sustainable Match is ‘a learning agenda aimed at developing a methodology for realising sustainable matchmaking between entrepreneurs (small & medium) in developing countries and the Netherlands.’ Concretely, this means that as a start two missions will be organised to Bangladesh (16-22 March) and Uganda (second half of May) in which local companies will meet with Dutch entrepreneurs and explore opportunities for cooperation.

Not another trade mission
The difference with earlier kinds of ‘trade missions’ organised by the Netherlands, is that the point of departure is the need expressed by SMEs in emerging markets. Before taking part in a sustainable match, they are coached to write or fine-tune a business proposition. Only after that, a match with the Netherlands is sought.

A second difference with other trade missions is the emphasis on socially and environmentally responsible entrepreneurship. The Dutch government expects all subsidy-receiving Dutch companies that operate abroad to comply with the OECD Guidelines for Multilateral Enterprises. There is a need to learn how Dutch small-medium enterprises (SMEs) can embed these OECD guidelines in practice. At the same time, we want to know in which way the governmental support programmes for private sector development can create as much CSR impact as possible.

How is Agri-ProFocus involved?
Agri-ProFocus, through the Agri-Hub Uganda, is exploring which local companies are suitable matches for companies in fruits & vegetables from the Netherlands. The Agri-Hub is co-organising this mission in May. In Bangladesh, the Sustainable Match mission (focusing on fruits and vegetables, dairy and fishery) functions as a stepping stone for our plans to start an Agri-Hub there, on the expressed wish of the Dutch Embassy and Agri-ProFocus members.

The first mission to Bangladesh will be a special one, as Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Ms. Lilianne Ploumen will join the entrepreneurs on their journey. We are organising a pre-event at Nyenrode University on 7 February. If you consider participating in this preparatory event (while considering joining the Sustainable Match mission), you can register at www.sustainablematch.com/register.

More information about the Uganda mission will follow as soon as the details are announced.