IDB Invest is the private sector arm of the IDB Group, with a mandate to promote the sustainable growth of companies through financial solutions and technical assistance. Recognising that the care economy is a critical yet often undervalued component of this growth, IDB Invest sought to launch an advisory offering to support agribusinesses in strengthening the integration of care into their business models.
From February to November 2025, Kore Global designed a blueprint for this new care advisory service. We adopted a phased, evidence-based approach to ensure the offering was grounded in reality and genuinely useful to the private sector. This involved determining “what works” for agribusinesses in Ecuador by validating assumptions, refining proposed interventions, and identifying actionable strategies to integrate care into operations.
Over a period of 9 months, we:
- Developed and refined a compelling one-page business case, translated into Spanish, which clearly articulated the commercial value of care (such as improved retention and brand equity) to secure senior leadership buy-in and serve as a pre-read for engagement activities.
- Designed and deployed a pre-engagement survey to gather critical baseline data on how agribusinesses currently perceive and manage care issues, using these insights to tailor the design of subsequent roundtables to address real-world pain points.
- Facilitated interactive care roundtables in Quito and Guayaquil with leading agribusinesses to understand their pain points in integrating care, and brainstorm viable care solutions for their companies, rooted in the ‘5Rs’ framework (Recognise, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, Represent).
- Produced a comprehensive final report and advisory blueprint outlining a nine-stage process for designing a care advisory offering, from diagnosing employee and supply chain workers’ care needs, including those employed in offices as well as field-based workers, to co-designing appropriate care initiatives, and measuring their impact. The blueprint was modular in nature, offering both ‘minimum standard’ and ‘enhanced impact’ options, to remain adaptable to firms’ capacity and resources.
This blueprint builds on global best practices and the specific insights gathered from the Ecuadorian agribusiness sector. It positions IDB Invest to drive transformative change, ensuring that care initiatives are not merely tick-box exercises but sustainable investments that benefit businesses, workers, and their families.