ABSL joins the Global Technology & Business Services Council (GT & BSC)
The GT&BSC, an alliance of twelve international associations representing the technology and business services sector across the Balkans, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, India, Latvia, Malaysia, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States and Ukraine, collectively represents the interests of over 10,000 organizations, including multi-nationals, indigenous tech companies, SMEs, and start-ups.
In an industry first, the twelve major independent regional organizations representing the Technology and Business Services Sector across the world have united to launch The Global Technology and Business Services Council (GT&BSC) to represent the industry globally. These organizations, which represent members across their respective regions who are both buyers and providers of services, have united to deliver a global response to the challenges and changes brought about by COVID-19 and present a clear vision for the future of the sector.
The technology & business services sector has a strategic importance for a global ecosystem consisting of over 10 million highly qualified and talented employees worldwide. According to ABSL’s latest annual report, the business services sector was already employing 338 000 people in more than 1500 centers at the end of Q1 2020 (5.2% employed in the corporate sector) . It is worth noting that in 2019, business services centers created 2550 new jobs every month and the sector’s contribution to Poland’s GDP was estimated at 3-3.5%. A systematic increase in the number of employees resulted in the development of the office market and Poland, which offered 11 million sq. m, therefore became the biggest market in Central and Eastern Europe. The sector also makes a significant, positive contribution to the global economy and will have a huge impact on the recovery of many regional and national economies around the world.
“We are all incredibly proud of how well our industry responded to the challenges presented by COVID-19. Partnerships and individuals around the world worked tirelessly to ensure key services were delivered in really adverse conditions, remodelling and reinventing business processes literally overnight,’’ says Kerry Hallard, President and Founder of the GT&BSC and CEO of the GSA.
It is the Council’s firm belief that technology, collaboration and access to a global talent pool will be key to driving business and governments out of the current downturn. Sharing best practices, thought leadership and collaborating on new operating models on a global stage will accelerate recovery around the world – “We are pleased that for the first time, our industry is cooperating globally, contributing to the growth of regional markets. We strongly believe that this cooperation will be of tremendous value to all our Members, their clients and employees all over the world. ABSL, given its global network, will represent the CEE region in the GT & BSC,’’ says Piotr Dziwok, President of ABSL.
In its next steps, the Global Technology and Business Services Council plans to conduct a global body of research to better understand the industry’s global state and prepare a report showing the directions of further development. Its next goal will be to initiate discussions with all potential stakeholders, including buyers, providers, governments and analysts, to create a voice and a point of view, support innovation in the sector and, more broadly, in the economy.
