27 June is International SMB Day, and we are celebrating small and medium-sized businesses for their role in driving innovation and creating opportunity. Despite their size, SMBs collectively make a huge impact on economic growth and stability – from our own research, we have found that women-owned businesses benefit the most from improvements in digital trade.
In 2018, we launched the Women Exporters Programme (WEP) to equip women entrepreneurs with essential skills to thrive in the global marketplace. And with The UPS Foundation and ITC SheTrades, we are delivering virtual business classes to women in all corners of the world.
Here is just one of our success stories to date:
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc heard the cries of her community when it came to the lack of access to healthcare. Answering the call, she founded Vietcare Solutions in 2011 to bring better quality medical supplies to the country.
Through the WEP, we equipped her with the tools to refine what makes her company special and her pitch. These upgrades resulted in her securing a nearly $25,000 loan which allowed Vietcare Solutions to expand and enter the Cambodian market.
‘No matter how difficult the obstacles I face, the passion I have for my work always takes me to the finish line’, Nguyen said. Her grit and determination led her to a solution.
At UPS, we believe that when women thrive, communities thrive. Alongside ITC SheTrades, we have:
- Positively impacted, directly and indirectly, over 308,000 lives, setting a foundation for sustainable and inclusive growth.
- Delivered trade-related technical training to over 18,000 women. 85% of the participants reported improvements in business and financial strategies/operations.
- Generated millions of dollars in new business and investment opportunities.
For more information on how ITC SheTrades and WEP are lending a helping hand to women entrepreneurs across the globe, visit here.
Looking to support businesses for International SMB Week? Check out our summer buy guide featuring some of our favourite SMB customers.