Sustainability in the production processes of companies has become relevant not only as a differentiating factor in the market but also as an element of value creation in the production chains and in their performance, taking on greater importance from the theoretical, conceptual and political references that have been taking place around the so-called “Green Deal” or green agreements that particularly became important after the crises that occurred in 2008 and 2009 in the world. (Smol, 2022).

The vision of these issues limited to the focus on environmental protection as an exclusive factor of sustainability, have evolved to proposals in which a balance is sought between economic growth and environmental protection, promoting, as stated by the OECD, a green growth that articulates “economic growth and development, while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our well-being depends” ( (Marco Capassoa, 2019).

There has not been a single reference regarding the concept of sustainability. The historical evolution can be referred to the approaches adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations since 1987, in which sustainable development was conceived as a concept linked to the environmental dimension. (Jun-Der Leu, 2021)..

It was later reinforced in 2006, when the term Green New Deal (GND) began to be mentioned by the “Green New Deal Task Force, which proposed a set of implementation programs to address specific climate, economic and social challenges”. This term became relevant due to the concept addressed by Thomas Friedman in 2007, when he proposed an industrial project to focus on the issue of clean energy and stimulate economic development based on changes in the energy matrix ( (Smol, 2022).

John Elkington, incorporated the “Triple Bottom Line concept, in which he explained the idea that for a company to be sustainable, it has to ensure a triple bottom line: to be economically viable, to be socially beneficial and to be environmentally responsible” (Jun-Der Leu, 2021). (Jun-Der Leu, 2021)three objectives that conceptualize the dimensions that today are linked to the broader understanding of the term sustainability, reflecting the relationship of economic profitability not only in business but also in the relationship with society and the environment.

The concept of sustainability has been considered to integrate at least 7 aspects in the development of organizations: “strategy on climate and eco-efficiency, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance, Code of Ethics, Stakeholders, Reputation, Environmental Responsibility and Management System.” (Paúl Sarango-Lalangui, 2018)elements that, from an integral approach, have an impact on the configuration of business models and on the relationship of companies with their collaborators, with society, with their customers, with their communities and in their own production chains.

In this sense, sustainability has been acquiring value in the areas of business development and in the approach to business strategies, a reality that is not alien to micro, small and medium-sized companies, which today must address environmental, social and economic challenges that put into perspective the incorporation of new practices in their value chains, in the acceleration of their innovation processes, in the construction of reputation strategies, as well as in the incorporation of new marketing and commercialization strategies that add value to their business models.

Therefore, it has been considered that companies have an important challenge to enable models that articulate a transformation of their production chains towards a more sustainable production-consumption, where they can “aim at sustainable value for customers and all other stakeholders, create and deliver this value, and ‘capture economic value by maintaining or regenerating natural resources, social and economic capital beyond the boundaries of their organization” (Dalia D’Amatoa, 2020). (Dalia D’Amatoa, 2020).

Although there is a growing recognition of this reality, it is important to determine the level of appropriation that the most representative business park, in terms of size, impact on employment and relationship with value chains, may be acquiring in business models, and that in the growing recognition that especially large companies are beginning to take, it is important to analyze the issue of sustainability as part of the new economic reality, and to assess the possible methods for its implementation to overcome the critical cycles that in the past have hindered the establishment of business plans for sustainable development with a medium and long term perspective. (Jun-Der Leu, 2021)..

Recognizing the relevance of sustainability in its three dimensions (economic, social and environmental) for MSMEs, the importance of strengthening entrepreneurial initiatives led by women, and the importance of establishing policies, programs and actions to accompany the process of incorporating these productive units into increasingly sustainable production and value chains, where gender equity is a fundamental aspect of this process, The importance of establishing policies, programs and actions to support the process of incorporating these productive units into increasingly sustainable production and value chains, in which gender equity is a fundamental aspect of the structure of this diploma program promoted by the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) in conjunction with the Latin American Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CELIEM), this Training Course for Public Management of Policies and Programs for Sustainable MSMEs with a gender approach is designed and put into service, with the purpose of providing concepts, tools and good practices to public officials of institutions linked to the generation of development conditions for MSMEs, so that participants can design policy and program proposals that can be implemented in the region’s ecosystems and thus contribute to the insertion of public actions to promote MSMEs led by women towards more sustainable enterprises.

