On 18 April 2023 (17:00-18:30 Trinidad and Tobago (AST) (GMT-4), 23:00-00:30 Geneva (CEST) (GMT+2) and 19 April 2023 (07:00-8:30 Port Moresby (GMT+10), 09:00-10:30 Suva (FJT) (GMT+12), ISLANDS will host the first I-GO for ISLANDS collaboration workshop targeting SME stakeholders across SIDS, specifically the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean regions.
Enhancing sustainability – including efficient management chemicals and waste – as well as business productivity are priorities for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) just like any other businesses elsewhere. However, it is often the case that effective solutions that assist SMEs to achieve these goals, and eventually transition to a circular business model are lacking in SIDS.
The I-GO for ISLANDS collaboration aims to assist SMEs across SIDS to achieve those goals by helping them become more resource efficient. Integrating resource efficiency into business practice can help reduce the environmental impact by ensuring a more sustainable consumption and production of resources throughout the full product life cycles. At the same time, the approach helps SMEs maximize economic value by incorporating a restorative and regenerative design to keep products at their highest utility and value.
Targeting SME stakeholders across the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean SIDS, this workshop aims to first set the scene by explaining the basics of resource efficiency and how it can help SME operations in SIDS. It will explain how to most effectively use the I-GO initiative and its I-GO Assistant tool – developed by the Green Industry Platform – to get started on resource efficiency actions adapted to an SME’s specific needs. It will also provide an overview of the I-GO Network specifically for the SME stakeholders (SME-supporting organizations, business associations, chamber of commerce, NGOs, government agencies and more).
The I-GO for ISLANDS is a collaboration between the Global Environment Facility-funded Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing States (ISLANDS) Programme and the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP), which is an ISLANDS Programme’s executing partner and a co-financier. The Green Industry Platform is one of three GGKP’s knowledge platforms.
PROGRAM
Introduction to resource efficiency (Jesse Ojobor, Managing Director, Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Production (RESP) Solutions)
- What resource efficiency really means for an SME?
- How a business’s bottom line can be improved through resource efficiency measures
Introduction to I-GO Initiative and its I-GO Assistant tool (Hannes Mac Nulty, Manager, Green Industry Platform)
- Background explanation of the I-GO initiative
- Detailed explanation of the self-assessment and navigation process using the I-GO Assistant tool in real-time
- Understanding the type of customized recommendations and tailored list of support services that I-GO Assistant delivers
I-GO Network for SME-supporting organizations (Hannes Mac Nulty, Manager, Green Industry Platform)
- How can the I-GO Network help SME-supporting organizations to upscale collaboration and host opportunities to network and share information
- How to join and utilize the Green Forum I-GO Community Space
Q&A session & experience sharing (interactive discussion)
- Questions from the audience on the functionality of the I-GO Assistant tool
- Feedback from SME stakeholders on what they see as the challenges to implementing resource efficiency measures in SIDS and what needs to be strengthened
- Questions and feedback on communicating about the I-GO initiative to SMEs within respective networks
