Corporate sector advisory

The EBRD is a committed long-term partner for private-sector companies in our countries of operation. We understand that sustained and sustainable growth requires not just financing, but a strong array of advisory offerings to help businesses improve their operations, efficiencies and profitability.

Our clients face numerous challenges, from skills shortages to currency crises, as well as unique internal issues that may hinder growth and access to finance. In response, we have developed a set of advisory tools to help our potential and existing clients overcome common barriers to accessing finance and skills. These tools range from the very specific (applicable to one sector or one value chain) to the more general (addressing challenges that may be faced by different companies in different countries). They include programmes that:

• provide pre-and post-signing assistance to EBRD investee companies, with a view to helping potential clients verify and build capacity in preparation for financing
• provide tailored financing options for innovative and resource-efficient investments by reducing some of the typical costs associated with EBRD financing, including in underserved countries and sectors.
• identify and address critical reputational and operational gaps, in areas such as compliance with industry-specific standards, corporate governance, or financial reporting and management.
  

Through our business advisory services, we encourage the adoption of international best practices and advance sector competitiveness.

We support the private sector in driving innovation and enhancing business practices at the firm level through comprehensive research, assessments, targeted advice and technology transfer. This is achieved by partnering local companies with leading research centres and institutions that can disseminate the latest technological advancements, stimulating new product development, business processes and greater efficiency. By integrating advanced technologies, business models, and top-tier research, local companies can upgrade their standards, improve productivity, and enhance competitiveness to facilitate trade.

We also promote skills and knowledge transfer to support companies that offer jobs and training opportunities for women, young people and populations in underserved areas. As the corporate sector can be a significant employer in the economies where we invest, private companies are well positioned to address youth unemployment, gender gaps in leadership and business ownership, and refugee and migration flows.

The EBRD is committed to fostering a conducive business environment by facilitating collaboration between the public and private sectors to address key sector challenges. This collaboration enhances transparency and predictability of policies which in turn boosts investor confidence, encourages and retains investments, fosters competitive markets, stimulates growth, creates jobs, and drives essential reforms.

Corporate Sector Advisory can work closely with governments and partners to provide advice and boost overall sector competitiveness. This often involves conducting analytical work to identify sector bottlenecks, suggest improvements, and provide capacity building, including on changes in legislation, regulations or institutional arrangements. We facilitate public-private discussions on specific issues through working groups and other consultation mechanisms, sharing lessons learned from other Countries of Operations. We also organize workshops and provide technical inputs on laws and by-laws for different sub-sectors, and work on specific initiatives linked to EBRD projects to improve the transition impact of these interventions.