EBRD in Serbia - Encouraging Women in Business

EBRD in Serbia - Encouraging Women in Business

The EBRD has been present in Serbia since 2001 and the scope of our operations stretches from major infrastructure financing projects, such as the construction of the Ada Bridge to landmark financial deals, such as a €200 million credit line to Deposit Insurance Agency. Moreover, the EBRD has been providing consistent support to small and medium enterprises with finance and advice across the country for almost 15 years.  Overall, we are probably the largest investor in Serbia with cumulative investments of around €4 billion.

Advice for Small Business 

EBRD Advice for Small Business programme has been active in Serbia since 2001, helping over 700 small companies develop and grow.  The programme in Serbia has been supported by many donors:  Austria, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the Taiwanese Cooperation Fund. Through provision of business advice, SMEs are better able to grow, succeed, and then grow again.  We have witnessed our partner SMEs as they become true catalysts for their local economies and region. The proof is evident in the results:  68 per cent of businesses increased turnover after receiving SBI advisory services (with an average increase of 16 per cent). We support businesses from many industries, such as food and beverages, wholesale and retail distribution and construction and engineering. And, we don’t just work in the capital city. In fact, 77 per cent of our projects are outside Belgrade and not all of them are led by men!

Women in Business 

EBRD’s Women in Business programme- “Advice and Finance for Women in Business”- is the most recent addition to the range of SME- supportive programmes in Serbia. It specifically combines finance and advice with credit lines for a product designed to empower female entrepreneurs. Under this programme, Banca Intesa became our first partner bank to provide support to women-led SMEs. Previously in 2012, we had launched an advisory programme targeting Women in Business and reached over 200 women-led businesses with advisory projects, trainings and mentoring. The earlier programme demonstrated the importance of combining this advice with expanded access to finance (which is seen as a major issue for women entrepreneurs in Serbia). It’s not just a question of availability of funding, but changing a mind set and convincing both client and a lender that cooperation is a win/win scenario. A recent survey conducted by EBRD small business team showed that after one year after working with the EBRD,  women-led companies showed significant improvements in results, such as employment, productivity and a turnover more so than their male counterparts.

If you are interested to work with us please contact Advice for Small Business Team at knowhowserbia@ebrd.com