Call for proposals: Small Business Champions
Join the competition and become a Champion!
As the urgency for action to address climate change increases, innovation by businesses of all sizes will be critical to achieve sustainability targets. Domestic and international supply chains represent an estimated 90% of corporate emissions according to WEF, and small businesses play an integral part.
Providing them with tools to reduce their carbon footprint and spotlighting sustainability innovations is the goal of the Small Business Champions initiative.
And this is where you can step in!
Are you an organization that supports small businesses? Are you a non-governmental organization that empowers small businesses and entrepreneurs through your development work? Are you a small business working towards environmental sustainability?
Become a Small Business Champion!
The World Trade Organization’s Informal Working Group of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, together with the International Chamber of Commerce and the International Trade Centre, calls for your “green” ideas.
The winning proposals will be announced at Building Bridges held in Geneva and online from 3 to 6 October 2022.
With this competition, your ideas will not only raise awareness of the difficulties small businesses are facing when it comes to decarbonization but will also promote best practices in becoming more sustainable in international trade.
Background
The Small Business Champions competition was launched in 2021 by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the WTO Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). This year’s edition was announced at a joint launch event on 27 June 2022.
CALL FOR PROPOSAL: THE FINE PRINT
What should the proposal entail?
- Proposals can focus on awareness-raising campaigns, competitions, capacity building, training and mentoring programmes.
- Proposals should have a target completion date of one year as of initiation.
- Proposals should be designed to be delivered by the entity making the proposal and should not focus on WTO negotiations, or proposed changes to WTO rules.
- The ICC, ITC and the WTO MSME Group will use their networks to support and promote successful proposals.
How to submit proposals
Proposals are open to the private sector, business support organizations and NGOs and should:
- detail the concept, aims, timelines and other information as appropriate.
- be no longer than three pages.
- be sent to smallbusinesschampions [at] wto.org (smallbusinesschampions[at]wto[dot]org) in Word or PDF format by 15 August 2022.
When submitting a proposal, please ensure that the following points are covered:
- name of the organization
- contact person (name, telephone, email)
- short description of the organization
- short bios of the persons implementing the project
- name of the proposed project
- timeline for the project (not longer than 12 months)
- challenge faced/issue to be addressed
- short description of the project, including activities to be organized
- aim(s) of the project (including any specific outcomes)
- how promotion by the ICC, ITC and WTO MSME Informal Working Group can support your proposal.
Selection process
The selection of proposals will be carried out by members of the WTO MSME Group, and representatives of the ICC, ITC, and WTO MSME Group.
Winners will be announced the first week of October 2022 within the 2022 Edition of Building Bridges in Geneva,
Switzerland.
Award
Winning submissions will be highlighted by the ICC, ITC and the WTO MSME Group through their communication channels and receive recognition during Building Bridges, to be held in Geneva on 3-6 October 2022. Winners will also receive a certificate.
For more information on the Proposal and the Initiative, visit:
WTO | ICC-ITC-WTO MSME Group Small Business Champions
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