Frequently Asked Questions

Business Ready (B-READY) is a new data collection and analysis project of the World Bank Group to assess the business and investment climate worldwide, accompanied by an annual corporate flagship report. It is a key instrument of the World Bank Group’s new strategy to facilitate private investment, generate employment, and improve productivity to help economies accelerate development in inclusive and sustainable ways. It replaces and improves upon the World Bank Group’s earlier Doing Business project. It reflects a more balanced and transparent approach toward evaluating an economy’s business and investment climate, building on recommendations from hundreds of experts from within and outside the World Bank Group, including from governments, the private sector, and civil society organizations. B-READY will provide a quantitative assessment of the business environment with an annual frequency and worldwide coverage. The project aims to balance de jure and de facto measures, ensuring that the data produced are both comparable across economies and representative within each economy.

B-READY assesses the economy’s business environment by focusing on the regulatory framework and the provision of related public services for firms and markets, as well as their operational efficiency. B-READY is organized according to topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm and its participation in the market while opening, operating (or expanding), and closing (or reorganizing) a business. The topics are Business Entry, Business Location, Utility Services, Labor, Financial Services, International Trade, Taxation, Dispute Resolution, Market Competition, and Business Insolvency.

B-READY attempts to achieve a balance between data comparability across economies and data representativeness within each economy. Expert questionnaires address this balance by using broad parameters, instead of narrow case studies, to measure the business environment that most firms face, while retaining comparability across economies. Firm-level surveys address the balance by using representative samples of registered firms, allowing for the comparison of the average or typical experience of actual firms. B-READY, therefore, covers information relevant to firms of different sizes and locations, various economic sectors, and foreign and domestic ownership.

The global B-READY project is complemented by in-depth country studies, where regional differences and economy-specific issues are analyzed further. Using a similar methodology, they are developed in the sister Subnational Business Ready project.

Although B-READY does not measure informality or collect data directly from informal firms, including the self-employed and household businesses, it helps address informality by assessing the issues that incentivize firms to formalize or prevent firms from formalizing, as well as issues that affect the workers to be employed by expanding formal firms.

The B-READY data collection and reporting process is governed by the highest possible standards of data integrity, including sound data-gathering processes, robust data safeguards, and clear approval protocols.

Data transparency: B-READY relies on transparency and replicability to build trust in its data and report. All granular data collected by the B-READY project are publicly available on its website, and all results presented in its reports are replicable using straightforward toolkits available on the same website.

Secure protocols: The governance of the B-READY project is presented in the companion Business Ready Manual and Guide. There, the protocols, safeguards, processes, and resources of B-READY governance are established in writing.

Reliable data management: The B-READY project uses a safe and reliable data management system that protects the data from tampering by restricting access to authorized users, implementing version controlling, as well as audit trails, while also allowing for public data availability.

Ethics compliance: Ethics and compliance functions have been embedded in the team to address potential conflict of interest and undue pressure. The B-READY team actively engages with the World Bank Group experts on ethics and compliance to strengthen the governance of the project.

In September 2021, World Bank Group management decided to improve upon and replace Doing Business. However, the Doing Business website continues to be publicly available as an archive of knowledge and data.

Launched in 2002, the Doing Business project provided objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement. The project looked at domestic small and medium-size companies and measured the rules affecting them throughout their lifecycles.

The first Doing Business report, published in 2003, covered five indicator sets and 133 economies. The final study, published in 2019, covered 11 indicator sets and 190 economies.

B-READY collects data through consultations with private sector experts and firm surveys. Expert questionnaires are used to gather data for the Regulatory Framework and Public Services pillars, while data for the Operational Efficiency pillar are primarily collected from firms through the World Bank Enterprise Surveys. For processes that firms do not face on a regular basis—such as those in Business Entry and Business Insolvency—expert questionnaires are used to collect data for the Operational Efficiency pillar, as conducting ad hoc surveys would be prohibitively expensive. Throughout the process, B-READY adheres to the highest standards of data integrity, including transparency, sound data-gathering processes, robust data safeguards, and clear approval protocols.

The B-READY team implements a rigorous screening and selection process for expert contributors. To identify private sector expert contributors, each topic team prepares a country-specific list of relevant private sector professions with the relevant areas of expertise and experience; identifies potential expert contributors; administers a screener questionnaire to verify that they meet all the requirements; and finally selects up to 5 private sector contributors to whom the topic questionnaires will be sent in each economy. The team applies the following requirements in selecting private sector expert contributors: independence, impartiality, and objectivity; knowledge; language; proven availability; and years of experience. The B-READY team continuously assesses the expert contributors’ qualities during the subsequent data collection and validation processes.

During each cycle, governments are invited to complete the B-READY topic questionnaires for their economies. Government questionnaires are optional and are used as a reference in the data validation process (not as direct inputs for scoring calculation). In case of divergence between the private and public sector responses, the team will follow up with private sector experts to invite them to review their answers. The private sector may decide to revise their answers or keep them unchanged. The final private sector responses will be used as the direct input for scoring calculation.

Three to five private sector expert contributors are consulted for each topic questionnaire. For economies with less than one million inhabitants, the number of expert contributors consulted per topic questionnaire is between two and five, and for the Credit Registry/Bureau topic questionnaire, only one questionnaire is necessary to finalize the data.

B-READY expert contributors can select whether they prefer to provide their services on a pro-bono basis or on a fee-for-service basis. Public sector expert contributors (e.g., public utilities) do not receive any payment.

The World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) is a firm-level survey of a representative sample of an economy’s private sector. The surveys collect data for indicators within the Operational Efficiency pillar. Private contractors conduct the WBES on behalf of the World Bank. The mode of data collection is face-to-face interviews (in-person or virtual). The WBES is answered by business owners and top managers. The survey respondents might sometimes involve accountants and human resource managers to answer some questions.

The combination of B-READY data with the rich data on firms enables more granular analysis (at both the firm and economy levels) of the causes and consequences of the regulatory and public service topics captured by B- READY. A limitation to note is that the WBES covers registered firms only.

Firm surveys are collected in a three-year cycle. That is, WBES data are collected every year for a third of up to 180 economies.

The B-READY 2024 report does not present an aggregate score by economy. For each economy, it presents scores for the three pillars (Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency), and for the ten topics. This provides a nuanced understanding of each economy’s unique business environment. Economies are presented into five groups of equal size (quintiles), from highest to lowest performers, based on their scores within each pillar. Similarly, economies are grouped into quintiles according to their scores within each topic. This classification system allows policy makers to readily identify the areas for improvement in their economy across both pillars and topics.

An indicator is scored under firm flexibility if it affects the ease or cost of running a business. Measures that have an ambiguous impact on firm flexibility because they benefit some firms at the expense of others (for example, subsidies for specific exporting sectors or preferential treatment of small and medium enterprises, SMEs) will not be assigned firm flexibility points. The assignment of firm flexibility points to the selected indicators has been determined in consultation with an advisory group composed of relevant World Bank Group and IMF experts.

