Rizal Nainy of SME Corporation Malaysia talks about the importance of investing in homegrown businesses and their vital role in the global market
With Malaysia’s post-pandemic recovery in its nascent stage, one of its key drivers—and one of the country’s major economic contributors—are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Reported to have contributed to 38.2 per cent of Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 48 per cent of national employment as of 2020, it’s evident that SMEs significantly contribute to job creation and income generation.
And as the pandemic is propelling us towards a future where connectivity and digitalisation have never been more prevalent in a world gone online, SME Corporation Malaysia highlights the need to further develop these local businesses, aiming to propel them in both the local and global markets.
For Rizal Nainy, CEO of SME Corporation Malaysia, he believes that SMEs play a major role in the region’s socioeconomic spheres. To maintain their involvement in the long-run, developments in aspects such as digitalisation, innovation, sustainability, and inclusiveness must be made. This includes the developmental programmes the company has initiated, in particular the Enterprise 50 (E50) award.
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What is the Enterprise 50?
It’s one of our champion projects! While we have at least 34 programmes and activities throughout 2022 that offer local SMEs further development, the E50 is important not just because it’s the most prestigious recognition for these local businesses, but it acts as a benchmark or even a catalyst that provides encouragement for SMEs to be competitive and innovative, transforming them into new drivers of growth.
It's an annual award that’s organised by the SME Corporation Malaysia and co-organised by Deloitte Malaysia. It’s created with the aim to recognise and celebrate the achievements of forward-thinking SMEs that have boosted economic growth.
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How does it work?
First, SMEs must register for the SME Competitiveness Rating for Enhancement, also known as SCORE. They need to get a rating of four stars and above to be eligible for the E50 award. It also bears saying that even if participating businesses can’t obtain the qualifying results, SCORE can provide them a diagnostic of their brands’ strengths and weaknesses. We run an impartial and stringent evaluation process that serves as an effective barometer for SMEs to benchmark their business performance against industry standards. It’s conducted by independent industry players and experts in the field.
They will go through a financial evaluation process by Deloitte, and a non-financial exercise by our strategic partners and business councillors such as RHB, MIDF, SME Bank and more. Then, we do an on-site visit and conduct a moderation meeting before we conclude the process. This entire process can take about six to seven months.
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