Improving business conditions in complex markets

Sustainability Impact Accelerator

Enabling sustainable and bankable infrastructure projects by providing project-specific training

The Sustainability Impact Accelerator (SIA) provides targeted capacity development to partners in OECD/DAC countries in support of the implementation of sustainable projects that contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

The programme is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented in collaboration with Swedish embassies, the Swedish Export Credit Agency (EKN), Swedish Export Credit Corporation (SEK), Business Sweden and Swedfund. This collaboration grants SIA with access to a vast network of Swedish expertise.

Why is SIA important?

Infrastructure is one of the keys to the success of the SDGs. Population growth, migration and urbanisation trends all demand an increase in critical infrastructure, especially in low- and middle income countries. Securing the infrastructure needed to achieve the SDGs will require public and private sectors to work together at scale to finance and implement projects in the transport, energy, water, health, agriculture and IT sectors.

The challenge of financing infrastructure for the SDGs is not just about mobilising money. The success of  the implementation and management of  large-scale projects is also related to systemic issues and runs deeper then closing the financial gap.  Through the Sustainability Impact Accelerator, we partner with project owners to build their capacity through project- specific training to minimise risks and support maximising the positive sustainability impact of an investment.

Partnerships we can accelerate the realisation of sustainable and bankable projects, enabling the green transition and sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Through the accelerator, we partner with project owners to build their capacity through project specific training to minimise risks and support maximising the positive sustainability impact of an investment.

The routes to impact

Broadening the resource base of projects

Going beyond the financial gap means promoting effective governance. Restructuring how public and private actors interact and partner is often needed to promote effective governance to achieve results in the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. The Sustainability Impact Accelerator adds this to the Team Sweden toolbox. The collaboration within Team Sweden serves a key function in effectively identifying infrastructure projects where the project owner is committed to development but experiences a capacity gap in terms of sustainability.

Involving new resources to projects

Energy-related infrastructure and an expansion of the electricity grid is necessary to provide energy access to urban and rural areas. Transportation infrastructure – roads, railway, ports and airports  are key for economic development by improving people’s mobility from home to work and connecting rural areas to domestic and regional markets. Sustainable water infrastructure improves people’s lives by providing access to water and managing scarce resources. 

The reasons why critical infrastructure is vital for sustainable and inclusive economic development go on. Swedish service and technology providers are frontrunners in the green transition across multiple key infrastructure sectors. Involving Sweden’s resource base in support of critical infrastructure means investing in cleaner, greener and more connected infrastructure that underpins the SDGs and promotes a more sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Identify root causes and to go beyond training

A important part of  SIA  is our focus on the alignment of project stakeholders, i.e. project owners/partners, financiers and regulating agencies – to proactively identify and resolve gaps that could pose sustainability risks to the project and to support keeping project timelines on track. Thereby we accelerate the realisation of projects as more sustainable and bankable , enabling the green transition and sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Adapting to the project cycle of infrastructure projects

The development of infrastructure projects requires planning and capacity during the pre-investment and implementation phases to address financial, legal, technical and sustainability challenges related to a project. As SIA is flexible and adaptable is can be activated at any point in the project-cycle and reduce the risks  throughout the project cycle. This in turn help avoid adverse impacts. 

Going beyond training

SIA include soft support – aligning project stakeholders, i.e. project owners/partners, financiers and regulating agencies in identifying  and resolving the sustainability risks of the project and we support partners in keeping the project timelines on track.

Example of our soft support to project partners – supporting dialogue between TRC Community Liaison Officers and community members near Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania to raise awareness about the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.

83
Infrastructure projects in pipeline
18
Ongoing Capacity development projects
16
Countries

The SIA project pipeline consists of 83 projects across a number of different countries.  

