Project Description:

The Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP), implemented by PKSF with World Bank co-financing, aimed to enhance the environmental sustainability of microenterprises (MEs) across Bangladesh. SEP focused on promoting environmentally friendly practices among microenterprises in sectors such as agribusiness and manufacturing, particularly in environmentally vulnerable areas. Launched in March 2018, SEP sought to address the challenges faced by MEs, such as limited resources and lack of access to sustainable practices, through financial support and capacity-building initiatives.

SEP’s core objective was to increase the adoption of sustainable practices by microenterprises and reduce the negative environmental impacts associated with various business clusters. To this end, SEP worked with approximately 40,000 microenterprises, encouraging a shift towards environmentally sound practices, while also fostering resilience to climate risks in flood-prone, drought-prone, saline-prone, and other climate-sensitive regions. The evaluation focused on key sectors, including agribusiness (livestock, horticulture, aquaculture, and poultry) and manufacturing (mini textiles, leather processing and shoemaking, food processing, metal work, light engineering, plastic recycling, and handicrafts), assessing the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices within these diverse sub-sectors.

DM WATCH LIMITED was commissioned to conduct the Final Evaluation of SEP to assess the project’s effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and overall impact in terms of project objectives. This evaluation included measuring the extent to which SEP met its development goals, analyzing outcomes related to environmental sustainability, and evaluating the impact on microenterprise operations and local economies. It also involved assessing satisfaction levels among participants, gathering lessons learned, and formulating recommendations for scaling and replication.

Key Highlights of the Assignment

DM WATCH LIMITED conducted a comprehensive final evaluation of the Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP), working closely with PKSF to ensure all deliverables were in line with the project requirements and timeline. The evaluation employed a mixed-method approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data to assess the project’s impact on sustainable enterprise development, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience. The evaluation services included:

Inception Phase:

• -Prepared a detailed Inception Report within 25 days of signing the contract. This report included a revised work plan, sample size calculations, sampling distribution, and a comprehensive data analysis plan. The inception report also detailed the evaluation questions, methods, data collection sources, and tools, as well as a research planning matrix covering objectives, indicators, measurement techniques, and data sources.
• -Developed and submitted a set of data collection tools, including the survey questionnaire, checklist, and interview protocols in both English and Bangla for PKSF’s review and approval.

Data Collection and Analysis:

• -Conducted extensive fieldwork involving 6,576 surveys of microenterprises, complemented by qualitative insights from 27 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), 22 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and 11 case studies. Data collection focused on capturing insights into SEP’s effectiveness, sustainability practices, and socio-economic impact.
• -Conducted environmental performance assessments, including water, air, and noise quality tests to evaluate the environmental sustainability measures undertaken by the participating microenterprises.
• -Utilized advanced data analysis techniques, including descriptive statistics, econometric modeling, geospatial analysis, and content analysis. These methods enabled a thorough evaluation of SEP’s impact on environmental and economic indicators, gender inclusion, and social resilience.
• -Conducted a robust quasi-experimental evaluation design, involving both Difference-in-Difference (DiD) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methods, to enable an accurate comparison of outcomes between participant and non-participant microenterprises (MEs). These techniques allowed for precise measurement of SEP’s impact by controlling for potential selection biases.
• -Implemented selection bias mitigation measures, such as careful control group selection, longitudinal data analysis, and sensitivity checks. By matching on multiple variables and using relevant covariates, we enhanced the reliability of impact estimates, providing a clear picture of SEP’s contributions to sustainable microenterprise development.

Reporting and Deliverables:

• -Draft Report: Submitted a draft report within 90 days, written in accessible language for non-specialists and including a dedicated chapter on SEP’s alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Presented key findings and preliminary insights in a presentation to PKSF stakeholders within 10 days of the draft submission.
• -Final Report: Delivered a comprehensive final report within 150 days, incorporating all stakeholder feedback and including an SDG alignment chapter. An infographic summary (3 pages) was also provided to highlight key insights and recommendations.
• -Dataset Submission: Provided PKSF with the complete dataset in Excel, Stata, and SPSS formats, including the syntax and output files. This dataset, property of PKSF, was submitted with full documentation to facilitate future use and analysis.
• -Hard and Soft Copies: Submitted 5 hard copies of both the draft and final reports (book binding) and digital copies in MS Word and PDF formats.
• -Book Publication: Prepared, edited and published a book (with ISBN) based on the study findings and printed 250 copies for dissemination.