Sector Growth, Youth Jobs & Inclusion: The Role of GBS & Digital Sector Bodies

 26 June 2026

The Global Business Services (GBS), IT Outsourcing, and Business Process Outsourcing sectors are increasingly recognised as powerful engines of economic growth, export competitiveness, and large-scale inclusive job creation. But competitiveness and inclusive youth jobs don’t emerge on their own, they are deliberately built through strong ecosystems, with sector bodies at the centre.

This learning brief explores the critical role that GBS and Digital sector bodies play as catalysts for inclusive growth and youth job creation. Drawing on the Mastercard Foundation–supported programme Skilling and Transitioning Youth into GBS Jobs, it examines the experiences of South Africa’s Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA) and Rwanda’s GBS Growth Initiative (GBS GI), alongside insights from mature global institutions such as India’s NASSCOM and the Philippines’ IBPAP.

The brief unpacks the strategic pillars through which sector bodies drive impact, create youth jobs at scale, and reviews the funding models that determine their sustainability. It closes with practical, actionable recommendations for funders, governments, and ecosystem actors looking to build, grow, and sustain inclusive sector bodies in emerging GBS and Digital markets.

Developed by Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, BPESA, Genesis Analytics, and the Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative, with the support of the Mastercard Foundation.