About us

The certification is a free certification scheme available to all manufacturers and distributors of consumer goods packaging, who operate and service SME customers  in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

When a packaging supplier is SME-friendly certified  by the ITC, it meansthat:

• They are operating at a high level: they are ready and experienced toservice small businesses in East Africa.
• The ITC has verified that. they have good customer service, and high quality and affordable packaging.

SMEs will have access to a complimentary online directory that will identify ‘SME-friendly’ packaging suppliers so it is easier for SME customers to find the right packaging to suit their needs.

An ‘SME-friendly’ certification indicates that the packaging supplier has addressed all or most of the packaging roadblocks faced by many SMEs​.

• What does it mean to be SME-friendly certified as GOLD? When a packaging supplier is certified as GOLD by the ITC, it means that they comply with all requirements that ITC has established to be SME-friendly.
• What does it mean to be SME-friendly certified as SILVER? When a packaging supplier is certified as GOLD by the ITC, it means that they comply with most requirements that ITC has established to be SME-friendly.

Interested in becoming SME-friendly certified? Click here to apply.

SMEs underpin the East African economy, accounting for approximately 90%of  businesses, at least 60% of total regional employment and 29% to the GDP of the East African Community (EAC).

When SMEs are looking for consumer packaging for trade, they face the key issue of identifying a packaging service provider willing to trade with SMEs, especially one that provides quality materials and services at an affordable price. SMEs are under-serviced by national and regional packaging service providers and as a result,  tend to look to other countries and regions to service their packaging needs.

SMEs require better packaging services within the EAC to cater to their needs. Through this SME-friendly certification program, they benefit by accessing a list of ‘SME-friendly’ packaging distributors and/or manufacturers already verified by the ITC. This essentially means that SMEs will now be able to access quality and cost-effective consumer packaging material efficiently and easily.

Not only does this potentially increase revenue opportunities for packaging suppliers, but packaging suppliers can also play a major role in servicing an under-served client base (SMEs), meeting a genuine market gap and driving economic growth for their country.

Interested in becoming SME-friendly certified? Click here to apply.

By qualifying for the SME-friendly certification scheme, packaging suppliers can benefit from:

• Increased credibility with an SME friendly certification on your profile, making it easier to be found by SMEs.
• Opportunities for sales conversion through increased exposure – the higher the tier, the greater the exposure on the ITC website and through ITC countries programs.
• Exclusive access to knowledge workshops and networking​

If you want to learn more about the SME-friendly certification scheme, start here.

Or email us at  packaging@intracen.org

Interested in becoming SME-friendly certified? Click here to apply.

To create an account, simply click on the "Create New Account" button below. This will take you to a separate page, where you will be prompted to enter some information about yourself, as well as agree to our conditions of service and honor code. Once you have done so, your account will have been created, and you will be able to enroll on the courses of your choice.

To enroll on a course, simply click on the course Sign Up button. Your name will be entered as a participant for the next edition of that course, whose start date is displayed on the Course Start Page. You will receive a reminder e-mail three days before the start of the course. If you do not receive this e-mail within 1 day of the course start, please contact the ITC Packaging Academy to confirm the status of your enrolment on the course.

In order to take any course of the ITC Packaging Academy, built on the Moodle learning platform, we suggest the following technical requirements:

• System: Windows XP sp3, Vista sp2, Windows 7 sp1, Windows 8, 10 (or higher),or MacOS X.
• Hardware: 2 GB of RAM and higher for Vista and Windows 7.
• Software: Word processor (e.g. Works, Open Word, Word, Pages), Spreadsheet processor (e.g. Excel, Numbers, Open Excel), PDF-reader (e.g. Adobe Acrobat Reader).
• Browser: Most recent version of Google Chrome (recommended) or Safari.
• Internet connection: 500kbps and higher.

Note: JavaScript, pop-ups and cookies must be enabled.

• Google Chrome (latest version, recommended browser) on Windows or Mac
• Safari 5.1 or later on Mac
• Mobile Safari in Apple iOS 5 or later on iPad/iPhone
• Apple iOS: Articulate Mobile Player in Apple iOS 5 or later on iPad

Accessibility

• Section 508: Complies with applicable requirements - read more. Internet connection: 500 kbps and above.

Note: JavaScript, pop-ups and cookies must be enabled.