An indicator is scored under social benefits if its effects go beyond the firm and extend to socially desirable outcomes, such as environmental protection, workers’ welfare, market competition, consumer protection, fiscal sustainability, equal access to business opportunities, and informational externalities. Points are only assigned to indicators that represent a clear effect on socially desirable outcomes, based on internationally recognized and well-established good practices. Measures that have an ambiguous impact on social benefits (for example, firing restrictions that may benefit incumbent formal workers but harm the prospects of the unemployed and informal workers) will not be assigned social benefits points. The assignment of social benefits points to the selected indicators has determined in consultation with an advisory group composed of relevant World Bank Group and IMF experts.

B-READY considers good practices those that have been supported by extensive economic research to contribute towards private sector development and endorsed by major international organizations in the relevant field of expertise. The B-READY team consults with relevant academia and international organizations on the adequacy and relevance of good practices. For example, the regulatory quality indicators in Business Insolvency capture good practices set out in the World Bank Group’s Principles for Effective Insolvency and the UNCITRAL Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law. As another example, the Labor topic builds many of its indicators on International Labor Standards by the ILO.

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Business Entry topic presents specific differences in scope. Even though both the Business Entry and Starting a Business topics cover aspects related to the challenges and requirements to register a company and formally start operations of a business, the Business Entry topic measures new areas and has a broader scope. While Starting a Business measured the number of procedures, time, cost, and paid-in minimum capital requirement for a small- to medium-size limited liability company to start and formally operate, the Business Entry topic also covers areas such as the quality of regulations for business entry, environmental sustainability (such as the existence of risk-based regulations for environmental licensing), international aspects (such as restrictions for foreign firms), gender-disaggregated data on business entry, etc.

Following the general structure of B-READY, the Business Entry topic uses indicators divided into three different pillars: the quality of regulations for business entry (regulatory framework pillar); the digital public services and transparency of information for business startups (public services pillar); and the efficiency of business entry in practice (operational efficiency pillar). The first pillar measures the adoption of good practices for business startups and restrictions for business entry. It incorporates aspects of business entry for both domestic and foreign private companies. The second pillar measures the availability of digital public services for business startups, the interoperability of services and transparency of information about the business incorporation process and general company information. Finally, the operational efficiency of business entry takes into account the time and cost it takes to register both a domestic and foreign company in an economy.

Business registration is a one-time event for companies, and the experience of existing firms, possibly dating back to many years ago, may not be representative of the reality that a new firm would face today. Therefore, the Business Entry topic collects data through expert consultations only. Selected experts are local specialists on Business Entry (such as incorporation lawyers, notaries, tax and registration advisors, etc.) and have supported many business incorporation processes, being particularly familiar with the regulatory framework, provision of public services, and operational efficiency of Business Entry in the respective economy. 

In line with the scope of B-READY, the Business Entry topic does not assess informality. However, the topic focuses on evaluating the ease and potential hurdles entrepreneurs face when establishing a business within the formal sector, such as the quality of the regulatory framework, existing restrictions, the effective provision of public services, and the time, cost, and legal requirements needed to register and formally operate a company. While the topic does not explicitly cover informality, understanding the barriers faced by firms in the formal sector can shed light on why some businesses may choose to remain informal.

Good practices for business startups have been selected by focusing on those that are conducive to creating an efficient and secure environment for business startups. They are based on established international frameworks such as UNCITRAL guidelines and principles for business registries, the annual reports of the Corporate Registers Forum (CRF), and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards, and findings from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research on foreign direct investment (FDI) and market entry restrictions, as well as the Investing Across Borders report. Additionally, insights were drawn from previous research on good practices conducted by the World Bank’s Development Economics Global Indicators Group (DECIG). By integrating these sources, the selection aimed to ensure that the practices promote a robust and supportive environment for new businesses.

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Business Location topic presents specific differences in scope. In contrast to the Doing Business topics of Dealing with Construction Permits and Registering Property, B-Ready’s Business Location topic covers new areas and is not limited to the experience of domestic SMEs. For example, the quality of regulations for Business Location includes new measures of restrictions on property leasing. There is also a greater focus on public services, measuring aspects of quality and transparency of information. The indicators on building regulations take into account measures on building energy efficiency. In addition, the Business Location topic measures environmental concerns and environmental clearances in construction as well.

The Environmental Permits questionnaire assesses operational efficiency in pillar III by calculating the time and cost required to obtain environmental clearances. To ensure comparability across different economies, the questionnaire uses a standardized scenario: the development of a residential housing project in a non-environmentally sensitive area. This type of project typically requires developers or project owners to conduct environmental studies and assessments, and to obtain the necessary environmental clearances as required by law. The chosen parameter serves to establish a conventional benchmark, representing a project with no unique environmental challenges that would trigger special regulatory provisions. This approach ensures consistency for comparison across different economies, as the type and number of environmental permits required for business locations can vary greatly depending on factors such as the nature of the industry, the geographic location of the site, the type of activities conducted, and the materials handled.

The Business Location assessment of regulatory practices and public services for transferring property and obtaining building and environmental permits is designed to be neutral to the zoning specifications of land and buildings. Some questions measure good zoning-related practices such as the existence of zoning maps and accessibility of zoning requirements. However, as the topic strives to encompass diverse types and locations of businesses, there is no specific focus on industrial zones. Under pillar III (i.e. the ‘efficiency’ pillar) the Business Location questionnaires measure time and cost to transfer a property, and to obtain building permits for a commercial building and environmental permits for a housing development project, both assumed to be outside an industrial zone. 

To avoid incentivizing the deregulation of the environmental permitting process potentially leading to overlooked environmental risks, the Business Location indicators are balanced by two equally weighted factors: the quality of regulations and public services. An economy will receive higher scores if it has a robust regulatory framework – assessed in the first pillar – that includes comprehensive measures for assessing environmental risks, conducting necessary studies, issuing permits, and ensuring transparency, enforcement, and monitoring. The second pillar – the quality of public services – evaluates whether the processes involving the public sector offer effective services, such as the availability of online platforms to streamline interactions with the stakeholders during the permitting process. In the third pillar, the efficiency of the public sector in issuing relevant environmental permits is being assessed by comparing cost and time under a similar scenario. By considering both the quality of the regulatory framework and the quality of public services, a balanced assessment is offered using the indicators measured through the Environmental Permits questionnaire.

Firms can either purchase, lease or build the property where they will conduct their business. The Property Transfer questionnaire accounts for the differences that may emerge in common law and civil law jurisdictions when transferring ownership. Depending on the jurisdiction, registration of deeds and/or registration of titles may be in place to record changes in property ownership. The questionnaire is designed to accommodate both systems, and there is no preference for either system. Under pillar III, the Property Transfer questionnaire measures the efficiency of transferring the ownership of a property. In economies with a state-owned land system, the transfer of land use rights is being assessed. 

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Utility Services topic presents specific differences in scope. The B-Ready Utility Service considerably expands from the Getting Electricity topic in Doing Business by adding water and internet services to its scope. The topic considers all three utility services as essential to firms and evaluates the efficiency with which connections can be obtained as well as the reliability of the subsequent service supply. The topic has also integrated environmental sustainability aspects to its assessment and considers the role of digitalization of public services. In the case of internet services, B-Ready also incorporates questions regarding cybersecurity, digital privacy and liability as safe and reliable digital ecosystems require these regulations to be in place to encourage widespread usage by firms.

