Green Growth exchange connects SMEs to greener supply chains

MANILA — The Green Growth Regional Exchange concluded Sept. 14 in Manila, bringing together representatives of small and medium-sized enterprise development agencies, training and coaching organizations, corporations, SMEs, government agencies, financial institutions, and development partners from across Southeast Asia.

Presented by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, or ESCAP, and Temasek Foundation, and co-organized with the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, the one-day forum focused on accelerating the green transition of SMEs and integrating them into sustainable supply chains.

The forum was held with support from First Philippine Holdings Corp. and CIMB Malaysia.

Held under the theme “Coaching SMEs for Green Growth: Enabling Corporates and South-East Asia to Meet Sustainability Goals,” the exchange addressed gaps that can prevent smaller businesses from participating in greener supply chains.

Large companies have made sustainability commitments that depend in part on their suppliers, while many SMEs continue to face challenges involving information, skills, financing, and market access needed to adopt greener practices.

The event sought to strengthen the capacity of SME development agencies and training organizations to support businesses in their green transition, improve the sustainability performance of SMEs, and connect green SMEs with large enterprises.

The exchange was the first regional gathering under the Green Shift program, a joint initiative of ESCAP and Temasek Foundation that aims to accelerate the green transition of SMEs in Malaysia, the Philippines, and across Southeast Asia.

In the Philippines, the program is implemented with the DTI through its Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development and the Philippine Trade Training Center.

“There will be no green transition without SMEs. By equipping small businesses with the skills, partnerships and tools they need to become more sustainable, we can accelerate climate action while creating new opportunities for growth, jobs and competitiveness across the region,” said Mr. Shombi Sharp, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP.

Temasek Foundation Head of Programmes Office and Resilient Societies James Chan said the initiative seeks to make sustainability practical and commercially relevant for smaller businesses.

“SMEs are the heart of our economies. We believe sustainability should not simply be another requirement to meet. It should also make business sense. Through this partnership with ESCAP, DTI and SME Corp, the Green Shift programme hopes to help SMEs translate sustainability ambitions into practical green action plans, strengthen their competitiveness and unlock new market opportunities across the region.”

DTI Assistant Secretary Grace F. Baluyan of the Regional Operations Group stressed that the transition of SMEs requires support from both the public and private sectors.

“Corporate sustainability commitments cannot be achieved in isolation from the thousands of smaller enterprises that supply, manufacture, transport, package, service, and distribute the products on which our economies depend. We cannot simply ask SMEs to transition toward greener business practices and expect the transformation to happen on its own. Governments, financial institutions, large corporations, development partners, and SME support organizations all have a shared responsibility to create the enabling environment that allows SMEs to succeed in this transition.”

A high-level panel on promoting green supply chains brought together senior representatives from government, corporations, and financial institutions in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Panelists shared experiences in advancing green business models and strengthening sustainable supply chains, highlighting policies, innovations, and partnerships supporting the transition.

Participants also joined an interactive workshop on the SME coaching process, which introduced the SME Coaching Toolkit for Green Growth developed under the program.

The workshop invited SME development agencies and training organizations to explore how the toolkit could be applied to their own programs and services.

Deep-dive sessions examined how corporations can collaborate with SMEs in their supply chains to meet sustainability targets.

Other sessions focused on how SMEs can engage potential clients in green supply chains and communicate their green growth strategies to prospective business partners.

Sector breakout panels covered manufacturing, agriculture and food, construction, and services, including transportation, logistics, and tourism.

The panels introduced participating corporations and other stakeholders supporting the green transition of SMEs in each sector.

Dedicated networking sessions also allowed SMEs, corporations, and business support organizations to connect directly and explore potential partnerships.

The exchange concluded with a discussion on expanding SME coaching for the green transition and developing sustainable supply chains across Southeast Asia.

The discussion drew on the experiences of SME development agencies and training institutions from the Philippines and Vietnam.

Following the regional exchange, the Green Shift program will continue supporting SME development agencies in Malaysia and the Philippines as they coach businesses in developing green action plans and connecting with corporate buyers.

The program also plans to share lessons from its 2026 pilot with additional countries and partners across Southeast Asia.