economy

BCA Is Hosting The Indonesia GoExport 2024 Event For Small And Medium Enterprises In Surabaya, Encouraging Business Players To Tap Into The Global Market

PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) just kicked off its first Indonesia Go Export 2024 Workshop for SMEs in Surabaya. This event follows similar workshops held in Malang and Bandung a few weeks back. BCA teamed up with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Indonesia to create a platform for small and medium enterprises from various regions to learn how to break into international markets.

A total of 21 SMEs participated in the training at Fairfield by Marriott, Surabaya, from September 3 to 7, 2024. The opening ceremony was attended by BCA's EVP of Corporate Communication & Social Responsibility, Hera F. Haryn, the Head of BCA's Regional Office III, Hendrik Sia, and the Director of Financial Literacy and Inclusion at OJK, Horas V. M. Tarihoran.

This workshop is part of the Indonesia Go Export program that started on August 21 in Malang. Participants will go through a tailored curriculum designed to address the needs and challenges of exporting, similar to a business incubator program. The curriculum includes:

? An introduction to international trade transactions,

? Enhancing product quality, packaging, and branding, and

? Training on financial report preparation.

Hera F. Haryn, EVP of Corporate Communication & Social Responsibility at BCA, stated, “We believe that accelerating the development of SMEs requires collaboration from various parties, especially in guiding entrepreneurs to focus on exports. That’s why we partnered with ICC Indonesia to support SMEs in exploring export opportunities through the Indonesia Go Export program. We’ve brought in skilled facilitators to motivate and inspire participants to enter the export market. Our goal is to help 60 SMEs from different regions start exporting after completing this training.”

The presence of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for Indonesia's economy, contributing 61% to the gross domestic product (GDP), which is about IDR 9,580 trillion. SMEs also employ around 117 million workers, making up 97% of the total workforce in 2023. This sector has significant potential for boosting national exports, accounting for roughly 16% of total exports. To enhance their contribution to export value, support for SMEs needs to be ramped up. Under the sustainable development program Bakti BCA, the company aims to assist SMEs in discovering export opportunities and shipping goods abroad.

In addition to training, participants in the Indonesia Go Export 2024 program will receive guidance from BCA and ICC Indonesia to access international markets. This support covers various aspects, from involving SMEs in prestigious events like the Trade Expo Indonesia to coaching them through transactions with foreign buyers. Bakti BCA has been running the Indonesia Go Export program since 2023, and in 2024, it will expand to three new cities: Malang, Bandung, and Surabaya. After successful initiatives in Yogyakarta and Semarang in 2023, BCA helped two SMEs start exporting.

After assisting Wastraloka in exporting its top products to an Asian country in 2023, Bakti BCA also supported Prospero Food Realcho in shipping two containers of cocoa powder, totaling 34 metric tons, with a transaction value of USD 57,800 (around IDR 907 million) last August. BCA's ongoing support for SMEs is also evident through halal certification workshops, which helped issue 1,000 halal certificates throughout 2023. Additionally, BCA is working to ease SMEs' access to potential markets through various events that connect them with prospective buyers.

Tag: BCA Indonesia GoExport 2024 International Chamber Of Commerce Surabaya