Dental laboratory in Nicaragua Colombian applicant Centro de Ortodoncia y Ortopedia Maxilar y Rehabilitación Oral S.A. and local partner Asistencia de Servicios Empresariales y Financieros S.A. are both dental clinics. In Nicaragua and other Latin American countries, dentists face shortages of high quality dental prostheses such as crowns, teeth and implants. As a result, these products are imported from the United States at a high cost for patients. At the same time, Nicaragua boasts well-skilled labour and a lack of technical job opportunities. The partners have identified the business opportunity to establish the first advanced dental laboratory in Nicaragua that will substitute imports by producing high quality dental lab products at a lower cost.The company will create 62 jobs in Nicaragua, of which 70% is medium and high-level and 60% are women. Through collaboration with the Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities, 10 technical positions will be filled by persons with reduced physical abilities, a group that is facing strong discrimination in the job market. The joint venture will implement an intensive training programme and introduce new technology in Nicaragua. Growth after the project is expected, with reinvestments that result in total employment of 97 persons (79 medium & high-level). Partners will establish a joint venture. The project will bring new technology to Nicaragua and dental products will become available at a more affordable price than imported products. Furthermore, the project will generate medium and high level jobs for people with a technical background.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The joint venture partners will set-up a Corporate Social Responsibility policy. This policy will reflect the joint venture’s mission to increase the availability of high-quality dental care products in Nicaragua, introduce new technologies, to strengthen the job opportunities for Nicaraguan graduates to pursue technical careers and to provide talented persons with physical disabilities with opportunities to participate in the labour market. The CSR policy will also include the company’s commitment to above-average participation of women and to increased labour market participation of physically disabled persons.The CSR policy will also include details on the joint venture’s commitment to providing a healthy, safe, secure and attractive working environment, with above-average salary compensation and fringe benefits, strict adherence to non-discrimination and clear health and safety regulations.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe salaries offered by the joint venture will be at least 50% above the applicable minimum wages in the Nicaraguan service sector. Staff will be offered a long-term contract with the joint venture and will receive fringe benefits that include a 13th month, health insurance, 30 paid holidays, paid maternity and sick leave.Staff will be provided with all the necessary equipment and tools for a safe, healthy and clean working environment, such as clothing and safety glasses. Laboratory work spaces will be furnished in an ergonomically responsible manner.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe joint venture will produce high quality dental products, using high quality porcelain materials and using new technologies. For dentists those products become available at a lower price than the imported products.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersThree local suppliers will be structurally involved in the project to supply raw materials, instruments and other dental care supplies to the project. However, it should be noted that the main products, although bought locally, are imported from outside Nicaragua.Impact on local customers or consumersConsumers, both in Nicaragua and in Colombia, will also benefit from the project as it will increase the affordability of high-quality dental care that is currently dependent on imports.•	Impact on the sectorThe project will engage in a structural partnership with the Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities. A Letter of Intent is attached to this proposal. The joint venture will offer ten positions to physically disabled persons, who will be trained and will work in the project as regular technical laboratory staff. This number will grow to twenty during the spin-off phase.The success of the project is highly dependent on the availability of skilled technical staff. Nicaragua has only one university that offers a curriculum in dental technology, the Universidad Jean-Jacques Rousseau (UNIJJAR). In order to make sure the joint venture will be able to have a sustainable pool of skilled technical staff, it will conclude a collaboration agreement with the UNIJJAR. In the agreement it will be included that one internship position will be continuously available at the project, which will be offered to students at a rotating basis, the joint venture will make available its technical knowledge, experience and dental lab materials and joint venture staff is available to teach practical courses and/or workshops at the university.The main commercial beneficiaries of the project will be dentists, as they will get access to locally produced high-quality dental lab products at lower prices than currently paid for imports. This means that they will be able to offer better dental care to their patients at lower cost.In addition, the dental sector will benefit through the introduction of new technology. The joint venture is open to share its knowledge and expertise with other, artisanal labs, for example through open days.•	EnvironmentToxic waste will be collected for safe disposal.•	Position of womenThe project will have a positive impact on the position of women. The partners are committed equal opportunity employers, and at least 60% of all positions will be offered to women. This will mean that 37 staff members will be female. Of these positions, 26 will be at medium- or high-level. To establish a dental laboratory in Managua, Nicaragua, for high-quality dental products with a capacity of 920 prostheses per month.