15 years of SCORE: A milestone in enterprise development and decent work

To mark 15 years of the SCORE Programme, the ILO hosted a special event bringing together SCORE donors and partners to celebrate achievements and share their journeys. Since its inception in 2010, SCORE has helped small and medium enterprises (SMEs) improve productivity and working conditions to drive business competitiveness and sustainable growth.

22 May 2025

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In partnership with SECO and NORAD, ILO celebrates 15 years of SCORE impact.

GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Programme with a special event at the ILO headquarters in Geneva.

Since its launch in 2010, SCORE has supported thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), empowering businesses and workers across more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to improve productivity and working conditions. Backed by SECO, NORAD, and other development partners, SCORE has become one of ILO’s longest-running development cooperation programmes.

The event highlighted the programme’s achievements, and shared impactful testimonies from employers, workers, trainers, and government stakeholders, while honouring the unique and sustained SECO-NORAD-ILO partnership.

ILO Assistant Director-General for Jobs and Social Protection, Mia Seppo, opened the ceremony by underlining the programme's relevance and impact.

“SCORE proves that decent work and business success are not competing priorities — they are mutually reinforcing. This is a win-win for both management and workers,” ILO ADG Seppo explained.

Mia Seppo, ILO Assistant Director-General, highlights ILO SCORE's impact on SME productivity and working conditions.

Philipp Orga, Head of Operations, representing SECO, also delivered remarks at the event, emphasizing Switzerland’s longstanding support for the ILO and the SCORE Programme.

“Together with the Norwegian Government, we have supported ILO’s SCORE programme for the past fifteen years because we share the profound belief that productivity and decent work go hand in hand. The impacts of the programme have proven us right, with participating enterprises experiencing significant improvements in areas such as workplace cooperation, working conditions, wages, productivity, product quality and gender equality,” he stated. “As the SCORE programme grew and expanded over the years, it has become one of SECO’s flagship programmes for decent jobs creation, aligning closely with the objectives of Switzerland’s international cooperation strategy.”

Philipp Orga, Head of Operations at SECO, reiterated that productivity and decent work go hand in hand.

Representing Norway, Jannicke Graatrud, Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, emphasized the long-standing collaboration and future outlook.

“SCORE is a concrete example of how global cooperation can translate into tangible improvements in people’s working lives, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises—the backbone of many economies,” she said. “We are pleased to see SCORE Training services continue even in countries where donor support has phased out—a clear sign of the programme’s sustainability and maturity.”

Jannicke Graatrud, Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Norwegian Mission in Geneva emphasized Norway's long-standing collaboration with ILO SCORE.

The event featured multimedia presentations, an interactive gallery, and both live and recorded testimonies.

Rie Vejs Kjeldgaard, Director of the ILO Enterprises Department, noted: “This is more than a celebration—it’s a recognition of the collective effort that made SCORE a success and a commitment to the future of sustainable enterprise development.”