The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in the context of the Economic Recovery and Resilience Project, certified 11 business consultants, on the Supplier's Development Methodology (SDM) Training which lasted for six months.

This international business methodology was introduced to Albania by UNDP following the shocks caused by November 2019 earthquake and COVID19 with the aim of revitalizing the economy, increasing the competitiveness of small and medium businesses, and strengthening their resilience to natural hazards and disasters.

The Supplier’s Development Methodology is an internationally tried and tested approach, which has been successfully implemented by UNDP in various sectors of the economy, in more than 12 countries, over the last 15 years. Essentially, the program aims to develop the capacities of national suppliers, with the ultimate goal of boosting exports and increasing employment.

The SDM training started in June 2021. From eighteen local consultants registered, out of whom 11 managed to successfully complete the training, thus be certified in the use of the methodology.  The pool of trainers included experts with over 20 years of experience in the field. The training process included 90 hours of in-class training, 180 hours of online training, as well as practical application of the methodology in private companies in Albania.
The SDM certificates are not only a mere acknowledgment of the successful completion of the training but also a requirement to apply the methodology in practice, in Albania and beyond.

After the completion of the training phase, the program will start implementation in practice through the selection of specific sectors of the economy and value chains where interventions will take place through methodology instruments.

The participating companies and their suppliers will embark on a 10-12 months journey during which, with the support of technical assistance from trained consultants, they will focus on capacity building, improving the quality and standards of their products and services, as well as expanding access to national and international markets.

This methodology consists of six phases. The first phase focuses on the selection of the leading company of the chain as well as its strategic suppliers, who will be supported through the program. In the second phase, a thorough diagnosis of each enterprise is performed as well as a system for evaluating and monitoring the performance of suppliers is designed. During the third phase, effective communication practices between the parties are promoted in order to define a joint action plan. In the fourth and fifth phases are developed detailed improvement plans and then implemented to address the identified problems. The sixth phase, which concludes the intervention, focuses on drafting a strategy for replicating the program with other suppliers of the leading company.

The Supplier’s Development Programme, part of the Economic Recovery and Resilience Programme is funded by the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Netherlands. The programme is implemented by UNDP.