FCG Worldwide. Our expertise in international development cooperation. Over 50 years of high quality results together with our partners

Transcription

1 FCG Worldwide Our expertise in international development cooperation Over 50 years of high quality results together with our partners

2 FCG International Ltd Osmontie 34, P.O.Box 950 FIN Helsinki, FINLAND Finnish Consulting Group Asia Pte Ltd 1 North Bridge Road 12-01, High Street Center SINGAPORE FCG Swedish Development Ltd Dalagatan 7, Stockholm, SWEDEN FCG ANZDEC Ltd 99 Franklin Road, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1011, NEW ZEALAND

3 Table of Contents FCG Group Our expertise worldwide 4 Infrastructure Development 5 Civil Society 5 Market Development 6 Environment and Climate Change 6 Agriculture 7 Forestry 8 Land Administration 8 Natural Resource Management 9 Water Sector Services 9 Good Governance and Public Administration 10 Public Administration Reform 10 Public Financial Management 11 Local Government and Decentralisation 11 Urban Development 12 Gender Equality 12 Monitoring and Evaluation 13 Fund Management 13 Training Programmes 14 Education, Skills and Innovation 14 FCG Group 15 Over 50 Years of International Development Work 16

4 FCG Group Our expertise worldwide FCG Group is a multi-disciplinary group of companies providing services related to consultation, training, multi-field infrastructural, environmental and urban design and software business both domestically and abroad. In our international development cooperation we focus on urban and rural infrastructure, public sector reform, natural resource management, civil society strengthening, market development and evaluation. FCG s strength is based on extensive, continuously evolving expertise and the ability to operate in and adapt to a constantly changing environment, as well as competent personnel, who operate according to FCG s core values and ethical principles. In this brochure we present the areas of our expertise in international development cooperation.

5 Infrastructure Development Paving the road to the future FCG have provided a wide range of physical and social infrastructure planning and management services in Finland since 1949 and internationally since the 1970s. FCG operate in the fields of water and environmental engineering, spatial planning and land management, architecture and building engineering, geotechnical and structural engineering offering sustainable solutions for our clients both in private and public sector. FCG is able to provide its services for institutional and operational support, design, coordination, as well as supervision services during construction and maintenance. Our services further includes but is not limited to: project implementation and management, feasibility studies, development planning, quality control, design and procurement of works contracts, surveying, contracting and bidding support, work supervision, community labour training, road design, specification manual, risk analyses, social, gender and environmental assessments and audits, training and institutional strengthening as well as training needs assessments, and monitoring and evaluation. Civil Society Supporting civil society to play a key role in democratisation We have a longstanding track record of working collaboratively with civil society organisations (CSOs), to strengthen their involvement in countries socioeconomic and political development. We support capacity building in cooperation with CSO partners in projects around the world, in order to establish robust and sustainable structures for the further enhancement and development of civil society at large. We believe that an empowered civil society is a cornerstone for functioning democracies and a key component in the promotion of sustainable development. In our approach to supporting civil society we strive for an active participation of local actors and existing organisations. We have ample experience in working with hard-to-reach segments, whether based on social marginalisation, geographic remoteness, or neglected developmental issues. Our services include various forms of tailor-made capacity building as well as tools for grant-funding to civil society organisations. We have many years of experience in leading projects in Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The TACSO project (www. tacso.org) is a unique endeavour for supporting civil societies in all the Western Balkan countries and Turkey, offering comprehensive and demand driven support aimed at strengthening overall capacity and accountability of CSOs. We also provide assistance to governmental bodies and public institutions that are working to promote civil society by improving the legal, strategic, financial and institutional frameworks.

