SCORE Academy China celebrates first year anniversary
SCORE Academy has actively promoted SCORE Training in China since its launch in October 2019. We take this opportunity to look back at the main achievements and the work that the SCORE Academy has carried out in 2020.
Since its creation, the SCORE Academy has made every effort to bring SCORE Training to a large number of small and medium enterprises. It has worked hard to reach out to companies and enable them to benefit from the training by adapting it to the virtual format, at a time when safety was crucial. It has also ensured the quality of SCORE Training delivery by building the capacity of trainers and service providers.
Despite the difficult conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCORE Academy has not lost sight of its goal of supporting decent work in global supply chains. With the support of the International Labour Organization and the SCORE Programme office in China, the SCORE Academy has successfully organized several training courses and workshops to improve productivity, cooperation between employees and managers, and working conditions in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This article traces the activities carried out during the year 2020 and reflects the lessons learned since the launch of the Academy in October 2019. It also examines the challenges facing the Academy and its plans for the future.
A total of 307 participants in the enterprise training courses were able to return to their workplaces, excited to implement new solutions to their workplace issues. Of course, these solutions included advice on how to protect staff and implement COVID mitigation measures, but in these difficult times, solutions to ensure business continuity were also provided. As a result, many participants also proposed solutions to improve productivity and avoid waste.
Not only has the SCORE Academy trained a large number of companies in 2020, but it has also focused on improving the capacity of service providers to deliver SCORE Training.
The SCORE Academy's expert trainers are sent to service providers to train trainers to deliver SCORE Training. No less than 77 trainers have been able to pass the certification and benefit from the knowledge of the experts. Thanks to these independently conducted trainings, service providers have at their disposal trainers who have a thorough knowledge of the SCORE Training processes, tools and methodology.
Another aspect of the SCORE Academy's work has been to build the capacity of implementing partners. It is mainly through workshops that the SCORE Academy succeeds in building the capacity of SCORE Training stakeholders. In 2020, the Academy organised several workshops with very different objectives, during which participants were able to learn more about supply chain sustainability in particular.
While COVID was raging in the country at the beginning of the year, the SCORE Academy demonstrated its ability to adapt through innovation. Due to health restrictions, no training could take place as normal, face-to-face, so the training went online. 10 companies, with a total of 94 participants, were able to directly benefit from learning about essential SCORE Training tools. These tools include the Enterprise Improvement Team (EIT), which helps to conduct efficient meetings, the Enterprise Improvement Plan (EIP), which helps to list and define the improvements to be made and the Enterprise Indicator Card (EIC), which by determining indicators allows for continuous improvement.
Delivery of online training during the COVID outbreak
When health risks decreased, the SCORE Academy has been able to organise workshops on different themes for implementing partners, service providers, trainers and consultants. These workshops aimed to improve their implementation capacity by sharing experiences and achievements and making suggestions for future development.
The SCORE Academy was even able to organise a conference on the theme of sustainability in supply chains where 20 institutions were able to discuss values and practices to promote sustainability in global supply chains.
However, rather than seeing these elements as obstacles, the Academy sees them as challenges they are ready to overcome by doubling efforts to adapt and by cooperating with other projects.
Despite the difficult conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCORE Academy has not lost sight of its goal of supporting decent work in global supply chains. With the support of the International Labour Organization and the SCORE Programme office in China, the SCORE Academy has successfully organized several training courses and workshops to improve productivity, cooperation between employees and managers, and working conditions in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This article traces the activities carried out during the year 2020 and reflects the lessons learned since the launch of the Academy in October 2019. It also examines the challenges facing the Academy and its plans for the future.
Training modules to help enterprises cope with the effects of COVID-19
A total of 29 companies have benefited from the SCORE Training delivered independently by the SCORE Academy. While most of the enterprises started the SCORE Training by participating in the Workplace Cooperation module, several others decided to deepen their learning of international best practices by increasing their knowledge of health and safety measures. Thanks to the SCORE module on occupational safety and health, companies have not only improved the workplace by protecting the health of their employees, but also by reducing accidents in the workplace, at a time when such practices have never been more crucial.A total of 307 participants in the enterprise training courses were able to return to their workplaces, excited to implement new solutions to their workplace issues. Of course, these solutions included advice on how to protect staff and implement COVID mitigation measures, but in these difficult times, solutions to ensure business continuity were also provided. As a result, many participants also proposed solutions to improve productivity and avoid waste.
 Participants learning best international practices through the SCORE Academy |  Group exercises for learning the basics of Workplace Cooperation |
SCORE Academy to reinforce training capacities
Not only has the SCORE Academy trained a large number of companies in 2020, but it has also focused on improving the capacity of service providers to deliver SCORE Training. The SCORE Academy's expert trainers are sent to service providers to train trainers to deliver SCORE Training. No less than 77 trainers have been able to pass the certification and benefit from the knowledge of the experts. Thanks to these independently conducted trainings, service providers have at their disposal trainers who have a thorough knowledge of the SCORE Training processes, tools and methodology.
 Expert trainer strengthening the capacity of trainers to deliver SCORE Training |  Expert trainer from SCORE Academy explaining how to conduct on-site training |
Promoting sustainability of global supply chains and online training
Another aspect of the SCORE Academy's work has been to build the capacity of implementing partners. It is mainly through workshops that the SCORE Academy succeeds in building the capacity of SCORE Training stakeholders. In 2020, the Academy organised several workshops with very different objectives, during which participants were able to learn more about supply chain sustainability in particular.While COVID was raging in the country at the beginning of the year, the SCORE Academy demonstrated its ability to adapt through innovation. Due to health restrictions, no training could take place as normal, face-to-face, so the training went online. 10 companies, with a total of 94 participants, were able to directly benefit from learning about essential SCORE Training tools. These tools include the Enterprise Improvement Team (EIT), which helps to conduct efficient meetings, the Enterprise Improvement Plan (EIP), which helps to list and define the improvements to be made and the Enterprise Indicator Card (EIC), which by determining indicators allows for continuous improvement.
Delivery of online training during the COVID outbreakWhen health risks decreased, the SCORE Academy has been able to organise workshops on different themes for implementing partners, service providers, trainers and consultants. These workshops aimed to improve their implementation capacity by sharing experiences and achievements and making suggestions for future development.
 Group of participants in a workshop where experiences & achievements were shared |  Discussants at a conference on practices to promote sustainability in global supply chains |
The SCORE Academy was even able to organise a conference on the theme of sustainability in supply chains where 20 institutions were able to discuss values and practices to promote sustainability in global supply chains.
Ready to overcome challenges
All these activities have not been carried out without difficulty. The Academy was brand new, and faced internal issues, particularly in building its training team. In addition, the institution was not spared by the COVID-19 pandemic and the technological development of the project had to be accelerated. The adaptation of the training material and the e-learning component still require some adjustments in order to form a smooth synergy. The financial situation of the Academy has also been affected by the pandemic.However, rather than seeing these elements as obstacles, the Academy sees them as challenges they are ready to overcome by doubling efforts to adapt and by cooperating with other projects.