In 2018, UPS and The UPS Foundation launched the Women Exporters Programme (WEP), a global initiative empowering entrepreneurs to trade across borders and grow their businesses worldwide.
How the programme works: Through collaborations with governments, non-governmental organisations and partners like the International Trade Centre and Pro Mujer, UPS helps entrepreneurs worldwide overcome trade barriers – providing training in e-commerce, financing, logistics and trade regulations.
New this year: We are expanding our programme to Chennai, India, empowering 1,000 local entrepreneurs with digital skills and tools to help them navigate global markets.
‘Small businesses are the driving force behind economic growth’, said La’Kerri Jackson, global director of social impact at UPS. ‘Expanding this impactful work to India opens new doors for prosperity for thousands more, bringing us one step closer to one of The UPS Foundation’s most ambitious goals – positively impacting 1 billion lives by 2040.’
Through public-private partnerships, WEP has:
- Empowered over 130,000 small business owners with trainings and resources.
- Provided 20,000 entrepreneurs access to capital through our partnership with Opportunity International.
- Strengthened small businesses worldwide through a partnership with the International Trade Centre, impacting over 3,000 entrepreneurs in 2024 across 71 countries – mainly in Africa, Asia and Latin America – through workshops, webinars and coaching.
Growing globally: ‘The Women Exporters Programme has made a remarkable impact on small businesses globally’, said La’Kerri. ‘In 2024 alone, we invested $10 million to advance programmes supporting international entrepreneurs – with 95% of participants reporting improved skills in digital integration, data analytics, export readiness and business growth.’
Would you like to get involved? Register for virtual workshops here: www.ups.com/womenexporters.