The primary objective of the Utility Services indicators is to measure the quality of an economy’s regulatory framework for electricity, water, and internet services, the quality and transparency of the utility services delivery, and the operational efficiency in the provision of these services. Reliable and affordable utility services are an essential ingredient of a business environment that allows firms to thrive.

The focus on high-speed fixed broadband internet connections is due to the significant role this type of service plays in supporting intense data usage by firms. In the current digitalized world, reliable and high-speed internet is crucial for improving productivity and facilitating economic growth. Thus, measuring the provision and quality of high-speed fixed broadband connections provides a more relevant and impactful assessment of internet service quality for businesses. 

Infrastructure sharing mechanisms significantly enhance the efficiency and reliability of utility services.  By promoting policies that encourage the sharing of utility infrastructure (e.g., poles, ducts, pipes), regulators can reduce redundancy, lower costs, and speed up the deployment of utility services. For example, "dig once" policies, which coordinate infrastructure excavation among different utilities, can reduce the disruption and expense associated with laying down new cables or pipes. 

Quality assurance mechanisms such as setting performance standards, monitoring compliance, and imposing penalties for non-compliance ensure that utility providers deliver high-quality services. For instance, utilities might be required to meet certain benchmarks for service reliability and face penalties if they fail to do so, incentivizing them to maintain high standards and quickly address any service issues. 

Environmental sustainability is integral to the assessment of utility services as it aligns with global sustainability goals and addresses the environmental impact of utility operations. The indicators on electricity assess efforts to reduce emissions from power generation, promote energy efficiency, and implement sustainable practices such as smart grid technologies and energy-efficient appliances. The indicators on water focus on improving water quality, enhancing water-use efficiency, and promoting safe water reuse. Regulations may encourage the use of smart meters to detect and repair leaks, as well as the adoption of water-efficient appliances. Proper wastewater treatment and management are also critical to prevent environmental contamination. Concerning the indicators on internet, although the environmental impact of internet services is less regulated, there is growing pressure to adopt energy efficiency standards in the ICT sector, which is a significant consumer of energy. Measures such as carbon offset programs and energy-efficient data centers are evaluated to reduce the sector's carbon footprint. 

Establishing standardized scenarios is crucial to ensure the comparability of indicators across different countries. Uniform parameters and assumptions allow for consistent assessments and ensure that the data collected are comparable. It is also essential for accurate benchmarking. By using standardized scenarios, the methodology provides a clear benchmark for evaluating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of utility service provision in different locations. Standardized assessments can help identify best practices in utility service provision and highlight areas where improvements are needed. This can guide policymakers and utility providers in making informed decisions to enhance service delivery. 

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Labor topic presents specific differences in scope. The Labor topic expands on the scope by offering a more comprehensive evaluation of labor practices. While the Employing Workers indicator on Doing Business focused mainly on employment regulations related to hiring, working hours, and redundancy rules from the perspective of firms, the Labor topic broadens this analysis to include the de jure regulatory framework governing workers' conditions and labor rights. By incorporating the perspectives of both employers and employees, the Labor topic provides a more holistic understanding of labor market functioning and the practical impact of regulations on both sides of the employment relationship. Additionally, it incorporates the assessment of public services for labor by examining the availability and provision of social protection (such as unemployment insurance, health care, and retirement pensions) and employment services (including employment centers, labor dispute resolution mechanisms, and labor inspectorates). Finally, it evaluates the operational efficiency of labor regulations and public services in practice, making it a more thorough and integrated approach to measuring labor market regulations.

Given the challenges in achieving an adequate balance of labor regulations between labor market flexibility and employment protection and recognizing that safeguard levels vary across countries and even cities, the Labor topic considers what is best for both workers (those in the formal and informal labor markets) and firms to engage in formal and productive employment where workers also feel safe and protected. The topic is designed in a balanced way, including areas related to the quality of labor regulations (regulatory framework), the provision of public services for labor, and the efficiency of regulatory compliance and access to public services, as experienced by firms in practice. The measures covered in the Labor topic are aligned with the International Labor Organization (ILO) standards. The Labor topic covers all 5 ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, as well as 8 ILO Recommendations and over 20 other Conventions.

B-READY measures the positive role of governments in promoting conducive business environments that benefit both firms and workers.  It includes indicators on the quality of regulations and the provision of related public services, including government-provided unemployment insurance, healthcare, and retirement pension including the funding source of these benefits.  Additionally, indicators on availability of employment service centers, labor dispute resolution mechanisms and labor inspectorates are included.

The Labor topic covers key indicators on social protection, including (i) availability of universal healthcare, (ii) government-provided unemployment insurance, and (iii) pension schemes for all categories of workers (including nontraditional workers such as self-employed, domestic workers, temporary agency workers, or platform workers), in all industries. The provision of these services by the government (organized and administered through a government agency or body) is essential for workers who may not receive such protections from their employers. The Labor topic also includes other measures that protect workers and support businesses, such as employment services, labor dispute resolution mechanisms, and labor inspectorates.  These additional services are important for ensuring fair, productive, and harmonious relationships between workers and firms.

B-READY takes a comprehensive approach, focusing not only on the existence and amount of a minimum wage relative to gross domestic product per capita, but incorporating the process that regulates the setting of a minimum wage. Specifically, B-READY considers the existence of criteria for setting the minimum wage (i.e., economic growth, cost of living, etc.), the process to update its amount, and whether social consultation is part of this process. These indicators are aligned with ILO standards, including the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention (No. 131) and Minimum Wage Fixing Recommendation (No. 135).   

Given the large variety of possible contractual arrangements between firms and workers, the different sectors to which local labor law is applicable, and to preserve comparability across economies, B-READY uses some broad assumptions and considers regulations and public services applicable to a permanent employee (of over 25 years old), engaged in a formal employment relationship in a private sector firm. The worker is a national of the economy and works in the services sector, unless otherwise indicated in the questionnaire for certain specific indicators, such as the minimum wage. The worker may be male, female, or non-binary and is hence, referred to by the pronouns he/she/they. These worker characteristics are chosen based on the standard application of the labor code.

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Financial Services topic presents specific differences in scope. B-READY Financial Services topic expanded its scope in comparison to the Doing Business Getting Credit indicator encompassing now four sets of indicators in the area of financial services, namely in addition to evaluating legal framework for secured transactions and credit information, the topic evaluates the quality of regulations for commercial lending and e-payments (regulatory framework pillar) and measures the efficiency of receiving financial services in practice (efficiency pillar). The latter includes the operational efficiency of obtaining a loan, registering a security interest, the timeliness of credit information update, and operational efficiency of e-payments along with their usage. The accessibility of information in credit infrastructure includes operations of collateral registry, public credit registry and/or private credit bureaus (public services pillar).  In addition, Credit Information topic expanded its scope to measure cross-border data sharing, crisis related data and whether banks and other financial institutions review in practice credit information from the credit reporting agency upon deciding on a loan application.

