Trade for Stability: Leveraging Private Sector Innovation
WTO Public Forum 2024 Session: Trade for Stability: Leveraging Private Sector Innovation
At the WTO Public Forum 2024, hosted under the theme of “Re-Globalization: ‘Better Trade for a Better World’’, the International Trade Centre (ITC) hosted a challenging session titled “Trade for Stability: Leveraging Private Sector Innovation”, raising the question of how trade can be more sensitive to fragile and post-conflict situations. The panel discussion highlighted the critical role of businesses in reshaping labour markets to be more inclusive and addressed how the private sector, through innovative approaches, can create opportunities for vulnerable groups, including refugees.
Our very own Executive Director, Kitrhona Cerri, shed light on how private sector innovation can create sustainable employment opportunities for refugees by sharing insights from TASC’s research paper, "Unlocking Telework for Refugees: Charting New Pathways to Prosperity Through Digital Integration", and brought emphasis on how digital employment has emerged as a promising solution for displaced populations. Through workshops, interviews, and pilot projects, the research assessed how telework can serve as a game-changer for refugees in Switzerland and beyond by creating jobs that transcend geographical barriers, offering displaced populations more accessible pathways to meaningful employment. It also identified significant challenges that refugees face in accessing digital livelihoods, and that business, governments and International Organizations face in adequately supporting these emerging forms of work.
“We see the Community of Practice as a platform where businesses can engage, learn from each other, and exchange strategies on integrating displaced talent into their workforce. It’s about creating long-term, sustainable pathways for refugees, while also enhancing the digital services ecosystem with fresh perspectives.”
In response to these findings, ITC and TASC are building a Business Community of Practice, aimed at connecting companies that are actively working on integrating refugees into the global digital services market. This initiative focuses on uncovering success stories from pioneering businesses and fostering a safe space for peer exchange on ongoing challenges. The goal is to share best practices, explore innovative solutions, and inspire other companies to follow suit in employing displaced talent. Through interviews and exchanges with companies, ITC and TASC aim to distill insights into effective strategies for onboarding refugees, helping businesses adapt and thrive in the digital services sector while promoting inclusion and resilience.
Are you a business committed to integrating refugees into your workforce through digital services? Then, please fill in the short survey below to join the conversation. Let’s work together to build a more inclusive and resilient future.