EPIC – Enhancing and Promoting International Business Communication supports SMEs to improve their international competitiveness. It has been found that, companies which undergo a proper (i.e. regulated) communication audit tend to operate more effectively in selling their goods and services into markets where their mother tongue is not spoken. By signing up and taking part in the audit scheme, the companies are taught intercultural skills and communication skills, which are reflected in an increased annual turnover. The EPIC scheme helps businesses overcome language and cultural barriers in international trading. The project implies the training of 10 auditors who, after the classroom training, must perform two audits in companies that do export activities.
After the LCA training course held in Italy on the 5th and 6th November 2015 within the project framework, the first audits have started in the companies. 11 students started contact companies from wine, tourism, agribusiness which export their products in foreign markets. Almost all students have already carried out their first audit, fist inviting companies fill in the pre-audit questionnaire. All auditors are trying to collect the required info on the companies on the web. In some cases the first company visits are been done with the export and communication managers. The Centre for Creative Development “Danilo Dolci” (CCD) aims at collecting all 20 audit reports within middle March. CCD is coordinating the audits in collaboration with Confindustria, the main company union in Italy, and other trade associations. Mainly, the companies being audited are wineries, organic food producers, tourist agencies.
For further information please contact Dario Ferrante: dario.ferrante@danilodolci.org