The Commercial Lending component aims to assess whether an economy adopts a risk-based approach when a commercial loan application is evaluated. In this regard, it considers several risk perspectives. In terms of customer-based risk factors, the methodology primarily focuses on whether the customer identity is thoroughly verified. Among others, factors including verification of (i) beneficial owner; (ii) the ownership structure, including whether nominee shareholders or bearer shares are involved; (iii) existence of personal asset-holding vehicles, are assessed. Additionally, the methodology considers assessment of product-based risk factors that are linked to the business of the customer. It evaluates, among others, the following elements: (i) the purpose of the loan, (ii) the presence of anonymous transactions and (iii) whether transactions are conducted face-to-face. These considerations cover the underlying risks pertaining to product, service, and delivery channels. The methodology also evaluates whether the regulatory framework requires different processes based on the level of risk, such as an enhanced verification approach for high-risk clients, and a simplified approach for low-risk clients.

The type of transaction influences the regulations that govern the financial services available to firms and businesses. To limit the scope and ensure the relevant regulatory framework is assessed, the methodology focuses solely on domestic commercial transactions done electronically. This includes domestic e-payment transactions, both for making and receiving payments, while cross-border transactions are covered by the International Trade topic.

Many economies have secured transactions legal frameworks that allow grantors to use movable assets as collateral to obtain credit. However, these systems often apply different rules depending on the type of assets, transactions, and parties involved. To address this complexity, best practices recommend an integrated and functional approach to secured transactions, suggesting that all transactions involving rights in movable assets to secure obligations should be treated consistently and regulated under a unified or integrated legal framework or, at minimum, a single set of principles governing publicity and priority of security interests should exist. This integrated approach is preferred for its ease of implementation and enhanced transparency, as it consolidates all relevant rules into one statute, thereby increasing certainty and predictability for both borrowers and lenders.

A collateral registry is a publicly accessible database that records security interests in movable assets, helping to establish the priority of claims and protect the rights of creditors. To function effectively, a centralized and unified collateral registry should be fully operational, allowing for the registration of security interests in a single, linked database that is accessible nationwide. This ensures that all security interests, regardless of the geographic region, are consolidated and searchable by debtor name, unique identifier, or collateral serial number. The registry should also be notice-based, which means it records only essential information without verifying the legality or correctness of transactions, thus lowering administrative costs, and simplifying the registration process. A modern collateral registry should also be fully digital, enabling secured creditors and their representatives to perform registrations, amendments, cancellations, and searches online without requiring registry personnel intervention. Additionally, the registry should cover all types of transactions and movable assets, and information should be updated promptly, typically within 24 hours, to ensure accuracy and accessibility for all users, including prospective creditors. 

In many economies, courts are often overloaded with dispute cases, mainly business disputes, without a division by specialty of judges, and one judge can end up adjudicating insolvency cases, enforcement of contracts, labor disputes, etc.  One way of avoiding delays concerning court judgements is to seek out-of-court solutions. Business Ready incorporates international good practices proposed by the UNCITRAL Guide to Secured Transactions which include private and public auctions, as well as pactum commissorium (which is a clause of automatic appropriation of encumbered assets in case of default by debtor).  This practice has been gaining more interest and economies have gradually introduced these tools as a way to enforce security interests without going to courts.  In addition, public and private auctions have always been a way to enforce security interests. However, in recent years, many more economies introduced digital auctions which expedite the enforcement process.   

The main features of such an infrastructure include: (i) Data collection and sharing. Credit bureaus and registries collect data on the credit history of individuals and firms. This data is shared through credit reports and additional services, helping lenders understand the lending risks associated with each potential borrower; (ii) Data scope. The infrastructure should provide comprehensive data coverage, including both positive and negative credit information, at least two years of historical data, and data from various sources such as financial institutions, retailers, and utility companies. Cross-border information sharing, and crisis reporting are also crucial components. The extent to which commercial banks and other financial institutions use credit reports to inform their lending decisions is a key indicator of the effectiveness of the credit information infrastructure and; (iii) Additional services, accessibility, and borrower rights. Borrowers should have the right to access their financial records, consult their credit reports for free and online, receive notifications of negative information, and rectify discrepancies in their data. This ensures transparency and accuracy in credit reporting. The availability of additional services such as credit scores facilitates the evaluation of the creditworthiness of potential borrowers. These services help lenders make informed lending decisions.

Cross-Border Data Sharing is defined as a movement or transfer of information between a credit reporting agency and financial institutions across country borders. It is a vital interconnectivity component, enabling borrowers and lenders to operate seamlessly across borders. Sharing the data internationally improves credit risk assessment, prevents fraud, and facilitates global trade, access to financing, and growth of investment. This, in turn, drives economic growth, enhances financial inclusion, and fosters international cooperation. In addition, Cross-Border Data Sharing enables businesses to make informed decisions, provides a competitive advantage and better experience for consumers (borrowers/lenders).

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the International Trade topic presents specific differences in scope. Whereas the indicators under the Trading across Borders topic focused primarily on the time and cost associated with importing and exporting goods, the B-READY indicators have been significantly expanded to cover the quality of the regulatory framework for international trade, as well as public services for the facilitation of international trade. Furthermore, the B-READY indicators are much broader in scope, covering not only trade in goods, but also, in acknowledgement of their growing importance in the global economy, trade in services, digital trade, and sustainable trade (including from environmental and gender perspectives). Moreover, in contrast to the Trading across Borders topic, International Trade does not employ a standardized case study approach. Instead, with a view to ensuring their comparability, the data collected are based on a limited number of general and specific parameters. 

The time and costs borne by the private sector when complying with trade regulations and using public services can directly affect firms’ ability to engage in international trade. Operational and transaction costs associated with importing and exporting have become increasingly important and are exacerbated by low levels of trade facilitation. Factors such as lengthy customs clearance procedures, lack of coordination among border agencies, inadequate trade infrastructure and limited logistics services significantly increase the time and costs associated with international trade. This results in firms being unable to fully reap the benefits of international trade and impedes their ability to, among other things, overcome the limitations of their domestic markets, generate economies of scale, access cheaper intermediate inputs of higher quality and variety, and take advantage of the knowledge and technology transfers that stem from interactions in the global market.

The International Trade topic encompasses three key aspects, referred to as pillars. The first pillar evaluates regulatory quality for establishing a non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable, and safe trading environment. This consists of examining practices that support international trade, as well as regulatory restrictions on international trade, and includes a broad range of indicators across trade in goods, trade in services, digital trade, sustainable trade, and international trade cooperation. The second pillar assesses the quality of public services for the facilitation of international trade, which entails examining the digital and physical infrastructure and border management practices of economies. Indicators under this pillar cover electronic systems and the interoperability of services, transparency and availability of information, trade infrastructure, risk management, coordinated border management and trusted trader programs. The third pillar consists of indicators on the time, cost, and ease of complying with export and import requirements, as well as participating in cross-border digital trade. Additionally, it includes indicators on the extent to which firms identify customs and trade regulation, as well as business transportation, as major constraints to their operations.

The data for Pillar I and Pillar II are collected through expert consultations with private sector experts. Private sector experts include trade economists, trade lawyers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, clearing agents, shipping lines, and other trade experts. The data for Pillar III are collected through Enterprise Surveys. These are firm-level surveys that provide representative data on the time and cost to import and export goods, the level of participation in cross-border digital trade, and the extent to which firms identify customs and trade regulation, as well as transportation, and major operational obstacles. A representative sample of companies captures variation of user experience within each economy. Businesses with different characteristics, such as size, region, and sector, participate in the surveys. 