6 Market Development Strengthening inclusive market systems Poverty and unemployment are often the result of an under-developed economy. We facilitate market-led development for generating economic growth, creating employment and reducing poverty in developing countries. We work within the local context to support the development of a strategic framework of incentives, roles, structures, and mechanisms. We support market-driven approaches to developing agricultural and natural resource value chains, promoting exports, trade and productive infrastructure. Other important areas are investment climate reforms and financial sector deepening initiatives in order to increase access to finance, employment and income diversification. With the right strategic interventions, the capacity of the overall economy increases. We have over 50 years of experience of implementing development initiatives and facilitating economic and social progress, and it is clear to us that the private sector and public sector must work in a complementary fashion. We work towards the strengthening of markets by identifying underlying systemic constraints for disadvantaged groups, to be able to identify growth interventions that facilitate the inclusion of these groups in the market. Our understanding of the functioning of relevant market systems, combined with our extensive experience from local contexts, gives us a unique position to not only identifying root causes and structural limitations, but also in developing strategic frameworks to address fundamental operational and strategic issues. Environment and Climate Change Supporting a resilient environment Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st Century. Natural resources have been misused during the last century. Ecosystems have been disturbed and sometimes destroyed. This degradation of natural resources has resulted in an increased environmental and socio-economic vulnerability, especially among poor people and marginalised groups. The failure to respond to this challenge will stall and reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they may have contributed least to the problem. Looking to the future, no country however wealthy or powerful will be immune to the general impact of climate change. We are faced with a destructive relationship between resource use, environmental effects, and poverty. But it can also be used to improve the climate, environment and quality of life at the same time. Our approach to environment and climate change is to develop adaptation strategies, focusing on ecological, economic, and social vulnerability, and to diversify the risk. Our experience and competence related to climate change have been gained and developed with focus on an integrated approach, including areas such as water and land use management, sustainable forest management including environmental services, sustainable agriculture and soil conservation, institutional strengthening and capacity development.

7 Agriculture Building better livelihoods In many countries where we work, agriculture is a major source of productivity, employment and income provider, and a tool for economic diversification. Promoting the potential for increasing productivity in the agricultural sector is a key element in development and growth in rural economies. Agricultural and rural developments are needed to reduce poverty and narrow the rural-urban divide. We support sustainable improvement in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers based on understanding the concrete and specific constraints and challenges they face, and on factors and motivations influencing their decisions. Our long experience from implementing hands-on rural development programmes, together with an understanding of how markets function, enables us to provide valuable expertise and support to the design and implementation of market-driven interventions to integrate smallholder farmers and other actors in agricultural value chains. We have the practical knowledge to work with all parts of agricultural development, from climate smart agriculture and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, to agricultural financing and plant material research. The work involves dealing with regulatory frameworks, policies, strategies and sector reform processes, and it includes relevant capacity strengthening of government at all levels, civil society and the private sector. Forestry Sustainable forest management for the future The importance of forests cannot be underestimated. Besides providing wood, habitats for animals and livelihoods for humans, forests also offer watershed protection, biodiversity, prevent soil erosion, and mitigate climate change through carbon capture. Sustainable management of forest resources is an investment for the future. Forestry is multi-faceted sector in which many stakeholders and interests converge. Recognising this complexity, our approach to address specific forestry issues starts with a thorough analysis and understanding of the specific context, including driving forces, shortcomings, potentialities, stakeholders and objectives. We have more than 50 years of experience in working with different types of forestry programmes, including plantation forestry, community forest management, agro-forestry, multi-purpose forestry, natural forests, non-wood forest products, forest related environmental services and forestry education. Our experience in supporting sustainable use of forests includes capacity building, integrated forest management, forest inventory, forest certification, forest value chain development, landscape planning and low-impact harvesting.

8 Land Administration Realizing the full potential of land administration systems Land ownership and administration systems have a big impact on income equality, land development, economic growth and social stability. Our work to support increased land tenure security is done with these goals in mind. We know that by strengthening the administration systems such as title registration and adjudication, public provision of land information, and transparent and participatory decision making, regions can see a significant improvement in all of the systems that are founded on land use. We offer services for the full duration of a project, from identification, preparation and appraisal through to review and evaluation. If you are considering a large scale land acquisition and investment in a developing country, we can perform risk and impact analysis. Our technical capabilities include the development of technical specifications, establishment of geodetic reference system, and software development. We have a strong profile in capacity building and human resource development: we provide training programmes and onthe-job training in land administration, targeting officials at ministries and agencies to support land policy and reform efforts. Long term support includes the establishment of higher education institutions in land administration. With a company background in natural resource management and the public sector, we understand the complexity of surrounding land issues and its potential for building better livelihoods on a national level. For us, the most important part of the process is to work within the local context. We work to understand and respect local actors and existing systems, as we build institutional change and functional systems that will be sustainable long after we have stopped working directly in a region. Natural Resource Management Holistic natural resource management We support an integrated management of natural resources as the holistic and only sustainable approach producing wealth for improved livelihoods for all. Combining sustainable management of natural resources with rural development, and best practices along with rightsbased approaches is the backbone of our core competence. A combination of good governance and equitable access to natural resources has been the principal element in many of our programmes covering areas such as sustainable agriculture and forestry, water management, catchment management, land use planning and biodiversity conservation - introducing climate change mitigation and adaptation focus for increased resilience. By considering these issues together, we see opportunities that otherwise would be missed. We see the bottlenecks that matter and can work to remove them. We can support efficient capacity building of user associations, central and local governments, civil society organisations and private sector actors in a way that is aligned with existing social, financial and political systems. Sustainable resource management includes promoting income generation from natural resources. Creating equitable access and local ownership are crucial elements in our approach. Our experience has shown that when governments translate existing Natural Resource Management strategies and legislation into tangible action, poverty is reduced in the country in general and in rural areas in particular.

