Aug22499 28 | Acquisition International, Issue 8 2023 May23005 Making International Business Easy orn and raised in South Africa, Dorothy Diedericks believes that the solution to empowering poorer countries is trade, not aid. But for trade to bring about that change, it has to be compliant and sustainable. For that reason, in 2014, Dorothy founded BlueBlox. The company, based in the canton of Zug, Switzerland, is a trade compliance consulting house that enables and streamlines cross-border trade into Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Her reason for taking this route was that most entrepreneurs look for opportunities in countries with richer economic conditions. With poor and middle-class economic countries often overlooked, it was time for a change. Dorothy says, “Growing up in South Africa, witnessing pervasive injustice, unfairness, and corruption motivated me to travel down the road of philanthropy. But I soon realised that along that path lies hopelessness. Aid is a problem in Africa, not a solution. And in many instances, African trade is exploitative and unhealthy. What’s needed is connection and courage. An Africa where the wisdom of the old meets the innovation of the new. An Africa that’s known for producing pioneers of industry, invention, and thought leadership. My mission with BlueBlox is to be part of the solution, to help raise standards, create hope and inspire dreams.” BlueBlox helps multinational manufacturers to overcome the barriers they face in importing products into developing markets. By doing so, the company helps to empower nations one project at a time. Serving multinational technology and telecommunications companies and manufacturers, BlueBlox works to reduce the gap between internationally agreed standards and local practical applications. The company offers three core Trade Compliance Consulting services. In proactive consulting, its experts evaluate the viability of a market based on economic and political status, ease of entry, transparency, and a host of other criteria. Active consulting is a comprehensive analysis of where a business is now so they can improve on current processes and operations. And reactive consulting is for those companies in need of urgent assistance, helping clients to find a path to resolution with such challenges as customs, valuation, and classification disputes. Most disputes can be resolved through discussion and clarification. This avoids the stress, time, and costs of litigation. BlueBlox aims to develop solutions that end as a win-win for all involved. The company has developed a number of key relationships with governments, chambers of commerce, and the WTO in Geneva, which allows it to facilitate mutually beneficial, compliant solutions. Through its unique model of trade facilitation, BlueBlox has obtained significant breakthroughs on behalf of its clients in some of the world’s toughest emerging markets. “We tailor every solution we provide according to specific client and country requirements,” Dorothy tells us. “Our people-centred approach ensures that all stakeholders benefit from a smooth and compliant trade programme that addresses our clients’ current and future goals. We’re always working on new products and services to make trade more accessible for economic operators, both big and small. This aligns with our core belief that ‘business should be easy…’.” Dorothy goes on to share, “In 2021 and 2022, two years in a row, we won the Swiss award for the best trade compliance consulting company within Switzerland, which was for projects that we ran during COVID. We were able to get massive results at that time.” Of course, it’s a team of Trade Consultants that made all of this possible. They each work hard and want to “empower Africa” and Switzerland. They want to inspire and raise the standard within the industry and have been working towards this high standard continuously. BlueBlox has also already been recognised globally for its tireless efforts in trade compliance. The rest of 2023 looks extremely bright for BlueBlox. One of the latest initiatives the company is starting this year is the BlueBlox Innovation Hub which will support the local community by providing flexible parttime employment opportunities for mothers and single parents who struggle to enter or re-enter the workforce. Moreover, the BlueBlox training programme is under construction at present, and this will inevitably change the industry for the better very soon. If you’d like to learn more, please visit the BlueBlox website today. Contact: Dorothy Diedericks Company: BlueBlox GmbH Web Address: http://www.blueblox.ch/ Being able to trade effectively on the world stage offers the opportunity to build better economies, access more opportunities, and create better lives. Trade compliance expert, BlueBlox GmbH, believes that international trade should be easy and accessible for all. For the achievements in the battle for compliant international trade in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, BlueBlox receives our Best International Trade Compliance Consultancy 2023 - EMEA award. B
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