The following is a guest post.

Some people have left the country to find work abroad. Some people have taken the opportunity to set up their own business instead. Some people have done both.

One country to consider setting up your business in is Egypt. Economic reforms and the Central Bank of Egypt’s supervision of all the banks in the country has enabled it to weather the crisis better, creating a more favorable business environment.

However, when you set up a business, it’s important to run it sustainably.

Here’s how to do both.

Financing Your Business

Clearly, you’ll need start-up capital for your business. You should go to a bank that invests in sustainability projects, for links to companies that aren’t environmentally responsible can harm your own business.

One bank you can get business financing is from HSBC. Worldwide banks like this offer a wide range of loans and financial services for businesses and can help your business run more smoothly.

Being Sustainable

Running a sustainable business has several benefits. Besides protecting the environment, you can save money and bolster your public image.

Here are some ways to do this:

• Print less — this reduces waste and saves money
• Turn off equipment when it’s not being used — this both lowers your electricity bill and protects the environment
• Use refillable ink — saves money and uses less plastic
• Turn off dripping taps — in hot countries like Egypt, saving water is important, and you’ll save money on your water bill too.

Registering Your Business

First you must register your business, which you do once you’ve acquired a visa. Mission accomplished, the next step is to check with the Commercial Registry, in Cairo, that no one has registered your intended business name. If not, you can register it with the Department of Companies. You’ll have to pay a notary fee, an establishment fee, a service charge and a commercial syndicate fee.

To incorporate your business, you’ll need the following documents:

• A bank certificate, which you must request from an authorized bank in Egypt
• A copy of the powers of attorney legal representatives have received from the business owner
• The original certificate which confirms the registration of the company’s auditor in the Registry of Accounts and Auditors
• The articles of association.

All of these documents must be notarized, but this doesn’t have to be expensive. You can even get it done for free. The Egyptian Government’s one-stop shops (OSSs) are designed to help business owners. They’ll provide document notarization free of charge.

Next you have to submit the notarized documents to the Department of Companies, then register with the OSS for tax purposes.

Finally, you must register the names of all your employees with the National Authority of Social Insurance. This requires the following documents:

• Your business lease agreement
• The business’s tax card
• The employees’ ID card and birth certificate
• A copy of the business owner’s and employees’ degree certificate.

To set up a successful business you must be responsible financially, fiscally and environmentally. By doing so, you can save resources and money to make your business more profitable. If you receive business financing from a bank, business or investor that supports sustainability projects, you can protect your business and project a positive image of it. Then with your business successful, you can enjoy the best of everything Egypt has to offer.

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