To ensure data comparability and enhance data representativeness, the International Trade topic utilizes broad parameters, including the geographic location of an economy. It classifies economies based on their geographic location as coastal, island, or landlocked. This classification directly relates to a country’s potential for trade infrastructure development and the provision of transportation services.

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Taxation topic presents specific differences in scope. While both Paying Taxes topic in Doing Business and the Taxation topic in B-READY measure tax environment for private sector, they differ in scope and data collection approaches. The Paying Taxes topic in Doing Business used a case study to record taxes and mandatory contributions that a model company would need to pay, their compliance burden, and specific processes that happed after corporate income taxes and value added taxes have been filed and paid. In contrast, the Taxation topic of B-READY measures taxation from a substantially broader perspective. It captures general regulatory framework on matters ranging from consultations in rulemaking to transparency in tax registration process. It also evaluates public services provided by the tax administrations, such as online taxpayer portals, processes of tax audit and tax dispute resolution, amongst others. Finally, it records the operational efficiency of tax system from the private sector standpoint through measuring how long certain processes take and how much firms pay in corporate income taxes and in labor-based taxes and contributions. The Taxation topic has also expanded its scope to include environmental fiscal instruments and tax policies involving gender, while continuing to measure digitalization of tax systems.

When assessing an economy’s performance in taxation, the topic focuses on the regulatory framework, public services, and the operational efficiency of tax systems. For example, within the regulatory framework, an economy’s performance is enhanced by having clear and transparent tax regulations, including the availability of up-to-date tax guides, binding rulings, and codified dispute resolution and audit processes. It also evaluates the presence of environmental fiscal instruments like carbon taxes and emission trading systems, and the absence of fossil fuel subsidies. In terms of public services, the focus is on the availability of digital services for taxpayers, such as electronic filing and payment systems, as well as a unified and computerized taxpayer database and automated tax registration and deregistration. Additionally, the Taxation topic looks at instruments that promote accessibility, transparency, and accountability of tax administration services, including having an independent mechanism within the tax administration for tax dispute review, the publication of annual performance reports, and external oversight of tax administration processes, among others. Finally, operational efficiency is assessed by examining the time required for compliance with tax regulations and the financial burden it places on firms.

Within Pillar III, the Taxation topic assesses the Effective Tax Rate (ETR) that firms pay for corporate income taxes and employment taxes and social contributions. While the topic assigns lower scores to higher effective tax rates due to the burden they can place on individual firms, B-READY assigns higher scores to economies that have clear and transparent tax regulations, established environmental fiscal instruments, implemented electronic filing and payment systems, accountable and transparent tax authorities, and the existence of impartial, accessible, and efficient tax dispute resolution mechanisms.

The Taxation topic in B-READY 2024 evaluates the existence of environmental fiscal instruments that put a price on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, including carbon taxes and the Emissions Trading System (ETS). If an economy implements any of the environmental fiscal instruments covered by the topic, it earns points under the 'Existence of Environmental Fiscal Instruments' indicator due to their positive impact on society, like promoting sustainability and reducing environmental harm. These instruments are effective policy tools that incorporate climate change costs into economic decision-making, supported by strong multilateral efforts. They are assessed from a general standpoint and treated equally. However, they are not scored under firm flexibility because their impact on individual businesses can be ambiguous as they can lead to additional costs on the firms, and the impact on business operations can vary based on their industry, size and resources.

The Taxation topic strikes a balance between business interests and public interests by thoroughly assessing issues important to individual firms while ensuring the broader welfare of society is protected. For example, it measures the clarity and transparency of tax regulations, which helps businesses better understand their obligations and promotes higher compliance, ultimately reducing tax evasion and benefiting society as a whole. Similarly, the topic also examines the digitization of tax administration, which streamlines tax filing and payment processes for businesses, reducing their administrative burden. This efficiency simplifies compliance and enables tax authorities to collect revenue more quickly and accurately, strengthening their ability to fund essential public services.

The Taxation topic collects data through consultations with private sector experts and by surveying a representative sample of firms. Expert questionnaires use broad parameters to measure the business environment that most companies face, while retaining comparability across economies. Firm-level surveys use representative samples of registered firms, allowing for the comparison of the average or typical experience of actual firms. The Taxation topic therefore covers information relevant to firms of different sizes and locations that operate in various economic sectors.  

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Dispute Resolution topic presents specific differences in scope. While B-READY Dispute Resolution includes some indicators that may look similar to what was measured in Doing Business Enforcing Contracts, there are significant differences between the two. First, the new Dispute Resolution topic is much more comprehensive compared to its predecessor. It features about three times more indicators than Enforcing Contracts, extending into areas such as international dispute settlement, environmental justice and considerably expanding the ones on alternative dispute resolution (arbitration and mediation), digitization, and judicial integrity.  Dispute Resolution also extended its coverage of efficiency (time and cost) to appeals, arbitration and mediation, and enforcement of foreign court and arbitral decisions. In contrast to Doing Business Enforcing Contracts, Dispute Resolution does not employ a standardized case study and collects the information based on a limited number of general parameters, thereby increasing representativeness of the data. 

B-READY Dispute Resolution specifically focuses on commercial disputes arising in the business context between firms. Considering the comprehensive nature of the topic, many of its indicators (for example, those that assess judicial integrity, courts’ digitization, or alternative dispute resolution) can be also relevant to other types of disputes. 

When measuring efficiency of court litigation, B-READY Dispute Resolution collects information on time and cost for resolving a case at the first instance level as well as time and cost associated with appeal review. Including the data on appeal review to the total time and cost for court litigation is expected to result in more objective assessment of court efficiency across different jurisdictions. 

For the following four indicators, B-READY Dispute Resolution collects the data directly from firms through Enterprise Surveys: In resolving commercial disputes, courts are independent and impartial; Courts are not an obstacle to business operations; Arbitration is a reliable mechanism to resolve commercial disputes; Mediation is a reliable mechanism to resolve commercial disputes. In contrast to the information obtained by way of expert consultations, which is collected on an annual basis, the Enterprise Surveys data is updated every three years.

In recognizing the growing importance of environmental sustainability for private sector development, the Dispute Resolution topic also incorporates a few questions on environmental disputes. Given the nature of the topic, disputes that involve at least one business entity are considered. Furthermore, all questions on environmental disputes form one indicator only, which helps avoid overemphasizing the subject. 

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Market Competition topic presents specific differences in scope. B-READY’s Market Competition topic significantly departs from the Contracting with the Government approach in Doing Business. While Doing Business relied on a specific case study of a $2.5 million road repaving contract, B-READY no longer uses case studies. Instead, it expands the scope with new indicators on environmental sustainability, gender considerations, foreign firm access to public procurement, SME preferential treatment provisions, and framework agreements. Additionally, it introduces more scenarios to assess operational efficiency in tendering. B-READY also incorporates enterprise surveys to gather data on payment times to suppliers and an index measuring firms' perceptions of administrative burdens in tenders.