9 Water Sector Services An integrated approach to water sector management Water is a key driver of economic and social development, and it maintains the integrity of the natural environment. Decision makers in the government or private sectors have to make difficult decisions addressing water allocation, diminishing supplies and increasing demands. Demographic and climatic changes further increase the stress on water resources. The traditional approach to natural resource management, which is to consider water, agriculture, biodiversity, forestry, and land management as separate areas, is no longer viable. These things must be considered together, which is why we use a more holistic approach to water management. We provide consultancy services in planning, design and implementation for water sector development worldwide. We assist institutions to practice democratic governance, decentralisation and devolution, rule of law and sound local and national development strategies aimed at exploiting local comparative advantages, building trust in public institutions and attracting investment. We provide technical assistance to water sector actors to focus not only on increasing water supply and access but also to prioritise resource regeneration, conservation, transparency, accountability and community involvement. Water quality along with wastewater treatment and sanitation are essential elements in combination with an efficient water supply. Our approach to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) provides a way forward for efficient, equitable and sustainable development by focusing on rural development and best practices in decentralised natural resource management, along with rightsbased approaches, often linked to national or regional reform.

10 Good Governance and Public Administration Supporting government institutions to deliver for citizens Nearly every development challenge requires improvements in the way the public sector works. In over 100 countries around the world, from Serbia to Mauritius, we have been there to provide practical advice and international best practice to large and small scale public sector reforms. Supporting reforms to public institutions has been the centre of our mission for more than 35 years. Our roots within the Nordic public sector provide us with a unique perspective on public sector reforms. In the Nordic countries we enjoy a high degree of transparency, equality, decentralisation and high quality public services. As a company, we take the best and most relevant parts from our lived experience in Nordic countries, and our work experience around the world. Strategic, conceptual and practical experience in supporting public sector reforms around the world has given us an unrivalled knowledge of what works and in which contexts, and an professional network of leading experts in governance reforms. Public Administration Reform Concrete steps towards better governance The quality of governance is measured by how well a government delivers on development and promotes the safety and happiness of its citizens. But how does a country go about improving this? We can lead the way in a public administration reform process. Our work has led to improvements in the way the civil service functions, the way policies are developed and the way public services are delivered. We recognize that reform is difficult, time-consuming and challenging. To achieve sustainable results, the process is just as important as the result; things must be done in the right order, at the right pace, at the right time and with the right people. We take the experience of tried and tested practices from around the world and support our clients to adapt them to their local circumstances. To this we add the Nordic emphasis on transparency, equality and high quality public services. We support governments to design and implement solutions that work in the real world. Our ambition is to be the partner that governments naturally turn to for support in their reform journey. We have the in-house staff who can handle complex, long-term processes, and we have access to a network of leading governance experts who understand how to make sustainable change happen.

