Submission & Evaluation Criteria

The award addresses three areas, notably skills enhancement, employability and employment quality. Here, you find a short definition of each area.

  • Skill enhancement: The abilities, knowledge, and expertise individuals acquire through education, training, or experience that enable them to perform tasks or roles effectively in a specific field or context.
  • Employability: The combination of skills, knowledge, personal attributes, and attitudes that make an individual capable of finding, maintaining, and progressing in meaningful employment.
  • Employment Quality: The overall conditions and standards of a job, including factors such as fair pay, job security, safe working conditions, opportunities for growth, work-life balance, and respect for inclusive workers’ rights.
The overall outcomes for the projects that can enter the award process have been defined as follows:
  • Outcome 1: Awardees scale-up innovative, skills-driven employment and job quality enhancement initiatives that improve workforce capabilities and promote inclusion.
  • Outcome 2: Employees and job seekers, including from marginalized groups, gain access to enhanced skill-building opportunities, leading to improved employability, better wages, and improved career prospects.
When submitting your winning project, note that the following aspects can get you higher scores:
  • Your project has an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) focus.
  • You include an in-house contribution towards the overall budget at 15% or more.
  • You include a reference letter from your investor, which is mandatory for eligibility (see point 5 under award criteria – Impact Potential).
Impact Potential

The project should clearly define its goals and demonstrate measurable improvements in areas like skills, employability, working conditions and job quality. It should also show who benefits and how the impact spreads across different levels of the organization.

  • The winning activity sets clear goals and demonstrates measurable improvements in skills, employability, working conditions, and job quality.
  • It identifies its target population – inclusion efforts, especially of women, marginalized groups, and diverse employees or job seekers will score extra points.
  • Measurable results include but are not limited to: increased skills, promotions, better wages, or improved working conditions and job satisfaction.
  • It creates impact across individual, team, and organizational levels, enhancing well-being, productivity, and alignment with long-term goals like inclusivity or sustainability.
  • A reference letter from an investor, confirming the solid foundation of your financial performance and ESG compliance, will strengthen credibility.

A strong project is designed to grow and reach more people while staying effective.

  • The winning activity is designed for growth, enabling expansion to other teams, departments, locations, inspiring similar organizations or industries to adopt its approach.
  • The purpose of the activity is preserved during scaling, ensuring the original target group continues to benefit.
  • Resources for scaling, such as funding, tools, or staff, are clearly identified, ensuring alignment with the project activities and its overall mission.
  • It balances cost-effectiveness with broader company goals, such as sustainability or diversity, and supports long-term growth and profitability.

The project should introduce new ideas or methods that are novel in the given context and foster collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders.

  • The winning activity introduces fresh ideas, tools, or methods that are novel within its specific industry or country context.
  • It improves workflow efficiency and addresses challenges in skills, employability, or job quality.
  • It fosters collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders, driving measurable improvements in inclusivity and productivity.

The project should be tailored to meet the specific needs of employees, teams, or the local context.

  • The winning activity addresses specific local challenges, such as skills gaps, employability barriers, challenging working conditions, or onboarding issues.
  • It reflects input from employees, job seekers, and managers, ensuring relevance and buy-in at all levels.

A robust evaluation process ensures the project’s success is measured, lessons are learned, and improvements are made for future initiatives.

  • The winning activity includes a clear evaluation process to measure success and gather lessons learned, using tools like surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
  • Evaluation findings are applied to refine future initiatives, demonstrating measurable improvements in working conditions, skills, and job quality.
  • Impact Potential
    The project should clearly define its goals and demonstrate measurable improvements in areas like skills, employability, working conditions and job quality. It should also show who benefits and how the impact spreads across different levels of the organization.
    • The winning activity sets clear goals and demonstrates measurable improvements in skills, employability, working conditions, and job quality.
    • It identifies its target population – inclusion efforts, especially of women, marginalized groups, and diverse employees or job seekers will score extra points.
    • Measurable results include but are not limited to: increased skills, promotions, better wages, or improved working conditions and job satisfaction.
    • It creates impact across individual, team, and organizational levels, enhancing well-being, productivity, and alignment with long-term goals like inclusivity or sustainability.
    • A reference letter from an investor, confirming the solid foundation of your financial performance and ESG compliance, will strengthen credibility.
  • Scalability
    +
    A strong project is designed to grow and reach more people while staying effective.
    • The winning activity is designed for growth, enabling expansion to other teams, departments, locations, inspiring similar organizations or industries to adopt its approach.
    • The purpose of the activity is preserved during scaling, ensuring the original target group continues to benefit.
    • Resources for scaling, such as funding, tools, or staff, are clearly identified, ensuring alignment with the project activities and its overall mission.
    • It balances cost-effectiveness with broader company goals, such as sustainability or diversity, and supports long-term growth and profitability.
  • Innovation and Collaboration
    +
    The project should introduce new ideas or methods that are novel in the given context and foster collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders.
    • The winning activity introduces fresh ideas, tools, or methods that are novel within its specific industry or country context.
    • It improves workflow efficiency and addresses challenges in skills, employability, or job quality.
    • It fosters collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders, driving measurable improvements in inclusivity and productivity.
  • Alignment with Local Needs
    +
    The project should be tailored to meet the specific needs of employees, teams, or the local context.
    • The winning activity addresses specific local challenges, such as skills gaps, employability barriers, challenging working conditions, or onboarding issues.
    • It reflects input from employees, job seekers, and managers, ensuring relevance and buy-in at all levels.
  • Evaluation Process
    +
    A robust evaluation process ensures the project’s success is measured, lessons are learned, and improvements are made for future initiatives.
    • The winning activity includes a clear evaluation process to measure success and gather lessons learned, using tools like surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
    • Evaluation findings are applied to refine future initiatives, demonstrating measurable improvements in working conditions, skills, and job quality.

© 2025 SIFEM – Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets. All rights reserved.