Research shows that regulations related to competition law, innovation, and public procurement are intrinsically connected. Competition law sets the rules for market behavior, ensuring that markets operate fairly and efficiently. Innovation and intellectual property rights incentivize creativity and technological advancement while maintaining fair competition. Public procurement can significantly influence market dynamics by setting standards and practices, and even by opening new markets. By grouping these areas together, B-READY provides a more comprehensive view of the market competition landscape.

Regarding the equal weighting of each category, there is currently no conclusive evidence to suggest that any one of these areas is more critical than the others for fostering a business-ready environment for market competition. Therefore, assigning equal weight to each category is an appropriate strategy for scoring the topic.

The data is primarily collected through questionnaires distributed to private sector experts. For the competition area, the experts include corporate lawyers and consultants with expertise in competition law. For the innovation area, intellectual property lawyers, patent and trademark attorneys are selected to provide contributions. For the procurement area, the experts include lawyers with expertise in public procurement, consultants who assist in the preparation of tenders, and in-house procurement officers. 

Market competition indicators in B-READY are designed to provide a comprehensive assessment by focusing on key areas that directly influence the competitive dynamics of the private sector. These indicators are structured to compare different economies and represent good practices for all levels of development and contexts. These areas include antitrust, merger control, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) framework, enforcement regulations and the institutional framework of the competition authority, and its role in competition advocacy, and transparency. While regulated sectors, state aid, and subsidies are also important aspects of market competition, they often involve specific regulatory frameworks and policies that can vary significantly within and across different economies. This variability makes the implementation and scoring of such regulations challenging. However, these areas may be considered for future expansions of our indicators as we continue to refine and enhance the B-READY methodology.

Innovation assesses regulations and public services related to intellectual property protection, but also includes measures on technology transfer, research commercialization, open access, and innovation systems. As such, the Regulatory Framework pillar has 4 sub-categories for Innovation: (1) strength of intellectual property rights protection; (2) licensing and technology transfer; (3) fair access to innovation, and (4) university-industry collaboration. The Public Services pillar has 3 sub-categories for Innovation: (1) institutional framework to support innovation; (2) digitalization of intellectual property services; and (3) innovation systems. The Operational Efficiency pillar includes 2 sub-categories for Innovation: (1) proportion of highly innovative firms and; (2) use of international quality certifications.

The size and composition of government markets can vary significantly within an economy. To ensure that the B-READY indicators are both representative and comparable, the topic follows a structured approach by using a parameter that allows comparability in responses: the procuring entity. Experts are asked to identify the three largest procurement entities of the central/federal government based on the number of tenders. This selection is made using their experience or publicly available information. This method ensures that the responses are likely to pertain to the same regulatory framework and similar practices, providing a consistent basis for comparison. By focusing on the largest procurement entities, B-READY avoids anchoring its indicators to a single case study that might not be representative of the broader economic context. This approach enhances the comparability of our indicators across different economies, as it standardizes the basis for data collection. For indicators related to operational efficiency, B-READY collects data through representative firm-level surveys. This ensures that the practice indicators reflect the experiences of firms from various sectors and geographical locations.

In addition to the fundamental differences in approach between B-READY and Doing Business, the Business Insolvency topic presents specific differences in scope. The main changes pertaining to the Business Insolvency topic are twofold: the existing areas of measurement in Doing Business Resolving Insolvency are expanded, and new areas of measurement are introduced. The new Business Insolvency topic is much more comprehensive compared to its predecessor. The indicators cover new areas such as out-of-court workouts, specialized proceedings for micro and small enterprises, cross-border insolvency, and digital services concerning insolvency proceedings, while considerably expanding the ones on the management of the debtor’s assets and creditor’s participation. In contrast to Doing Business Resolving Insolvency, Business Insolvency does not employ a standardized case study and collects the information based on a limited number of general parameters, thereby increasing representativeness of the data. 

The time to resolve liquidation proceedings is presented in calendar months and comprises the period starting from the date of filing until the partial or full repayment of the debt owed to creditors. The time to resolve reorganization proceedings is presented in calendar months and comprises the period starting from the date of filing until the approval of the reorganization plan. Statutory time standards are not considered since the topic evaluates the efficiency of judicial liquidation and reorganization proceedings in practice, based on the direct input of private sector experts, according to their experience and level of exposure to these proceedings. 

For the purposes of the Business Insolvency topic, “no practice” is defined as a situation where an economy has no completed liquidation proceedings and/or completed reorganization proceedings in the past three years, involving corporate debtors. A liquidation judicial proceeding is considered as complete when creditors have been repaid partially or in full.  A judicial reorganization proceeding is considered complete when the reorganization plan has been approved. 

For the purposes of the Business Insolvency topic, an OCW can be defined as an agreement made between a debtor and its creditors, with minimal or no court involvement, with the aim of easing the debtor’s debt-servicing burden, so that it can maintain its business activities and value. Guidelines introduced by any administrative authority do not entail any expectation or requirements that workout participants commit in a legally binding manner to follow them. The Business Insolvency topic assesses whether the legal framework establishes mechanisms or procedures to implement, with no impediments or obstacles, these OCWs to restructure a company’s debt with some or all its creditors, outside of the court system and/or outside formal judicial insolvency proceedings. Impediments or obstacles refer to any hindrance or obstruction to the conduct of these voluntary negotiations such as filing for formal proceedings as a prerequisite before resorting to OCWs.

For the purposes of the Business Insolvency topic, the term “post-commencement credit” refers to new credit or new loans for a debtor company obtained once the insolvency proceedings are initiated. This does not include new loans offered as part of a reorganization plan, but includes loans issued before approval of a reorganization plan. The Business Insolvency topic assesses whether the legal framework explicitly provides for the possibility for debtors to obtain credit after the commencement of insolvency proceedings to finance its on-going needs during the proceedings. Good international practices suggest that the law should also assign priority to post-commencement credit over ordinary unsecured creditors.

Typically, contributors are lawyers, industry experts, academics, and practitioners with practical knowledge of the regulatory environment and relevant public services in the country where they are trained and licensed. We encourage participation from individuals with in-depth understanding and experience in any of the 10 B-READY topics.

The B-READY team carefully selects experts who complete questionnaires. Prior to the data collection cycle, topic teams contact pre-identified experts inviting them to complete short screener forms where they can register their interest in participating in B-READY and provide information about their areas of specialization and years of experience. The topics teams then review submitted screener forms to evaluate contributors' profiles and select up to 5 experts per economy to complete each topic questionnaire. Selection is based on factors such as years of experience, industry knowledge, and alignment of expertise with specific topics covered by B-READY. 

Yes, B-READY also engages prominent expert advisors to provide insights and recommendations on the B-READY methodology based on their specialized knowledge. In addition to contributing data, experts may offer guidance to B-READY's topic teams, helping refine questionnaires and improve the quality of assessments. Such experts are invited by the B-READY team to provide their advice on a voluntary basis.

As a contributor, you'll have the opportunity to share insights into your country's regulatory framework and public services, and your inputs will help B-READY assess conditions for business, while aiding governments in driving economic growth. In addition, you'll also receive a certificate of participation and if you choose to be compensated, a flat fee of $400 per completed questionnaire per economy.