11 Public Financial Management Making better use of public resources Public Financial Management (PFM) is about increasing a government s capacity to provide services to its citizens: to build hospitals, schools and roads for a better quality of life. Improving the way public finances are managed requires the development of better systems, more capable organisations and more transparency in how public money is spent. We are the most experienced Nordic service provider of PFM advisory services and provide expert advice through all aspects of the budget cycle as well as external and internal controls. We have a clear understanding of the relationships between political and institutional processes and policy reform, as well as the links between policies, budget and expenditure management, and how to drive institutional and organisational change. PFM is also a means to enhance aid effectiveness as well as external control and accountability for donor-funded projects. We assist donor agencies in assessing and managing fiduciary risks as well as setting up more effective donor coordinated mechanisms with joint frameworks for expenditure management, risk assessments, results frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation. Local Government and Decentralisation Facilitating local government reform Local governments are usually the main providers of public services that matter to the daily lives of citizens. The quality of local government is a critical element inensuring not only quality public services, but also in ensuring that the voice and needs of the citizens are taken into account. Local government is complex, with multiple levels, widely varying sizes, responsibilities, autonomy, budgets and human resources - between countries but also within countries. There are a range of challenges to deal with: how to meet current and future needs of the community, how to secure sufficient resources and financial viability, how to provide capacity to deliver services effectively and efficiently, how to allow for local representation and participation in decision making, how to interact and cooperate with other local governments at the same or different levels, and with central government. Through its origins as a public sector training and consulting agency for local and central government civil servants, FCG has a wide and deep knowledge of the type of issues, challenges and solutions that matter and make a difference for local government service quality. FCG is owned by Finland s Association of Local and Regional Authorities. Our projects have covered both the design of decentralisation reforms at the central level and capacity strengthening work at the local level. Based on our long international experience in supporting government reforms in many different countries, we provide support that is based on good international practice and at the same time carefully adapted to local requirements.

12 Urban Development Helping governments manage rapid urbanisation Over half of the world s population lives in urban areas, and the accelerating urbanisation rate is the highest in developing countries in Africa and Asia. Sustainable urban development is key to supporting social, economic and environmentally sustainable societies, as well as addressing urbanised poverty. Integration of development processes is central in making urban development sustainable. We work with stakeholders in civil society and the private sector as they create the partnerships that lead to long-term, healthy urban growth. Our experts apply a participatory and community focused approach in our support to development of informal settlements and provide a holistic approach in advisory services, addressing social, economic and environmental sustainability, gender sensitivity and the perspectives of poor and marginalised groups. We emphasize public participation in urban planning, and support gender sensitivity as well as the inclusion of the perspectives of the poor and marginalised. We promote the integration of local and national development, so that urban policy, financial planning, and urban development strategies can be aligned. Our background includes long-term implementation projects, institutional development, training and advisory services. In previous projects we have supported the integration urban planning and development, environmental management in urban areas, municipal services, sustainable urban settlements and integrated housing, land administration, urban policy development and sustainability reviews of urban areas. We have experience across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, and we have been a framework contract provider to Sida. Gender Equality Strengthening societies by empowering all citizens Gender equality is achieved when women and men, girls and boys, have equal rights, life prospects and opportunities. When they each have the power to shape their own lives, they can make a meaningful contribution to society and the whole society is strengthened. We have deep experience working on gender equality both as an integrated part of our projects and as stand-alone interventions. We offer expertise in areas such as women s economic empowerment, gender budgeting, human rights with a gender equality focus and evaluation of gender mainstreaming. We also carry out training programmes and study visits to strengthen local and national decisionmaking bodies, institutions and CSO capacity in the field of human rights and gender equality. We primarily work from two gender perspectives. The first is a rights-based perspective where we begin by strengthening human rights for both women and men, and girls and boys. This may include targeted interventions for groups that are disadvantaged. This work lays the foundation for a gender-equal society. The second is a business perspective, where we work to promote and utilize the advantages of diversity. By doing this, we increase the economic value of gender-equality, and this leads to sustainable change. We include gender as one of many different aspects of diversity management such as working with different generations, and social groups, such as regional identities, ethnicities, castes, sexual orientations etc.

