International Finance Corporation selects Achilles Information to deliver digital platform

International Finance Corporation selects Achilles Information to deliver digital platform connecting Western Balkans suppliers with regional and global supply chains.

Achilles Information, the global leader and partner of choice for supply chain risk and performance management, today announces a landmark partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.

Key points

• Achilles will provide best in class pre-qualification, audit and on-going, independently verified assurance of suppliers across a variety of sectors, including automotive, industrial machinery, agricultural machinery, and light manufacturing in the Western Balkans.
• Using market leading technology, buyers will be able to connect with suppliers across the region, and have access to Achilles’ unrivalled data, insights and assurance to ensure their supply chain decision making is informed and provides competitive advantage.
• The assurance process will be to a high standard, commensurate with that used by Western European manufacturing organisations, facilitating supplier development and buyer confidence.
• Suppliers that register and successfully qualify for the programme will be certified, and this certification will be made available to other partners such as banks and logistics providers, which could provide further development opportunities.
• This is the first step in a wider advisory program implemented by the IFC in partnership with the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), across Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
• The platform is expected to launch mid 2021 with the pilot phase completed within the year.

Jay Katzen, CEO of Achilles Information commented: “Achilles has been bringing together Buyers and Suppliers from across the world for 30 years, delivering qualified, resilient and sustainable supply chains. To now be able to work with the IFC and bring our unrivalled expertise and platform technology to the Western Balkans, a region which has such potential, is extremely exciting. Informed decision making around supply chain risk and performance management is now a critical commercial factor for every business. Through this new initiative we can enable buying organisations across Europe to confidently diversify and expand their supply chains, whilst creating jobs, raising supplier standards and supporting economic recovery in the Western Balkans.

“This partnership is a significant moment for Achilles and it is particularly gratifying to have been successful following such a rigorous vendor selection process. The team at Achilles has extensive experience in delivering mission critical supply chain assurance solutions across complex global markets and it is this, together with our powerful platform technology and unrivalled expertise that created a compelling proposition for the IFC.”

Ary Naïm, IFC Regional Manager for Central and Southeast Europe commented: “As we exit the COVID-19 crisis, the Western Balkans have an opportunity to attract fresh private investment, create skilled jobs, and raise incomes. With this Program we aim to connect small and medium enterprises

from the region with global and regional value chains, helping them improve competitiveness and grow faster.“

To read the IFC press release please visit their website.

– Ends –

About Achilles

• Achilles Information is the global leader and partner of choice for supply chain risk and performance management. www.achilles.com.
• Through supplier pre-qualification programmes, industry audits and risk management, Achilles has been a pivotal link between buyers and suppliers for nearly 30 years, providing the data and perspective to give customers unparalleled levels of insight into the businesses they work with.
• Working in partnership with customers, Achilles supports supply chains that perform flawlessly and meet critical humanitarian and environmental standards.
• Achilles has offices across the world, with a network of buyers and suppliers across industrial, infrastructure and natural resources sectors.
• If you would like further information on this initiative, please contact us or email our team.

About IFC

• IFC—a member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. The IFC work in more than 100 countries, using capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2020, the IFC invested $22 billion in private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

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About SECO

• SECO is Switzerland’s competence center for all core issues relating to economic policy. SECO’s economic development cooperation strives to achieve inclusive sustainable growth and poverty reduction in its partner countries. Its activities aim to create more and better jobs, to enhance trade and competitiveness, to support effective institutions and services and to foster climate resilient economies. For more information, visit www.seco-cooperation.admin.ch.

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