In close cooperation with Miguel Camacho, ProFound provided a workshop on behalf of Helvetas. Together with Miguel we helped to reinforce capacities of business support organisations (BSOs) to deliver demand-driven, value-added services that promote exports of BioTrade natural ingredients. The workshop provided international best-case examples of services to companies. For example trade fair organisation, certification training, export market planning and buyer missions. In addition, the workshop linked BSOs to trade promotion organisations in their countries. This link helps BSOs to discuss how to implement these services in practice.
During the workshop the BSOs designed their service portfolio and did initial activity planning. In the coming year, the team will work with the BSOs to implement these plans and to launch the first services to their members. These services include:
- organising country pavilions at Biofach South East Asia,
- workshops on cosmetic sector trends in Europe and the United States, and
- the development of national standards.