Selected ongoing projects in SIA

Country
Mozambique
Partner
Electricidade de Moçambique E.P. (EDM)
Sector
Energy
Status
Active
About

Support of  the development and implementation of an integrated Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS).  An ESMS is a systematic procedure to manage environmental and social impacts, assuring that negative impacts are avoided or minimised  while promoting positive impacts. Our support to EDM’s Environmental, Social and Health Team is in line with international standards – IFC Performance Standards and ISO – which means that EDM is proactively preparing to comply with the sustainability standards of international financiers and stakeholders

Project:
Environmental and Social Management System support to the energy sector.
Country
Tanzania
Partner
Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC)
Sector
Public Transportation
Status
Active
About

Together with Team Sweden, we have been supporting the sustainable railway investment in Tanzania by partnering with Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC), Tanzania’s state-owned railway company. Significant environmental and social impacts are inherent to large railway projects. If those impacts are not managed properly, they can result in sustainability risks that prevent or delay financing and complicate implementation. To support minimising such risks, we have worked with TRC’s Environmental and Social Team since 2021, building the Team’s capacity to comply with international environmental and social standards. During 2023, we supported TRC with resource assessment, planning and acquisition to support its capacity to meet the legal and international environmental and social standards required by project lenders

Project:
Environmental and Social Management System support in the railway sector.
Country
Côte d’Ivoire
Partners
Minstries, Team Sweden , Scania
Sector
Public Transportation
Status
Active
About

 SIA support stakeholder alignment for the biofuels sector. Team Sweden and Scania are working to develop a sustainable public transport system in Abidjan, by introducing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) with buses fueled by Ivorian and sustainably produced biofuels. Increasing access to public transport across the metropolitan area and achieving Côte d’Ivoire’s climate goals by decreasing emissions from the transport sector. 

Project:
Increasing access to public transport in Abidjan and achieving Côte d’Ivoire’s climate goals
Country
Ukraine
Partners
Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs
Sector
Communication
Status
Active
About

A critical feature of civil resilience is an effective and sustainable single national emergency response system. We are partnering with Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs – the ministry responsible for 112 across the country – to support the  organisational readiness to implement and operate 112 in line with EU standards, which is also a requirement for EU accession. Our support utilises the Swedish resource base as Sweden is a leader in 112 operations, sharing good practices on how to organise a 112 agency to ensure efficient coordination. 

Project:
Civil resiliance readiness. Supporting the national emergency response system 112.
Country
Iraq
Partners
-
Sector
Energy
Status
Paused in 2023
About

Iraq is undertaking vast national efforts to accelerate plans to becoming more energy secure and advancing climate change goals. Extensive reforms of the energy sector will be needed to advance Iraq’s goals and secure investments. Reforming the energy sector means building capacity on environmental and social standards required by international lenders. The geopolitical landscape has  posed challenges and currently the project is pasued as options are elaborated to continue the project.

Project:
Project preparation for the Energy Sector

Scouting of new projects

As the Sustainability Impact Accelerator grows, so does the inflow of potential projects. A broad project funnel allows for data collect on that reflects which investment is in which phase of the project cycle – indentifying trends in investment plans. Our project pipeline shows that 70% of projects are in Sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in the energy and transport (railway) sectors. The data generated can be used beyond the Sustainability Impact Accelerator to indicate, for example, the demand and need for traditional International Training Programmes (ITP) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to prepare the labour market for the shift towards servicing increasingly green technology.

Selection Criteria in SIA pipline projects

•Industry active interest
•Delivery towards 2030 Agenda (SDGs)
•Delivery towards NDCs according to the Paris Agreement
•Team Sweden joint impact
•Risk of adverse impact on people and environment

Increasing the potential to produce clean energy

This is one of the projects of the  Sustainability Impact Accelerator. The accelerator develops sustainability of projects to align with the 2030 Agenda in OECD/DAC countries.  

It’s all about closing the age-old capacity gap. The Sustainability Impact Accelerator supports the organisational capacity of clients. Designed to be agile, the Accelerator provides tailored support to clients through project planning, development and implementation. With a focus on material sustainability issues, the Accelerator works to catalyse financing and maximise project effectiveness.”

Sarah Murfitt
NIR Environmental and Social Expert Advisor

Get in contact with our accelerator specialists

Annie Ross

Program Director

+46 (0)70-791 93 78

Henrik Danielsson

Program Manager

+46 (0)707-91 93 16

Team Sweden

Team Sweden is a network of government authorities, agencies and Swedish companies that support major infrastructure projects globally, with the aim to contribute to the development of sustainable projects. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.

Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.

The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.

The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.

Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.

The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.

Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.

The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.