Using firm-level and integrated data sources for enterprise policy development

Effective enterprise policies require a strong understanding of how businesses operate, create jobs and respond to changing economic conditions. This ILO report explores how firm-level and integrated data can strengthen the evidence available for enterprise and labour market policymaking.

The publication examines three complementary sources of information—enterprise surveys, household surveys and administrative data—highlighting what each can reveal, their respective strengths and limitations, and the benefits of combining them. Together, these sources can provide richer insights into productivity, employment, informality, working conditions, business dynamics and other issues relevant to sustainable enterprises and decent work.

The report also illustrates the analytical potential of different data sources through examples from Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. Using data on microenterprises, structural enterprise surveys and linked employer-employee administrative records, the country chapters examine firm resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the importance of factors such as digitalization, formalization, workforce practices and diversification.

The publication calls for greater use and integration of firm-level data to support more evidence-based policies for sustainable growth, inclusive labour markets and enterprise resilience.