Terms of use
Terms of use
SME Planet is a non-profit, non-governmental organisatio registered in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland under the laws of Geneva and the Helvetic Confederation (Switzerland). It is an apex body federating the activities and knowledge of affiliated organisations and social enterprises that share a vision to improve business development practices, financial management, enable access to financing and investment for small and medium-scale enterprises engaged in sustainable and socially inclusive development in low and middle-income countries.
SME Planet brings together information sources and business development services from across the world. Our collaborators include chambers of commerce, academic institutions, technology providers, professional bodies, corporates, financing providers such as banks, philanthropies, grant givers, investors and foundations, start-ups, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) from all sectors of the economy. In January 2025, our standards of operation were upheld by more than 100 business development service coaches and managers in five regions: Africa (East, West and South), Asia (Central Asian States), Indian Ocean Island States, and The Pacific islands (Melanesia and Polynesia).
These social enterprises provide advisory, training and coaching support to 100s of enterprises each year to improve their knowledge, skills, financial management, compliance and access to financing through to eventual investment. SME Planet’s affiliates implement commercial, grant and donor-funded programs to encourage sustainable and socially inclusive growth of businesses to accelerate climate action, greening of supply chains and empowerment of women or young entrepreneurs to create good quality jobs. Their affiliation with SME Planet includes standards for assuring impartial and independent advice, ethically and culturally balanced coaching.
Public User registration
Public Users may voluntarily give information on the website related to SME financing, market compliance, legal and taxation issues. This includes require ments for business records and analyses, terms and conditions of financial instruments and their implications on SME businesses. The criteria, workiing schedule and generic lending terms and conditions for initial selection of a cohort of enterprises to participate in a round of access to financing activities are set by the financing provider and SME Planet in collaboration. Whilst we make every effort to encourage financing providers to extend envelopes of lending to match SME needs sometimes there may be mis-matches in timing or financing capacity. If this occurs, and with permission from a SME, SME Planet can use its network of contacts with other funding providers to find alternative sources. Personal contact details may be used to send Users notifications of News and Events, Fraud Watch, or updates of content on the SME Planet Platform, if Users subscribe to these services. The Administrator may use User contact details to reach them from time to time if there are questions or issues about a User’s own data or the way it is displayed, or to solicit reactions and ideas for adapting the Platform’s services.
Public User data protection and privacy
Personal data is not shared with external parties unless specific written permission is provided. Although SME Planet can see a global overview of data entries, personal data points are removed from all global analytical reports. These and other system analytics are completely anonymised. More complete information on data privacy can be found in the SME Planet Data Privacy pages at: https://smeplanet.org/DataPrivacyPolicy .
Charges and fees
The SME Planet Platform may offer some services to SMEs against payment. One of the services planned is a cloud database and server facility that would be owned by a SME and used to upload and safeguard their personal and business records in structured folders and mirrored folders to which they may authorise access. Original validated and dated Master records will be encrypted and kept on a secure database (technically called a “Document Wallet”) with each module accessible for a limited time only to persons approved by the SME proprietor. The SME proprietor may then approve access rights for a limited duration to third parties to view a “Mirror” image of the original Master records and analyses for their own purposes, such as deriving a provisional financing offer with lending terms and conditions.
This facility would avoid the need for a SME to assemble original documents and records separately for each loan application, speeding-up a financing application process and extending SME financing options. We plan a small data storage charge to cover the maintenance of this facility payable to SME Planet. Other costs may be involved if legal validations of a SMEs records are required to secure financing.
Charges or fees may apply for the financing and business development support services displayed on the platform, for some events, services and resources provided by SME Planet or other entities displaying information on the platform. Users are responsible for making their own enquiries about all the details, costs and liabilities they may incur by using any of the services or opportunities displayed on the platform. SME Planet expects that any fees or charges applicable to the use of services will be shared in advance with potential users. Users are asked to report to the Administrator of the Platform any hidden charges or liabilities they may find associated with services displayed on the platform through the “Contact us” facility.
Contacts and communications
SME Planet may communicate with Registered Users and Providers from time to time through the platform and by SMS, email, or telephone to inform Users of new opportunities, request comments on the platform’s performance and design, or follow up on information requirements or technical issues and for other reasons. Users of, and Service Providers on, the platform can contact SME Planet for more details at any time through the “Contact us” facility provided on the platform and may unsubscribe from these notifications by clicking on the “Unsubscribe” button on the "Contact us" page here: abide xyz.
