The ICF, Avalis and the IEF sign an agreement to train SME managers in business finance

The course "El dia a dia de les pimes" (The everyday activity of SMEs) aims to provide further training for the managers of Catalan SMEs, offering them expertise that will allow them to improve the financial management of their companies. This joint initiative reinforces the commitment of the ICF and Avalis to the IEF, with whom they have been working for years on the programme for Financial Education in the Schools of Catalonia (EFEC).

Barcelona, 26 September 2019. - The Institut Català de Finances (ICF) and Avalis de Catalunya have signed an agreement with the Institut d'Estudis Financers (IEF) to promote training in business finance among the managers of Catalan SMEs. The course, "El dia a dia de les pimes" (The everyday activity of SMEs) aims to provide further training in business finance for managers, equipping them with tools and expertise that will allow them to improve the financial management of their companies.

The agreement responds to the needs of SMEs, especially when they address processes of growth or expansion, phases in which financial management is of great significance. In these periods, having access to as much information as possible and the knowledge and advice of experts is essential to for making good business decisions.

With this goal in mind, a programme has been defined, consisting of two face-to-face sessions to be held on Monday 7 October and Monday 14 October at the headquarters of the ICF in Barcelona.Attendance is open to all SMEs which apply beforehand through the enrolment form set up on the ICF website.

The first session will focus on basic financial management strategies that allow the managers of small and medium-sized businesses to have sound finances. The aim of the workshop is to ensure that financial management is no longer a source of possible problems for companies and that finance can be used as an instrument that contributes to their competitiveness.

In the second workshop, dealing with pricing policy, different strategies will be analysed, special attention being paid to the management of discounts, the final objective being to maximize the company's profits. The workshop will feature real cases of Catalan SMEs that are currently applying the theoretical concepts presented and the effects this has on the profitability of the companies.

This joint initiative reinforces the commitment of the ICF and Avalis to the IEF, with whom they have been working for 6 years on the programme for Financial Education in the Schools of Catalonia (EFEC).

About ICF

The ICF is the public financial entity of Catalonia, whose main mission is to promote financing for the business community in Catalonia in order to contribute to growth, innovation and the sustainability of the Catalan economy. The ICF acts as a complement to the private sector by offering a wide range of financing solutions focusing on loans, guarantees and venture capital. Since 2014, it has been a member of the European Associations Public Banks (EAPB), which groups a large proportion of the banks and public financial entities operating in Europe.

About Avalis de Catalunya

The mission of Avalis de Catalunya, S.G.R., a non-profit organisation, is to facilitate access to credit for SMEs and the self-employed with activity in Catalonia, as well as to enhance financing conditions by providing guarantees to financial institutions and the ICF. Likewise, it aids with the bidding and execution of public tenders.

The patrons of Avalis de Catalunya include the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Institut Català de Finances, industry organisations such as Foment de Treball and PIMEC, as well as almost all financial institutions operating in Catalonia.

About IEF