Actions in Enterprises

  • Improving the promotion and application of the ‘Empresa Comprometida con los Derechos Humanos’ label in the State of Nuevo León, with special emphasis on compliance with labour standards

    America Mexico
    Start activities
    01/09/2025
    End activities
    22/04/2026
    Partner Institution
    State Commission on Human Rights of the State of Nuevo Leon
    Type of Assistance
    Code
    2025-18
    Description
    The State of Nuevo León, Mexico, has shown strong commitment to promoting human rights and responsible business conduct to foster decent working conditions, notably through the work of the State Human Rights Commission (CEDHNL), which has implemented policies and programmes to help companies identify, prevent, mitigate, and remedy human rights risks. A key initiative is the voluntary “Company Committed to Human Rights” certification (Distintivo), launched in 2016 and formalised in 2018, which encourages companies—through self-assessment and on-site verification—to improve practices related to labour rights, non-discrimination, environmental responsibility, and governance, while also serving as a capacity-building and dialogue platform between public institutions and the private sector. Complementary high-level training programmes and regional cooperation with the states of Chihuahua and Coahuila have aimed to strengthen due diligence practices and institutional capacities, particularly regarding EU standards on corporate sustainability due diligence. The Action supported CEDHNL through the development of training initiatives, operational tools, evaluation frameworks, communication strategies, and a complementary label on decent work. As a result, the Action improved understanding of due diligence beyond compliance, strengthened the clarity and consistency of the certification process, reinforced the Distintivo as a tool for continuous improvement in responsible business conduct, enhanced stakeholder engagement and institutional cooperation, and fostered stronger linkages with national and international actors. In the longer term, it is expected to contribute to improved institutional coordination across Mexican states, greater integration of human rights in corporate practices, enhanced advisory and monitoring capacities of public institutions, and sustained technical cooperation, although continued efforts in capacity-building, inter-institutional collaboration, and local ownership will be essential to ensure the sustainability and scaling-up of results.

  • Improving service delivery for business owners in Edo State

    WESTERN AFRICA Nigeria
    Start activities
    20-03-2023
    End activities
    15-09-2023
    Partner Institution
    Edo State skills development agency (EdoJobs)
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building, Individual capacity building (human resources development)
    Code
    2022-30
    Description
    The Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs) is a regional agency set up by the Edo State Government to support the creation of employment opportunities, job matching and skills reinforcement of the state population. This action, implemented remotely, contributed to the improvement of the services provided by EdoJobs to business starters and owners. Following an initial assessment and the elaboration of a roadmap for improved services, a ‘Mentorship and coaching guide for entrepreneurship’ was developed. The action was concluded with a capacity-building activity for a team of EdoJobs trainers. This cooperation involved Austrian, Lithuanian and Belgian expertise and was supported by the GIZ-SKYE project.

  • Capacity building for the general directorate of entrepreneurship promotion

    Western Africa Benin
    Start activities
    18/01/2021
    End activities
    05/02/2022
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, and Employment Promotion
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational management (structures & functions)
    Code
    2019-32
    Description
    The action aimed at supporting the Directorate for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Employment (DPEE) of Benin and other agencies under supervision of the Ministry of Labour in improving its performance, managerial capacity and ability to deliver services in the field of entrepreneurship and employment promotion. French peer experts focused on analyzing specific needs and gaps and identified four axes for trainings, to be implemented through the following activities. Trainings targeted both the managerial and organizational capacities of decision-makers and technical agents within the Ministry, and capacity development at the 'operational' level of the various key actors in the promotion of entrepreneurship and employment services.