DEG customer survey: Companies cite resilience and sustainability as key drivers

Private companies in developing countries see entrepreneurial resilience, sustainability and access to long-term financing and qualified staff as especially important fields of action. This is shown by a recent survey that was geared towards around 370 of the companies co-financed by DEG. Other driving factors mentioned by respondents include inflation, climate change and digitalisation.

Different regions had different areas of focus: while resilience was held to be an important field of action by companies in Africa and Latin America in particular, sustainability was the number one factor in Asia, and access to qualified staff in the Europe/Caucasus region.

Consistently high customer satisfaction

Every three years, DEG conducts customer surveys together with an independent market research institute with a view to systematically gauging how the companies it supports view the services it provides. As there have been major disrupting factors like the coronavirus pandemic and the significant worsening of the geopolitical situation since the last survey took place in 2021, the findings were eagerly awaited with regard to what companies in developing countries are particularly busy with at present.

In the 2024 survey, DEG customers were asked what they felt were the most important factors currently driving their business. They were also asked about the impact on their investments made possible by DEG and about how they rated DEG’s advisory services.

Once again, the overall satisfaction among DEG customers was very high, with 9 out of 10 possible points. Willingness to recommend DEG also remained very high at 83%. Among the factors stressed by respondents were the professionalism and dedication of DEG and its employees. At the same time, companies felt that there was still room for improvement as regards speed and flexibility.

Customers value DEG impact

The findings of the survey, in which many DEG customers participated, underline the importance of aspects such as DEG’s ESG expertise and the part it plays in helping to mobilise further investors for the companies that are active in developing countries.

As DEG’s CEO Roland Siller explains: “For us as development finance provider, it is particularly gratifying that our customers feel that DEG has a great impact on their investments.” The surveyed companies affirmed that DEG assisted them with ESG issues and environmentally friendly business practices in particular and helped them to get further investors on board. DEG is planning to add to the range of advisory services that it expanded in 2022, actively helping private companies to bring about the necessary transformation.

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