Because global competition is tough, a high quality product may  lose its competitive edge if the support environment (regulatory framework, business infrastructure) is inadequate. The creation or upgrading of that support environment is essentially a joint venture between the public and private sectors, with government playing a key role in creating aconducive  trading environment.

UNIDO aims to improve the competitive supply capacities of developing countries, and enable their enterprises to meet international market requirements, including quality, safety, and corporate responsibility-related standards. It aims to strengthen the capacities of developing countries for participating in international trade, and specifically to enable them to meet market requirements for quantity, quality and safety of their products and services. 

There is a widespread consensus that ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option: corporate actors must place environmental and social concerns to the fore in their business operations. The business community recognizes the strategic value of CSR and is beginning to align products and business relationships in particular through their supply chains, accordingly.

UNIDO assists SMEs to integrate into global value chains by responding to social, ethical and environmental sustainability regulations and standards that play an increasingly important part in sourcing and buying decisions of governments, institutional buyers, and consumers, in addition to the more traditional price, quality and delivery (PQD) factors.