13 Monitoring and Evaluation Finding out what works and why Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) has a central role to play in international development. M&E ensures development effectiveness, transparency and accountability in policy-making as well as improving social and organisational learning. Through our services in M&E, we contribute to evidence-based development policy and decision making and the strengthening of institutional learning and accountability. We provide the insights and ideas needed to help our clients understand what works (and what doesn t) and to figure out why and how. Our services include integrated monitoring and results-based management, organisational assessments, project and programme reviews, strategic and thematic evaluations. We work closely with our clients to ensure that our services are aligned with existing organizations systems, culture, and structures. Our evaluations are reliable and useful. They are based on well-grounded, robust methodologies and carried out by evaluation professionals and thematic experts. Through a close dialogue with the commissioner, and by involving the main stakeholders throughout the process, we ensure the best utility of our evaluation products. We are experienced in the use of a range of methodologies, including IT-based surveys and apps. We are committed to constantly improving our work and to expanding our services across clients, thematic areas and methodologies. Our team has comprehensive expertise in monitoring and evaluation practice and in project management, as well as across a wide range of development themes and countries all of which guarantees quality in design and implementation. Fund Management Innovative financing mechanisms During recent decades, international development actors have realized the need to complement traditional development cooperation with innovative financing mechanisms, to leverage the effect of public resources available for development support, and to support financial markets to improve access to financial services for marginalised groups. We provide a wide range of services catering to these needs. We manage a number of challenge funds and other demand-driven matching grant mechanisms systems that facilitate the allocation of donor funds for specific purposes using competition among organizations or companies. Such funds encompass a wide range of areas including support to inclusive value chain development in agriculture and community-based forestry; business and market development for emerging entrepreneurs; enhancing access to renewable energy sources and low cost, climate-friendly technologies; capacitation and education; and support to civil society organisations in human rights and democracy interventions. We have piloted innovative ways of promoting non-traditional mechanisms to raise complementary funds for development, such as public-private partnerships, guarantees and other market-based financial transactions. When managing funds of this type, we provide the technical expertise needed to market the initiative, assess and select projects and partners for funding, monitor initiatives and support grantees in technical and administrative matters. Central to this are our operational and financial systems, including strict routines for disbursement, control and auditing, which are necessary to ensure a transparent and efficient management and monitoring of fund resources.

14 Training Programmes Experienced organizers for proven results Our long experience in training and capacity building and our broad network of external experts makes us an ideal partner for organising complex international training programmes. While many can deliver a training programme, our unique skill is designing training that delivers results real growth at the individual and organizational levels. We provide professional and experienced facilitators, coordinators, lecturers, mentors, advisors and administrative support. We are often involved throughout the whole process, from the planning stage of the training programme and through implementation to evaluation. Education, Skills and Innovation Innovation, entrepreneurship and productive employment build on skilled people We provide a wide range of tailored education, labour market and knowledge services as a means to foster skills and innovation for inclusive and democratic growth worldwide. High performing education systems promoting skills for all are crucial in a world shaped by global competition and technological change. Partnerships among governments, educational institutions, the private sector and the civil society are essential in effectively generating, using and spreading skills and knowledge. Technology is a key ingredient in building inclusive and democratic knowledge societies with modern learning and management systems. Our experience covers strengthening general education for early childhood development, primary and secondary education, activating labor market in forms of vocational education and training, adult education, employment and entrepreneurship and also fostering knowledge systems in higher education and research as well as innovation support systems. We provide services in design - policy, reform and program designs as well as physical and virtual learning environments; implementation - strategies, trainings, networks and infrastructure development; and evaluation - independent evaluations and reviews as well as monitoring and follow-up.

15 PALAU NAURU FCG Group FCG s consulting services focus on developing organizational, social and public sector structures around the world. In our international projects our strength lies in a local market presence, our solid and versatile international experience and in our highly motivated, efficient staff. In our international projects our strength lies in local market presence. Our companies and subsidiaries are located in: Finland (FCG Group, FCG International) Sweden (FCG Sweden, FCG SIPU International) Bulgaria (FCG POVVIK) New Zealand (FCG ANZDEC) Singapore (Finnish Consulting Group Asia) Kenya (FCG Kenya) Ecuador Turkey The company is owned by Kuntaliitto Holding Oy, which is part of the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities.

16 Over 50 Years of International Development Work FCG Finnish Consulting Group celebrated its 50 years of international development work worldwide in During the decades FCG with its subsidiaries have implemented thousands of development projects in over 150 countries worldwide. FCG Finnish Consulting Group is still, 50 years later, the most prominent supplier of consultancy services to its clients, like the public and private sector organizations and international development financing organizations. Our core expertise Water Supply and Sanitation Natural Resources Management and Environment Rural Development and Livelihoods Energy and Climate Change Education, Skills and Innovation Good Governance, Public Administration Reform and Institutional Development Covering the entire project cycle Identifications Preparations and Appraisals Reviews, monitoring and evaluations Project implementation and management We work with Municipal and national governments, public institutions Non-governmental organisations Semiprivate firms and private developers Bilateral donors International organisations including the WB, EU, EBRD, ADB, AfDB and UN See our websites for more evaluation and other experiences FCG Finnish Consulting Group Ltd tel