All news: microenterprises + small enterprises + informal enterprises + value chains

Supply chains - Development cooperation

Sustainable seafood through Good Labour Practices and workers representation

Strengthening labour rights and sustainability in Thailand’s seafood supply chain.

Farm-to-market model boosts livelihoods of Lebanese farmers

The ILO and Lebanon’s QOOT agri-food network are strengthening livelihoods and supporting communities through contract farming arrangements that set clear terms on price, quality and delivery.

ILO’s systems approach to boost small businesses in supply chains' lowest tiers

In a newly released brief, the International Labour Organization (ILO) outlines how a systems approach can create opportunities for micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises and better working conditions in the lowest tiers of supply chains.

Women entrepreneurs grow businesses and opportunities through digital skilling program

Empowering women entrepreneurs with digital and AI skills, the Women in Digital Business (WIDB) initiative is transforming lives and communities—unlocking economic opportunities, fostering resilience and driving inclusive growth.

A single mother turned business coach: Mary Alpha’s journey in Sierra Leone

Mary Alpha’s journey from single mother to business coach and founder, empowering over 1,200 entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone through training, mentorship, and inclusive rural development initiatives.

Financial literacy

Empowering rural entrepreneurs in Indonesia's East Sumba with financial literacy

The ILO and Bank NTT urge East Sumba’s entrepreneurs in Indonesia, including youth, to adopt smarter banking habits for long-term financial success.

Voices from ILO PROSPECTS

Business skills open doors: Amin’s journey from graduate to entrepreneur

With targeted training and mentorship from the ILO, a young entrepreneur in Ethiopia turned a backyard production into a fast-growing business—now supplying thousands of litres of shampoo across the Somali Region.

Digitalization and financial inclusion

East Sumba’s seaweed sector in Indonesia is thriving due to enhanced financial access and digitalization

Empowering Indonesia’s seaweed sector in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, the ILO partners with the local government to expand financial access, strengthen financial skills, and drive digital integration across the value chain.

Azerbaijan advances just transition in national climate plan

Tripartite constituents and the ILO held a national workshop to align Azerbaijan’s NDC 3.0 with just transition and decent work principles. It continues a series of ILO interventions conducted in 2024 in preparation for COP29 and in 2025 under the...

International Labour Review Blog

Can local industrial relations improve working conditions in global supply chains?

Based on research recently published in the International Labour Review, this blog draws on data from the Better Work programme in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Haiti, Indonesia, Jordan, Nicaragua and Viet Nam to show how unions and collective bargaining...

Creating Change, One Story at a Time

Polio slowed my walk, not my will: Breaking limits, one phone at a time

Polio didn’t stop Arafath. Trained under the ISEC project, he turned his passion for electronics into a career, transforming his disability into a strength and a job into a mission to support his family and inspire others.

Creating Change, One Story at a Time

They call me a Rohingya refugee, but I’m also an entrepreneur

In the heart of a refugee camp, Saida’s kitchen is becoming a symbol of resilience. She’s one of 250 Rohingya women turning tradition into entrepreneurship through food processing training under the ISEC project. Each jar tells a story of survival,...

Global webinar spotlights innovative approaches to addressing informality through the social and solidarity economy

The ILO–WIEGO joint webinar highlighted the role of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in addressing informality, drawing on ILO standards and resolutions. It featured country cases from Argentina, Colombia, India and Nigeria, and explored how...

Decent Work in Supply Chains Evidence Hub

ILO launches knowledge platform to advance decent work in supply chains

The AI-powered knowledge hub on supply chains is designed to inform evidence-based policy decisions, putting supply chains insights and research at your fingertips.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) Day 2025

Policymakers and business associations call for clear SME definitions, formalization and inclusive finance in Bangladesh

On 30 June 2025, government officials, entrepreneurs, economists, and development partners met to discuss a new SME policy for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). They highlighted the urgent need to clarify definition of SMEs and to establish a...

Creating Change, One Story at a Time

The school that built hope on an island

A remote school surrounded by the sea in Cox’s Bazar is now offering certified training in trades like masonry, plumbing and electrical work. This helps keep opportunities close to home, empowering young people to build careers and strengthen their...

Creating Change, One Story at a Time

From scorched fields to fair wages: National consultation sparks hope for Cox’s Bazar workers

Bangladesh’s salt farmers face scorching conditions and low pay. The ILO-ISEC project is aiming to improve the lives of salt workers by providing fair wages, safer working conditions and stronger rights.

Our impact, Their story

Weaving dreams and dignity: My path from heritage to entrepreneurship

Suranjana Singha, a social science graduate from the Manipuri ethnic community in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh, turned a lifelong cultural tradition into a thriving social enterprise. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded her own...

Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day

MSMEs: Powering social justice and inclusive growth

On Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day 2025, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo highlights the crucial role of Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in creating jobs and advancing social justice. He calls for bold,...

Think piece

What is not green about market systems development?

Three considerations for your journey towards greener market systems development (MSD) programming.