The aim is to raise awareness of the level of development of women’s MSMEs in these dimensions and determine the conditions and opportunities that these productive units may have to make profitable and take advantage in their growth processes of green, sustainable and innovative business models that allow them to reduce gaps and face the reality of the new economic development with better conditions.

1.1.  General:

Strengthen knowledge, technical skills and management of tools that enable public officials and decision makers in Caribbean countries to formulate public policies and programs that promote and develop a better entrepreneurial ecosystem to strengthen the promotion of MSMEs led by women so that they are sustainable, innovative and inclusive, impacting the development and economic growth of the region.

1.2.  Specific:

1. Strengthen the formulation and management of projects aimed at the development and growth of sustainable MSMEs.
2. To link the commitments and actions promoted by the countries to achieve the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals as part of the policies and programs that promote the development of MSMEs.
3. To learn about good practices, lessons learned and tools that contribute to the implementation of sustainable MSME programs that incorporate business support, financing, innovation and market access.
4. Promote public initiatives generated by the participating institutions to favor south-south cooperation schemes that have an impact on the promotion of sustainable MSME ecosystems.
5. Communicate the benefits and advantages of sustainability leadership with different stakeholders.

At the end of the 4 modules of the diploma course, participants will have acquired greater sensitivity, knowledge, skills and tools for the formulation of policies and programs that contribute to the promotion and development of sustainable business models in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises led by women in each of their countries. The course will have enabled them to develop a policy proposal or public program to be implemented in order to promote the development of sustainable MSME ecosystems and contribute to the goals set to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The Diploma will seek to strengthen the skills and tools of the participants during a total of 08 weeks, through the development of 4 training modules of 2 weeks each, in order to better manage public policies and programs aimed at promoting sustainable business models in MSMEs.

An applied learning methodology will be developed, which will combine conceptual and methodological knowledge of experiences and best practices implemented to address tools and resources raised in the formulation and management of projects, as well as in the analysis of public policies.

In this sense, the following table summarizes the approach that will be developed in each of the modules in the articulation of contents, competencies and tools:

In total there will be 32 hours of synchronous training and 16 hours of asynchronous work, for a total of 48 hours of training.

As a requirement for the certificate of participation they must:

• To have attended at least 80% of the synchronous sessions, and to have excused absences in the sessions in which they were unable to participate.
• To have elaborated the exercises of the asynchronous sessions,
• Have presented, in the last session of the diploma course, a program proposal, which can be addressed individually or through initiatives between institutions from different countries, in which the contents developed during each of the modules will be integrated. This proposal will be evaluated by representatives of the promoting institutions.

The course will address the development of 4 modules, in which synchronous sessions will develop topics focused on sharing concepts, methodologies and experiences in 4 areas of the value chain for the development of women’s enterprises: ecosystem conditions, support models, financial instruments and conditions for access to the public procurement market, as shown in the following table:

These contents will be complemented with the asynchronous sessions, which will be oriented to the practical application of the project management methodology and the analysis of public policies, in order to allow participants to complement what was covered in the synchronous sessions as input for the development of the asynchronous exercises that will gradually lead to the formulation of the final project of the diploma course, which will be presented in session number 8.

The asynchronous sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Central American time. The asynchronous sessions will be available after the Thursday session, with the support material required for the development of your project proposal.

Selected participants will receive a full scholarship granted by SELA.

At the end of the course, a certificate of achievement will be issued to those who have passed the modules and have participated in at least 80% of the synchronous sessions of each module, and who have submitted their final project proposal.