INCAE signs cooperation agreements with Honduran financial entities within the framework of the EMPRO Honduras training program

May 18, 2023. To strengthen financial knowledge and preparations for the preparation of business and business growth plans, the Honduran beneficiaries of the Entrepreneurs Progresando Program, EMPRO Honduras, will receive private mentoring sessions by national bank executives, from five financial entities: Banco Atlántida, BAC, FICOHSA, LAFISE and PROMERICA.

The main objective of these mentoring is to properly prepare their recipients in their process of obtaining financing, often essential to execute their respective growth and diversification plans.

These mentorships are carried out during the final phase of the Program, after having received training during the past seven months, on topics such as growth and internalization strategies, product marketing, brand management, increased productivity, financial management, competitiveness, preparation to receive financing, corporate governance, among others.

According to Ronald Arce, Director of CLACDS, “The entire program has been designed to strengthen the participants' capacities to implement a viable business model. The training of the participants, almost all thematic sessions with the participation of experts in various subjects, has contributed to the understanding of the businesswomen about the expectations of world-class clients in topics such as legality, transparency, documentation, ethical behavior, codes of conduct, and critical requirements to comply with health and product safety regulations”.

For Valeria Ríos, Vice President of Marketing and Communication at BAC Honduras, the signing of the first agreement of this type in the country with INCAE confirms the institution's interest in continuing to contribute to the training of businesswomen who lead SMEs, and it is an activity that fact already carried out in the country, in support of the formation of this market segment. Within the framework of this agreement, both entities will closely coordinate their efforts to meet the objectives set.

BAC executives, as well as the rest of the financial entities participating in the mentoring program, will also participate in the business roundtables to be held in mid-June of this year, where the businesswomen will present the projects they have worked on before a panel made up of executives representing different sectors of the country.

EMPRO started in October 2022, is managed by INCAE and financed with funds from the PriceSmart Foundation and Cargill.

During the signing, Gracia María Barahona, Manager of the EMPRO Honduras Program and Valeria Ríos from BAC participated.

If you want more information, you can contact Mauren Esquivel at the mail mauren.esquivel@incae.edu