ILO Caribbean and BCCI sign Wildey Green Business Support Pilot Agreement
New Programme will harness emerging opportunities to reduce negative consequences of climate change.
25 January 2024
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Caribbean Office and the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) have signed an agreement to implement an innovative Programme designed to achieve the “greening” and environmental sustainability of businesses within Wildey, a district in Barbados known for its industrial, commercial, and retail activities.
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is funding the Wildey Green Business Support Pilot Programme, which seeks to establish a business community committed to using energy efficiency and water conservation measures as well as reducing pollution and waste among enterprises operating in the area.
The new Pilot is specifically geared towards addressing vulnerabilities found in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by building capacity to harness emerging opportunities in the green economy to reduce negative consequences of climate change. Implementation will be led by the BCCI on behalf of private sector companies in Wildey in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, National Beautification, and the Blue and Green Economy. The Ashley Lashley Foundation, a civil society organization that empowers youth and advocates against climate change, will serve a project coordinator. The implementation will also benefit from technical guidance from the ILO as participating agency of PAGE.
“This signing affirms the commitment of the BCCI and the ILO in partnership with the Ministry to promote the adoption of sustainable greening best practices and support the advancement of Barbados’ vision for a sustainable green economy, and the fulfilment of its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 13 which calls for Climate Action. Reducing the negative effects of climate change and “going green” is no longer a “nice to have” thing or “a check box” for businesses and Small Island Developing States like Barbados – it is an imperative,” said Misha Lobban Clarke, Executive Director of the BCCI in her opening remarks during the signing ceremony on 25 January 2024.
Over the next six months, the Programme will deliver support to enterprises in the area so they can develop a green business database; foster youth education and training on greening and meet associated needs for the benefit of the community. The financial contribution of PAGE for the implementation period is USD 68,557.13.
Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean also spoke at the ceremony and highlighted how the ground-breaking initiative will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. “The signing of the Wildey Green Business Support Pilot Programme marks a major step towards the achievement of a climate resilient business community in Barbados. It will empower employers and business organizations as the voice of enterprises to play a key role in achieving a just transition to an environmentally sustainable society and economy. The Pilot will equip them with access to information, tools and good practices to become effective advocates for their members in national policy dialogues and develop strategies for minimizing risks and identifying opportunities for their own organizations and members,” he said.
For more information, please visit the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) website.
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is funding the Wildey Green Business Support Pilot Programme, which seeks to establish a business community committed to using energy efficiency and water conservation measures as well as reducing pollution and waste among enterprises operating in the area.
The new Pilot is specifically geared towards addressing vulnerabilities found in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by building capacity to harness emerging opportunities in the green economy to reduce negative consequences of climate change. Implementation will be led by the BCCI on behalf of private sector companies in Wildey in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, National Beautification, and the Blue and Green Economy. The Ashley Lashley Foundation, a civil society organization that empowers youth and advocates against climate change, will serve a project coordinator. The implementation will also benefit from technical guidance from the ILO as participating agency of PAGE.
“This signing affirms the commitment of the BCCI and the ILO in partnership with the Ministry to promote the adoption of sustainable greening best practices and support the advancement of Barbados’ vision for a sustainable green economy, and the fulfilment of its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 13 which calls for Climate Action. Reducing the negative effects of climate change and “going green” is no longer a “nice to have” thing or “a check box” for businesses and Small Island Developing States like Barbados – it is an imperative,” said Misha Lobban Clarke, Executive Director of the BCCI in her opening remarks during the signing ceremony on 25 January 2024.
Over the next six months, the Programme will deliver support to enterprises in the area so they can develop a green business database; foster youth education and training on greening and meet associated needs for the benefit of the community. The financial contribution of PAGE for the implementation period is USD 68,557.13.
Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean also spoke at the ceremony and highlighted how the ground-breaking initiative will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. “The signing of the Wildey Green Business Support Pilot Programme marks a major step towards the achievement of a climate resilient business community in Barbados. It will empower employers and business organizations as the voice of enterprises to play a key role in achieving a just transition to an environmentally sustainable society and economy. The Pilot will equip them with access to information, tools and good practices to become effective advocates for their members in national policy dialogues and develop strategies for minimizing risks and identifying opportunities for their own organizations and members,” he said.
For more information, please visit the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) website.