The SME Bank and VAFT Productivity Alliance to Boost Russian Enterprise Performance
A formal agreement will soon be signed between SME Bank and the Productivity Development Center of the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade, operating under the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, to drive productivity initiatives across Russian businesses. The signing event, part of the All-Russian Productivity Championship, will mark a new phase in coordinated efforts to raise output and competitiveness through practical programs and shared expertise.
The document will be signed by Petr Zaselsky, chairman of the board at SME Bank, and Ekaterina Grishina, director of the Center. Their collaboration signals a structured pathway to strengthen managerial capabilities and disseminate proven practices that lift labor productivity across diverse sectors.
Strategic goals of the partnership include implementing a series of measures designed to enhance the productivity and global competitiveness of Russian enterprises. The alliance emphasizes the development of leadership competencies required by modern enterprises and aims to spread best-in-class methods for increasing efficiency in the workforce. This aligns with ongoing national priorities focused on enterprise performance and sustainable growth. (Cited from SME Bank and VAFT program outlines)
According to the chairman of SME Bank, the organization places a high priority on boosting the productivity of Russian businesses and maintains active engagement with the business community to understand evolving needs. The bank’s stance reflects a readiness to adapt services and support to what companies require to thrive in competitive markets. (Cited from SME Bank statements)
As part of the Efficiency Leaders program, the bank’s specialists will share insights with heads of Russian companies, offering practical guidance drawn from experience in finance and SME support. This knowledge transfer is intended to empower senior managers to make informed decisions that accelerate growth and operational excellence. (Cited from SME Bank communications)
Earlier this initiative saw SME Bank participants joining one of the Center’s master classes, where discussions focused on available financial support tools and practical strategies for leveraging them to empower entrepreneurs. Such sessions help bridge gaps between policy tools and real business needs, enabling faster, more effective deployment of capital and incentives. (Cited from event summaries)
Ekaterina Grishina, director of the VAFT Productivity Development Center, noted that the collaboration aligns with the national Labor Efficiency project, which is advancing new solutions to sustain enterprises of all sizes, including small and medium enterprises. The emphasis remains on practical, implementable programs that deliver measurable results in productivity. (Cited from VAFT updates)
Grishina added that the program will soon offer participants access to financial incentives and preferential loan arrangements to support development projects. This financial avenue is designed to deepen management engagement in project planning and accelerate execution, ultimately shortening time to impact for enterprise initiatives. (Cited from VAFT program proposals)
She further explained that the enhanced involvement of managers in project design will be crucial to the speed and quality of implementation. By embedding leadership in the development process, the partnership aims to translate strategy into action more efficiently, benefiting a broad spectrum of enterprises across the economy. (Cited from VAFT communications)
Historically, the Center has collaborated with leading business schools to implement a program that trains senior executives as Productivity Leaders. This initiative forms a core component of broader efforts to support enterprises under national directives from the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. It specifically targets participants in the Labor Efficiency project to ensure alignment with national growth objectives. (Cited from program history)
The Center described the training as a targeted approach to cultivate critical competencies that boost business performance in a market characterized by rapid change. The curriculum focuses on practical techniques for improving efficiency, streamlining operations, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across organizational layers. (Cited from training outlines)