Project: Corporate Mentoring & Entrepreneurship (CME) Programme

Location: Egypt

Client: Lafarge Holcim Egypt

Years: 2014–2015

Country: Egypt

Description

Lafarge Holcim Egypt partnered with The Human Edge to deliver a 12-month Corporate Mentoring & Entrepreneurship (CME) Programme. The initiative aimed to enhance internal leadership capabilities while driving external impact through support to local SMEs. Through this dual-purpose approach, the programme positioned mentoring as both a strategic leadership development tool and a driver of Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Objectives

• Strengthen leadership, mentoring and interpersonal skills among mid- and senior-level Lafarge Holcim employees.
• Support growth and sustainability of Egyptian SMEs through meaningful corporate mentoring relationships.
• Embed intrapreneurial thinking and collaborative problem-solving to enhance innovation and adaptability inside the organisation.
• Contribute to Egypt’s broader CSR and economic resilience objectives.

Approach

The Human Edge designed and implemented a tailored 12-month multi-cohort mentoring programme utilising our 7-step Effective Mentoring Programme Framework. It included:

• Programme design and discovery.
• Recruitment and selection of mentors and entrepreneurs.
• Mentor training through an experiential Kickstart Workshop.
• Mentee preparation to build confidence and clarity of purpose
• Mentor and entrepreneur matching.
• Twelve months of supported one to one mentoring.
• Ongoing mentor support, peer learning and programme management.
• Impact measurement and evaluation.

Thirty-two senior Lafarge leaders, representing functions including HR, Operations, Marketing, Strategy and Quality, volunteered as mentors and were matched with 32 entrepreneurs for a 12-month mentoring relationship.

Impact

Business Growth & Economic Results

• 100% of mentees’ businesses remained operational
• 50% increased annual revenue during the mentoring year
• 72% increased their client/customer base
• £350,093 generated via 158 safeguarded or created jobs
• 114 new jobs created (6.7 per entrepreneur on average)
• 1366% cumulative increase in client databases

Leadership & Personal Development

• 84% of entrepreneurs reported increased confidence in moving to the next growth stage
• 76% strengthened their management and leadership skills
• 62% felt more confident securing external funding and managing talent
• 69% improved their decision-making and communication strategies
• 84% intended to stay in touch with their mentor after programme close

Mentor Feedback

• 100% of mentors would recommend the programme
• 100% would mentor again
• 88% intended to remain in contact with their mentee after the programme
• 88% said the programme was beneficial to them

Mentors reported significant improvements in leadership capability and workplace effectiveness.

• 92% strengthened their adaptability and problem solving skills.
• 85% improved their coaching, training and ability to develop others.
• 85% strengthened their negotiation skills.
• 85% improved their empathy and understanding of others.
• 85% increased their confidence as leaders.
• 77% improved their self awareness.
• 77% strengthened their active listening skills.

Beyond individual capability, mentors applied these skills in their day to day roles and broadened their leadership perspective.

• 76% gained a greater understanding of the challenges of running a business.
• 71% applied their mentoring skills with more junior colleagues.
• 59% felt they had made a positive contribution to society.
• 35% approached their own professional challenges more creatively.
• 35% developed new skills that they were already applying professionally.

Key Takeaways

• Mentoring can deliver both internal and external ROI: combining CSR and leadership development amplifies organisational value.
• Trust-based relationships matter: cultural relevance and preparation are vital in bridging corporate-entrepreneur gaps.
• Mentoring strengthens ecosystems: when embedded intentionally, it drives economic resilience through job creation, business stability and talent development.
• Structured support ensures sustainability: ongoing follow-up, clarity in matching, and a focus on people-centred skills makes a measurable difference.