1. SWITCH-Asia support to private sector Brussels – 26 September 2016
Presented by:
Rhoda Wachira
SWITCH-Africa Green

2. The SWITCH-Asia Programme
Overall objective
Promote economic prosperity and help reduce poverty in Asia via Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) by encouraging a sustainable growth with low environmental impact from industries and consumers, in line with international environmental agreements and processes. 2

3. Overall objective: Promote economic prosperity and help reduce poverty in Asia via Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) by encouraging a sustainable growth with low environmental impact from industries and consumers, in line with international environmental agreements and processes. 3

4. SWITCH-Asia Components
Grant projects (90+)
Network Facility (NF)
Policy Support Components (PSCs)
3.1. National PSCs
(Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka)
3.2. Regional PSC
(National activities in India, China, Pakistan, Bhutan, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia)
95 projects, in between completed and ongoing
Grants component started first in 2007; while policy component started in 2011
Most of these projects are national, a few however cover multiple countries (and are then called regional)
Programme operates in 17 Asian developing countries
2 PSCs are still ongoing, 3 are completed. 4

5. SWITCH-Asia grant project location
The countries highlighted in blue are those where SWITCH-Asia grant projects are or have been funded. 5

6. Private sector support: An overview
Training and capacity-building
Access to green finance
Market access
Networking and synergies across industries & countries
Enabling policy environment (local & regional)
- SMEs are one of the main beneficiaries of the SWITCH-Asia Programme. All of the grant projects directly engage and cooperate with 100s of SMEs, so support to uptake SCP by the private sector is a main component of all our projects.
- This overview provides a summary of all the different activities undertaken by SWITCH-Asia in support to the private sector regardless of the component(s) implementing them. As such it and is not component-specific. 6

7. 1) Training and capacity-building
Extensive trainings and support activities are given to SMEs and industrial clusters on:
- cleaner production
- resource efficiency
- sustainable product innovation
- green technology
In addition retailers and consumers are supported with awareness rising activities and set up of green certification schemes on sustainable consumption.
Training structures are scalable and based on potential for replication.
Most SWITCH-Asia projects so far focus on cleaner production, however in the last couple of years more are taking up issues of sustainable consumption too
- Formats, duration and content of trainings differ project by project. Some are shorter (1 day), others longer (several days across the year). Some are very specific and selective on the n. of participants, others have wider participation. 7

8. 2) Access to green finance
Financial literacy trainings to producers
Green finance training to bankers and financial institutions (FIs)
Networking events liaising projects, stakeholders and FIs
In-depth compilation of green finance opportunities per country
- The picture illustrates the covers of 2 of our country-specific green finance studies. To date we have produced country-specific green finance studies for 10 countries 8

9. 3) Market access
Collaboration with consumer organisations to create demand
Trainings on business development and marketing strategies
Fairs and exhibitions
Outreach to & engagement of bigger international players and supply chains
Online marketplace (new)
Some examples related to the engagement of international players are: a) sustainable textiles with H&M; b) sustainable furniture with Ikea
The online Marketplace is a not-for-profit platform being currently developed by the Network Facility to give international exposure to the sustainable products produced by the SMEs associated with specific grant projects. This is to help them reach out beyond their local or national borders and get international attention. While being not for profit, the platform is designed in such a way that any interested party can find contact details of the producing company. Bilateral contacts can thus then be made between producing SME and interested customer for them to then bilaterally take the relation further potentially. The platform shall be fully launched in Q4 this year.
FYI The pic illustrates the participation of one of our projects that operate on sustainable furniture in Indonesia to the renowned international exhibition on furniture in Cologne, Germany. 9

10. 4) Networking and synergies across industries & countries
Thematic networking events bringing together practitioners of specific sectors to exchange lessons learned, solutions and ways forward.
Study tours arranged by projects to model factory / company in other countries (involving SMEs, partner university, and policymakers)
- FYI (not necessary to be said though but am mentioning this as you asked yesterday): Thematic events are organised by the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility, while matchmaking workshops by the specific project implementing consortia.
Matchmaking workshop arranged by projects (involving SMEs and service providers / technology suppliers, FIs & policymakers) 10

11. 5) Enabling policy environment
National legislation in support of SCP efforts
National roadmaps (e.g. Malaysia)
Regional schemes (e.g. Lead paint elimination, ASEAN SHINE on harmonisation of minimum energy performance standards)
Policy dialogues between projects and policy-makers resulting in new policies or policy amendments
Policy-industry dialogue supported by case-studies from projects
Policy consultations with private sector
Policy review of projects and linkages to policymakers in countries
Inclusion of projects in key policy training programmes such as ASEAN+3 Leadership Programmes, Upcoming SCP Summer School for South Asia (through SACEP – South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme), India SCP Schools, and more.
The policy support components are herewith provided as tools in support to the private sector in that they operate to develop a green biz friendly and enabling policy environment, which in turn is also key to ensure the long term sustainability and feasibility of SCP initiatives
Examples of the work done by our National PSC is:
a) an SCP roadmap in Malaysia (FYI: this PSC has recently come to an end)
b) policy support in the areas of GPP in the Philippines (FYI: this PSC is still ongoing) 11

12. Examples of Regional PSC interventions in support to the private sector
1) “Enabling environment for sustainable value chains and SCP in China”
Policy support programme focused on sustainable value chains in Textiles, Food & Beverage sectors in China
2) “China Retail Sustainable Consumption Platform”
Aggregated and interactive data platform for China’s retailers and policymakers
3) Green Hotel guidelines in Bhutan
Green rating system for hotel classification system.
4) “ASEAN Policy Roadmap for Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy Technologies with ASEAN SHINE partners”
Goal: Identify key EE and RE technologies in ASEAN region, develop policy roadmap for increased SCP of these techs for ASEAN ministerial adoption.
Details re: the 3 cases:
China:
Partners: China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, UNCTAD/WTO International Trade Centre, and local partners) It includes policy research and recommendations, EU-China Policy Dialogue visiting France (Ministerial review of agricultural certification policies), EU review of trade and garment policies including PEF, and Sweden former textiles hub for model clean up and supply chain upgrading case). Policy recommendations submitted to the General office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and General Office of State Council.
2) China retail:
Done in association with all UN agencies in China and China Chainstore & Franchise Association (host of China Sustainable Retail Roundtable), Better Cotton Initiative (SWITCH-Asia project partner), and many more actors.
3) ASEAN case Partners: International Copper Association and UNEP Green Economy Trade and Energy teams
Partners upscaling ASEAN SHINE (Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Standards Harmonization Initiative for Energy Efficiency)
model for policy adoption of EE Acs. (Trade barriers issue) MEPS and other recommendation on EE and RE techs identified through Green Economy and Trade study 12

13. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
More info at:
SWITCH-Asia Network Facility
c/o Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP)
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