If selected to contribute to a B-READY topic by that topic’s team, you will be asked to complete one or more questionnaires that assess various aspects of your country's business environment. You will be required to answer detailed Yes or No questions and provide any legal basis or other information supporting your answer to the best of your knowledge, based on your expertise and experience. You may need to conduct additional research in the publicly available sources to find some answers. To ensure consistency and quality, B-READY provides a Methodology Handbook that outlines the process and criteria for each questionnaire. The handbook can be accessed here to guide you through the submission of data aligned with the project's standards. After the data collection is over, topic teams may contact you with specific, targeted questions about the information you provided, in order to reconcile any discrepancies in the data collected from multiple experts for a specific economy.

The time participation in B-READY as a contributor varies depending on the topic of the questionnaire and your familiarity with the topic. On average, each questionnaire may take anywhere between 1 to 4 hours to complete. The time required may also depend on the number of questionnaires you wish to contribute to.

Your expertise will be matched with an appropriate B-READY topic to ensure that your contributions align with your professional knowledge and background. You can participate in a range of topics/questionnaires related to business regulation and public services, if you are an expert in those topics.

In general, experts would need to exhibit both professional understanding and insights of the topics they elect to contribute to. Eligibility to be a contributor to B-READY varies based on the topic of your expertise and can be found here. Generally, topics require experts to have at least 3 years of professional experience and be qualified/licensed in the country they contribute for.

Generally, B-READY selects experts based on their affiliation with a firm, organization, or institution. This ensures that the data provided is backed by established professional experience and accountability within a recognized entity. However, you can participate in your individual capacity, if you do not wish your participation to be known by your firm, organization, or institution. In any case, B-READY does not disclose the names of experts, and although individual responses are published to ensure data transparency, they are anonymized.

Government employees or individuals affiliated with local or national government agencies are not eligible to participate as contributors for B-READY, as the B-READY questionnaires are aimed for private sector experts only. In addition, private sector experts are not eligible if they advise the public sector officials on B-READY project. This is done to avoid the actual or perceived conflict of interest and maintain the objectivity and impartiality of the data collected. B-READY gives governments the opportunity to provide data as well by completing questionnaires that are used for data validation purposes.

B-READY requires contributors to be practicing in their area of expertise. This ensures that the data provided reflects up-to-date knowledge and current practices within the regulatory environment. We would greatly appreciate it if you could refer a colleague in active practice.

You can participate in multiple topics and complete as many questionnaires as you wish, provided your qualifications match those topics. If you have expertise in various economies covered by B-READY, you can contribute to all of them as well. This allows you to leverage your broad knowledge and experience to provide comprehensive insights across various aspects of the business environment.

There is no specific limit on the number of questionnaires you can complete. You can contribute to as many questionnaires as you wish to, provided you have the required expertise and the time availability. However, each questionnaire is quite extensive and requires careful attention to detail.

There could be several reasons for not being selected despite meeting eligibility criteria. The B-READY team may have had to choose from a large pool of qualified candidates for that topic and proceeded to select contributors with the most experience and expertise. You will likely be invited to express your interest to participate in the topic in subsequent years. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be contacted for other topics.

You can seek assistance from your junior team members in completing a questionnaire. However, it is important to ensure that all contributors are fully informed about the project’s requirements and guidelines. Additionally, you should also disclose the names and roles of any additional team members who contribute to the questionnaire to the B-READY team to maintain transparency and ensure proper attribution. If your junior team members provide responses in the questionnaire, you should review their responses for accuracy before submitting the questionnaire.

You cannot ask your colleagues to complete a questionnaire on your behalf. If you are unable to participate anymore, you should notify the B-READY team as soon as possible. You may refer your colleagues as potential contributors to the B-READY project and the team will evaluate their eligibility to ensure the questionnaire is completed by a qualified contributor.

You can choose not to participate in B-READY after being selected as a contributor. Please note that if you do so, you will not receive the certificate of appreciation and the compensation if you have requested it. It is also important to inform the B-READY team as soon as possible if you decide not to participate, as this allows us to make alternative arrangements and ensures that the project remains on track.

Once a questionnaire is submitted, changes are generally not allowed to maintain the data collection process's integrity. If you notice any errors or need to make corrections, you should contact the B-READY team immediately to discuss the possibility of editing your responses. During the data validation stage of B-READY, topic teams may reach out to you with specific, targeted questions on the data. At that time, they will reopen your questionnaire, if you need to change your responses based on their requests. 

All questions in a questionnaire must be answered so that this questionnaire can be included in data validation. If you tend to specialize in one specific area in a topic and are not familiar with a related area (e.g. you are a seasoned litigator, but do not practice ADR), you can ask a qualified colleague to answer those questions for you. In that case, your colleague can participate as an additional contributor and their name should be communicated to the B-READY team.

We encourage our experts to refrain from disclosing their participation in the B-READY project publicly. However, we acknowledge that experts may wish to display their certificates of appreciation on their websites, office walls, and social media. If approached by a government representative, media, or an NGO, you can disclose general information about the B-READY project as available on our website, and your role as a contributor, if you wish to do so. Please do not share the responses you provided in the questionnaire(s) or to any follow up questions you received from a topic team.

Experts who contribute to the B-READY project may choose to participate pro bono or on a paid basis. If they choose to be compensated, they receive a flat fee of $400 per completed questionnaire. Additionally, contributors are awarded a certificate of appreciation. We provide these incentives to recognize your valuable contribution and expertise while supporting your engagement in the project.

You should not post your completed questionnaire on your website. The data and responses provided in the B-READY questionnaire are confidential and should not be publicly shared. The anonymity of our experts ensures the integrity of the data because it helps to maintain independence among the different private sector experts that are consulted for the same economy. If you wish to share your involvement in the B-READY project, focus on general information about the project and your role without disclosing specific details.

Individual contributors’ names are not included in the B-READY report. The report publishes aggregated data as well as individual responses used to produce that data without attributing them to specific contributors or listing their names. This approach helps maintain transparency of B-READY data without compromising its integrity.

If you wish, you can share with your clients and professional network that you participate in B-READY. You may describe your role and involvement in the project, but may not disclose specific details about our proprietary information and the responses you provided in the questionnaire(s).

Typically, experts receive updates about the B-READY project, including information about the release of the report. You may expect to receive a link to the B-READY report by email and be able to register for a virtual launch event on the B-READY website. You can check with the B-READY team for any specific details regarding the report distribution and report dissemination events.

Payments will be processed upon successful completion of questionnaire(s) and follow-up as needed to account for data validation requests, after the end of the B-READY data collection cycle and disbursed between May and September of each year.

Payments to experts will be processed using one of the following methods: PayPal or Visa prepaid gift cards. The specific payment method assigned to each expert will be determined at the discretion of the World Bank Group (WBG) team based on the expert's country of residence.

Each expert, who chooses to be remunerated, will earn a flat fee (gross amount) of USD 400 (in local currency). Payments will be processed upon successful completion of questionnaire(s) and follow-up as needed in accordance with the B-READY data validation processes. The payment process starts when the B-READY team sends a brief survey to collect payment information once all necessary follow-ups on the questionnaire(s) are complete. Once the payment details have been submitted, payments will be processed using one of the following methods: PayPal or Visa prepaid gift cards. In economies where PayPal or Visa e-gift cards are unavailable, payments will be distributed by B-READY’s third-party vendors via alternative methods approved by the WBG. Please note that alternative payment methods are only applicable to individuals (not to firms) and can only be accommodated if supported in your economy. Bank transfers will not be undertaken. The issuance of invoices for the B-READY team will not be required.

