Five Insights from SMEs: An Untapped Force for Global Education
“It’s the force of us all together, no matter the size.” When it comes to improving global educational equity, this is the mindset advocated by Belinda Borck of the Chocolonely Foundation, one of the panelists at Global Business Coalition for Education’s (GBC-Education) launch event for their new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) research conducted by Asibey Consulting.
In 2020, Asibey Consulting partnered with GBC-Education to craft a new initiative that would bring the voices of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) together for positive change. As part of this initiative, the Asibey team explored how SMEs across the globe invest in sectors such as education, health, climate action, and more. With over 70 interviews from 18 countries, this global research culminated in An Untapped Force for Global Education: An exploration of small and medium enterprises.
On February 24, 2021, GBC-Education hosted a webinar and panel discussion of three SME leaders to launch their report. Edith Asibey, the lead researcher, began the event by outlining five key insights from the report.
Why do SMEs support education? The Asibey team noted that overwhelmingly, SMEs that support education do so out of a personal sense of responsibility for the communities that they serve and often live in themselves.
Where do SMEs support education? Personal connection is the main driver for where SME leaders decide to support education locally. In many cases, business owners want to address systemic issues in their own communities, while others choose to support internationally.
Who at SMEs are involved in choosing to support education? “In the case of SMEs, it’s the company leaders, typically the founders, who make the decisions, and who carry on this commitment to support education” said Asibey. For SMEs that have access to more resources, the research found that they often establish their own non-profit organization or corporate foundation.
When do SMEs support education? Asibey noted two distinct patterns from the team’s global research. In one case, “social purpose came first, and the business was developed around it.” In the other case, SMEs first wanted to establish a viable product and business before starting their philanthropic support for education.
How do SMEs support education? Approaches varied greatly. From entrepreneurial methods, to seeking professional advice from philanthropic advisors, each SME has their own way of planning and delivering support in their communities. One key actor Asibey emphasized were intermediary organizations (national nonprofits) who focus on connecting businesses to education. “Since most SMEs don’t have the staff in-house to focus on philanthropic support, intermediary organizations are very valuable,” said Asibey.
After analyzing these five key insights from the report, Asibey moderated a panel discussion of three SME leaders interviewed in the report: Belinda Borck from the Chocolonely Foundation (Netherlands), Olasupo Abideen from OpabGas (Nigeria) and Terrence Southern from HarozTec (United States).
Clockwise: Edith Asibey, Belinda Borck, Olasupo Abideen, Terrence Southern
The discussion ranged from the role of government in encouraging SMEs’ involvement in social issues, to the biggest obstacles SME leaders face when supporting education. When asked about collaboration with the government in Ilorin, Nigeria, Abideen noted that governments shouldn’t be left to support education alone, “there is a need for businesses to support governments” he said. As a gas provider, Abideen is familiar with how SMEs often struggle in the informal economy due to government taxations. Despite these challenges, “in the global south, many SMEs are taking initiative” said Asibey.
When asked about any advice they would impart on other SME leaders, each panelist noted the importance of collaboration and responsibility. “It’s not just about access to education, but also access to quality education” said Borck. Collaborating with their partners in Ghana and the Ivory Coast is essential to how Tony Chocolonely supports education. For Southern, he emphasized the importance of representation and innovation in mentorship. As a robotics engineer, he noted how “it’s an unrealistic expectation that teachers should know everything about the world.” In a society that is swiftly adapting to new technology, he urges other SME leaders to “get involved, and be an agent of change for the future.”
From the Netherlands to Nigeria, the panel discussion further illustrated how SMEs around the globe are an untapped force for education. As one interviewee from the report noted, “it's the sustainable, multigenerational change that can be created through the power of education.”
Watch the full recording of GBC-Education’s launch event (48 min, with English subtitles).