SEAF, Bechtel.org & Caterpillar Foundation Partner to Empower Polish & Ukrainian SMEs in Rebuilding Ukraine

SEAF and bechtel.org Form Strategic Partnership with Caterpillar Foundation to Strengthen Polish and Ukrainian SME and Migrant Capacity To Rebuild Ukraine

Washington, D.C.  – SEAF, bechtel.org and Caterpillar Foundation are excited to announce a strategic partnership – the SME Green Advancement Initiative (SGAI) – to strengthen the economic resilience of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and displaced workers in the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) sector and EPC-related sectors living and working outside of Ukraine.  A one-year pilot of what is intended to be a three-year strategic engagement was launched in Fall 2024.  It focuses on supporting Ukrainian and Polish EPC firms and workers, addressing local labor shortages while preparing SMEs and their employees for future projects in Poland and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.  The pilot’s mission is to enable Polish and Ukraine businesses and people to benefit from a more sustainable and resilient reconstruction of Ukraine.

The partnership will combine bechtel.org technical training to upskill and advise SMEs, enhancing their competitiveness, with SEAF’s business management, financial and operational capacity building to enable SMEs to scale to meet emerging EPC opportunities and create new, highly skilled jobs.  The partnership will support dozens of SMEs and hundreds of individuals in high-demand roles, bridging skill gaps and reinforcing both local and regional economies.  It will also help the people of Poland, Ukraine and other European countries meet the inordinate demand for a skilled construction workforce as they navigate the challenges of meeting Ukraine’s reconstruction needs and its desire to play a leadership role within a Europe transitioning to a more sustainable and green economy.

The pioneering 3-year partnership will combine SEAF’s demand-driven enterprise support model, launched in Europe 18 years ago and proven in 24 global locations, and bechtel.org’s world- renowned engineering, construction and project management technical training to rebuild Ukraine’s SME EPC supply chains and enhance their competitiveness as suppliers for the expanding green energy market across Europe.  A goal of the pilot is to create a scalable, measurable model that can be replicated across multiple geographies within Europe.

Caterpillar Foundation has anchored the program with initial funding.  New partners with interests in sustainable, market-based solutions to Ukraine’s reconstruction focused on the primary driver of improved Ukrainian lives – SME jobs, in what is expected to be one of the highest growth sectors of the post-war Ukrainian economy – are invited to partner with us scale the program to multiple sectors within Ukraine’s reconstruction supply chain and to other locations in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.  Ukraine’s leadership in green reconstruction, coupled with Europe’s energy transition – estimated to be a $4 trillion market by 2028 – creates a unique opportunity to empower Ukrainian and migrant-led SMEs in Poland to be critical suppliers, service providers and innovators to meet this increasing future demand.

“SEAF could not be more pleased to leverage its 35+ years combining long-term enterprise support, capital and extensive local networks throughout underserved East European communities with bechtel.org’s premier technical training and dedication to sustainable projects that make a lasting impact.  With Caterpillar Foundation’s support and bechtel.org’s technical expertise, we look forward to together creating new Ukrainian capacity to rebuild a more sustainable economy and lead Europe’s green transition,” said Paul Sheehan, SEAF’s CEO.  “This is a flagship partnership which will bolster the economic resilience of Ukrainian small businesses and migrants throughout Eastern Europe.”

Tam Nguyen, bechtel.org’s President and General Manager, noted “We are excited to collaborate with SEAF and the Caterpillar Foundation to leverage our technical and entrepreneurial networks in Poland, Ukraine, and the US to sustainably rebuild Ukraine’s construction capacity. By equipping Ukrainian migrants and Polish communities with reconstruction skills and supporting SMEs in the construction sector, this project will help foster a sustainable economy, create jobs, and strengthen resilient local communities.

Speaking on the partnership, Asha Varghese, Caterpillar Foundation’s President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said “Caterpillar Foundation is excited to lead an effort that will not only give Ukrainian migrants the chance to learn new skills that will contribute to the green transition of Poland and Ukraine’s communities, but the opportunity to create new highly-skilled technical jobs for underestimated migrant communities while strengthening the capacity and resilience of Polish and Ukrainian SMEs.”

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About SEAF

SEAF is a global impact organization with a mission to improve lives and communities through entrepreneurship and small businesses.  We are dedicated to the promotion of SMEs in underserved markets, both via investment funds and technical assistance to firms and communities of entrepreneurs.  Since 1989, SEAF has made more than 433 investments across 46 funds and facilities in more than 50 countries globally, managing over $1.3 billion in SME debt and equity, supporting more than 1 million jobs and serving more than 100,000 entrepreneurs.

About Caterpillar Foundation

The Caterpillar Foundation is transforming communities to be stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable.  We build thriving communities by investing in the skills people need to join the modern workforce, and the natural and vital infrastructure they rely upon.  Since its founding in 1952, the Caterpillar Foundation has contributed to helping improve the lives of people around the world.  As a company, Caterpillar works alongside our dealers and our customers to build the societal infrastructure needed to make the world run.  As a Foundation, we focus on the complementary human, natural and basic services infrastructure needed for individuals to thrive and communities to be resilient.

About bechtel.org

Founded in 2019, bechtel.org serves as the impact infrastructure arm of Bechtel Corporation. Operating as a break-even entity, they partner with non-profit, for-profit, and government entities to execute projects that support market-led growth and create additional value. Bechtel is a leading global engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company. With a legacy dating back to 1898, Bechtel has successfully delivered over 25,000 projects across 160 countries spanning all seven continents.

For more information regarding this project:  Jeri Jensen, jjensen@seaf.com and Tam Nguyen tnguyen4@bechtel.com