B-READY is produced by the World Bank’s Development Economics Vice Presidency, and designed to support global economic growth by providing data-driven insights for regulatory reforms. As a project that champions transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability, B-READY’s mission aligns with the World Bank’s overarching goals of eliminating poverty and fostering shared prosperity. Its annual report offered free of charge provides a comprehensive assessment of the business environment worldwide, serving as a critical tool for policymakers, NGOs, and development organizations to promote impactful reforms. For more information, click here.

B-READY fits the firms and organizations’ corporate social responsibility programs by providing an opportunity to engage in pro bono work, contribute to increased diversity and inclusion and environmental sustainability on a global scale, and promoting legal reforms and best practices worldwide. 

Global and regional firms have several compelling reasons to participate in the B-READY project. It allows firms to leverage their international expertise in a socially impactful way, helping countries improve their business environments, stimulate economic growth, and create jobs. Participation offers the chance to engage in a truly global pro bono initiative, where all offices of a firm can contribute. The project is time-manageable and predictable, requiring only 1 to 4 hours per questionnaire annually.

The B-READY project welcomes participation from law firms, tax and consulting firms, professional associations and unions, chambers of commerce, business associations and in general, any private sector firms with expertise in the areas covered by the 10 B-READY topics. 

The B-READY team would be happy to sign a Letter of Engagement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), whether provided by your firm or drafted by our team. However, it is not a requirement for participation in the project.

If a firm (or its office) opts to participate on a paid basis, there are two payment options: 1) Experts can be paid individually at a rate of $400; or 2) Firms can receive $400 per completed questionnaire, either via PayPal if they establish a corporate account, or through the World Bank Group (WBG) procurement process if the firm becomes a WBG vendor. The latter option typically requires advance planning and applies to firms contributing a substantial number of completed questionnaires across multiple jurisdictions.

At the start of the data collection cycle, firms can choose the jurisdictions and questionnaires they wish to contribute to. Later in the cycle, the B-READY team may request specific expertise for topics or jurisdictions that are more challenging to recruit for, particularly smaller regions with limited expert pools. While there is no obligation to provide a certain number of experts or complete a specific number of questionnaires, the B-READY team welcomes as many qualified volunteers as possible.

The B-READY team will share the most recent questionnaire package with your firm so that your experts can select the topics they wish to participate in. A designated coordinator from your firm will provide the names of participating experts to a B-READY coordinator, who will handle all communications with your firm. The B-READY contact will oversee the completion of screeners and questionnaires and address any questions from your firm's experts. The topic teams will not contact individual experts during data collection but may reach out during data validation to clarify any responses in the questionnaires.

Participation in a questionnaire can be a collective effort in several ways. Junior experts can conduct research, while a senior expert reviews, confirms the accuracy of the responses, and submits them. In this case, the senior expert is considered the main contributor, and the junior experts are additional contributors. Alternatively, multiple experts with different specialties can collaborate on a single questionnaire, with each expert contributing to the areas that align with their expertise.

Participation in B-READY is anonymous in that the B-READY team will not disclose the names of individual contributors who complete questionnaires. This policy helps prevent any undue pressure from governments on contributors and maintain the integrity of the data. Nevertheless, the B-READY team offers personalized certificates of appreciation to all contributors to acknowledge their contribution to B-READY. These electronic certificates can be displayed on social media, office walls, or websites. A firm can describe its work for B-READY generally on its website, without mentioning individual experts. If a firm contributes on a larger scale (in more than one jurisdiction and with a minimum of 10 questionnaires), it can become our Global Partner so that its name can be published on our website.

The B-READY team greatly appreciates it when firms refer us to other qualified professionals, who can complete questionnaires. These referrals help us expand our network of experts and ensure that the B-READY team engages with the most qualified individuals for each topic. In addition, we welcome feedback from distinguished experts on our methodology and questions format.

A professional association can encourage its members to express interest in participating in B-READY via newsletters, website, social media post, in-person events, fliers, etc. Associations can also organize informational sessions or webinars to explain the benefits and details of participating in B-READY. If interested, a member of the B-READY team can present to an association at a conference or other similar event, in person or virtually.

B-READY does not offer compensation to professional associations for referral of its members as potential contributors for B-READY. However, experts identified and selected from an association can participate on a pro bono basis or receive a flat fee of $400 per questionnaire, depending on their preference.

Topic questionnaires can be accessed by selected experts online via personalized links.

Because all questionnaires should be filled in online, topic questionnaires cannot be sent as a pdf or MS Word attachment. Access to the topic questionnaires is via personalized links distributed to experts by topic teams.

You will receive a copy of your responses to the questionnaire.

After you submit the completed questionnaire, you will not be able to access it. If you need to edit your responses, please contact the relevant topic team.

Please check whether you are still able to access your questionnaire via the personalized link. If so, please click on the “Submit” button to make sure the questionnaire is received by the topic team.

The primary objective is to promote the understanding, dissemination, and usage of B-READY data and reports transparently, openly, informatively, and efficiently. This engagement aims to advocate for policy reform, inform specific policy advice, and provide data for development policy research.

The key components are:

• Completion of topic questionnaires by governments.
• Bilateral overview meetings on the B-READY project.
• Topic-specific bilateral meetings on methodology and data queries.
• Methodology workshops for a multilateral audience.
• Written Q&As on the methodology.

Governments are invited to complete topic questionnaires using a web-based tool. An email from the Director in charge of the B-READY project is sent to Executive Directors and World Bank Group colleagues, with a request to forward the information to governments for the appointment of focal points. Governments have two weeks to appoint focal points. The B-READY team then sends the topic questionnaires directly to the appointed focal points, and the focal points have six weeks from the invitation date to submit the completed questionnaires. Late submissions are not considered. The data received is used to cross-check responses from the private sector and to give the opportunity to the private sector experts to review their responses in light of new information.

These bilateral meetings focus on methodological questions and data queries. Information provided by governments in these meetings will not directly impact the data, as the B-READY team cannot modify the data or change the private sector experts’ responses. However, the information may be used to assess the quality of the data and inform the data validation process. Each economy is entitled to one meeting per cycle, lasting up to three hours in total for all topics. Meetings are requested through a platform and the agenda is limited to pre-submitted issues. Methodology presentations are only provided through workshops, which are recorded and uploaded to the website.

Bilateral overview meetings are requested by emailing the B-READY Manager. These meetings occur once per cycle for each economy, last a maximum of one hour, and focus on a general project overview. They include a brief project presentation and a Q&A session, avoiding discussions on specific topic methodology or data.

The B-READY team has a dedicated Q&A section on its website, updated bi-monthly based on written questions submitted by governments and stakeholders. The team collects questions and publishes a curated list of questions with corresponding answers. There are no bilateral written exchanges on data specifics.

The B-READY team ensures transparency by sharing the schedule of all bilateral meetings on its website. This includes videoconferences and in-person meetings organized per economy on a rolling basis.