Notices & changes to the terms & conditions
All notices or other communications to be given under these Terms and Conditions of Use to any party shall be sent by e-mail and/or displayed prominently on these web pages. Notices shall be deemed to be received on dispatch provided that the sender has received a receipt indicating proper transmission or when the web page has been viewed. The Terms and Conditions may be varied by SME Planet at its sole discretion from time to time and in conformity with national laws and regulations. SME Planet may also notify Users directly when any changes are specific to them by e-mail and/or SMS subject to preferences indicated by the User. Continued use of the platform or a service will be deemed to be acceptance by a User of any such changes to these Terms and Conditions.
Representations and Warranties
The User represents and warrants to SME Planet that all factual information and data provided to SME Planet or through the platform is made in good faith, is accurate at the time of uploading and that the User did not omit to mention anything material which may render it untrue, misleading or that may be construed as malicious.
Governing law
These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by the laws of the Confederation Helvetica (Switzerland). The Courts of the Canton of Geneva shall have exclusive jurisdiction in connection with these Terms and Conditions. Users and Providers agree to these Terms and Conditions automatically by continuing to use, and benefit from, the facilities of SME Planet and its affiliates.
The SME Planet Platform may offer some services to SMEs against payment. One of the services planned is a cloud database and server facility that would be owned by a SME and used to upload and safeguard their personal and business records in structured folders and mirrored folders to which they may authorise access. Original validated and dated Master records will be encrypted and kept on a secure database (technically called a “Document Wallet”) with each module accessible for a limited time only to persons approved by the SME proprietor. The SME proprietor may then approve access rights for a limited duration to third parties to view a “Mirror” image of the original Master records and analyses for their own purposes, such as deriving a provisional financing offer with lending terms and conditions.
This facility would avoid the need for a SME to assemble original documents and records separately for each loan application, speeding-up a financing application process and extending SME financing options. We plan a small data storage charge to cover the maintenance of this facility payable to SME Planet. Other costs may be involved if legal validations of a SMEs records are required to secure financing.
Charges or fees may apply for the financing and business development support services displayed on the platform, for some events, services and resources provided by SME Planet or other entities displaying information on the platform. Users are responsible for making their own enquiries about all the details, costs and liabilities they may incur by using any of the services or opportunities displayed on the platform. SME Planet expects that any fees or charges applicable to the use of services will be shared in advance with potential users. Users are asked to report to the Administrator of the Platform any hidden charges or liabilities they may find associated with services displayed on the platform through the “Contact us” facility.
Contacts and communications
SME Planet may communicate with Registered Users and Providers from time to time through the platform and by SMS, email, or telephone to inform Users of new opportunities, request comments on the platform’s performance and design, or follow up on information requirements or technical issues and for other reasons. Users of, and Service Providers on, the platform can contact SME Planet for more details at any time through the “Contact us” facility provided on the platform and may unsubscribe from these notifications by clicking on the “Unsubscribe” button on the "Contact us" page here: abide xyz.
Notices & changes to the terms & conditions
All notices or other communications to be given under these Terms and Conditions of Use to any party shall be sent by e-mail and/or displayed prominently on these web pages. Notices shall be deemed to be received on dispatch provided that the sender has received a receipt indicating proper transmission or when the web page has been viewed. The Terms and Conditions may be varied by SME Planet at its sole discretion from time to time and in conformity with national laws and regulations. SME Planet may also notify Users directly when any changes are specific to them by e-mail and/or SMS subject to preferences indicated by the User. Continued use of the platform or a service will be deemed to be acceptance by a User of any such changes to these Terms and Conditions.
Representations and Warranties
The User represents and warrants to SME Planet that all factual information and data provided to SME Planet or through the platform is made in good faith, is accurate at the time of uploading and that the User did not omit to mention anything material which may render it untrue, misleading or that may be construed as malicious.
Governing law
These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by the laws of the Confederation Helvetica (Switzerland). The Courts of the Canton of Geneva shall have exclusive jurisdiction in connection with these Terms and Conditions. Users and Providers agree to these Terms and Conditions automatically by continuing to use, and benefit from, the facilities of SME Planet and its affiliates.