This document provides generic guidance with practical country examples on how governments and other actors can effectively reach out to informal economic units, the kind of support that is needed and what might be effective ways to reduce the risk of informalization of formal jobs and economic units. Read more

This ILO AIMS blog provides some insights on the similarities of the challenges and systemic approaches to support refugees and host communities livelihoods in two of the largest refugee host countries worldwide: Lebanon and Uganda. Read more

An international research conference was jointly held by ILO, Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (KoSEA) and Seoul National University (SNU) in Seoul, South Korea with overseas participants joining online on September 22. This conference was held as part of the ILO research project on Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy Policy in Asia. The conference attracted more than 400 participants and 1400 viewers online from Asia and beyond. Read more

The Director of the ILO's Enterprises Department presented key ILO approach and initiatives to labour migration and refugee situations and response through SSE enterprises during the webinar "Social Economy and migrant entrepreneurship". This webinar is part of the series "Growing Europe. Boosting migrant entrepreneurship networks" organized by three EU-funded projects, EMEN, M-UP and MAGNET. Read more

The financial education training portfolio continues to grow! In Ghana and Nigeria, Social Finance just published new training material targeting potential and returning migrants. The programme was also introduced last month in Ecuador and Peru to benefit Venezuelan migrants and vulnerable communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These initiatives highlight the importance of building financial capabilities of migrants at all stages of the migration cycle (pre-departure, at destination, upon return). Read more

Social Finance recently co-hosted a webinar on the importance of managing social and environmental risks and impacts in investments together with the Joint SDG Fund and co-presenter UN Women. We look forward to continue our collaboration on this crucial topic. Learn more about the Joint SDG Fund and read about emerging lessons from our work on social and environmental management systems. Read more

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), with the support of the ILO and ITCILO, has launched a new investment theme dedicated to "Quality Jobs" as part of its Navigating Impact project! This theme draws on the collective knowledge and experience of a diverse set of 150+ stakeholders to help investors select impact strategies and adopt recommended sets of metrics that track performance toward their goals. This theme is especially relevant in the face of the economic implications of COVID-19 around the world and amidst conversations about progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more

The ESS Forum International is wrapping up its "Digital Mont-Blanc Meetings", which took place throughout September, and a final session planned on 1^st October. The ILO spoke at a session on "Financing the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) - private or public financing". This panel discussion focussing on financing the SSE, including the ILO's experiences in South Africa. Read more

A PAGE-facilitated green entrepreneurship training was held to assist business owners in improving ecological standards by fostering the greening of their businesses. This particular training course falls under an ILO programme, which overall plans to develop a coaching package for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to guide them in greening their businesses. Read more

The ILO, together with 60 leading actors in social entrepreneurship, has joined the World Economic Forum's COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs. The Aliance published its COVID Social Enterprise Action Agenda providing practical guidance on what each can do to help social entrepreneurs play their part in fighting the pandemic and in charting the way towards recovery and a reinvention of our systems. Read the report "Leaders on the Front Line: Why Social Entrepreneurs Are Needed Now More than Ever". Read more