National Video Production Company to Produce Awareness-Raising Video on Cooperatives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

1. Background

The Saudi Arabian economy has been mainly based on extractives industries (crude oil and gas) since oil was discovered in the country. Data from the third quarter of 2021 estimated that crude petroleum and natural gas activities represented 26.6 per cent of the GDP, followed by Government services at 17.4 per cent and wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels at 9.3 per cent.  In recent years, the country has been moving toward a more sustainable and diversified economy, in line with the national priorities articulated in its Vision 2030. The diversification strategy seeks to transition the country from an oil-based to a knowledge-based economy by promoting innovation and research and development and encouraging high value-added sectors.  

Cooperative development has been identified as a strategic entry point for the country, as the Saudi Vision of 2030 calls for reduced unemployment rates among Saudis by creating productive employment opportunities including for women, ensuring food security and rural development, and reducing inequalities to empower marginalized groups. As of 2023, a total of 410 cooperatives were operating in the Kingdom, predominantly multi-purpose in nature. There was substantial growth between 2019 and 2023 in emerging sectors including: housing (80 per cent); professional services (53 per cent); services (103 per cent); healthcare (46 per cent); and tourism (60 per cent). To further support such growth, KSA’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has undertaken recent efforts to formulate a National Cooperative Strategy and amend the cooperative law. The ILO is contributing to these initiatives in line with ILO’s Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193) and other relevant frameworks including the ILO Decent Work Agenda, and the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025.  It is supporting the implementation of a cooperative support programme with MHRSD. The programme is designed to achieve five main outcomes:

1. Reviewing policy and legal frameworks: by analysing the National Cooperative Strategy and the Executive Regulation of the Amended Cooperative Law in line with international labour standards, the national context, and international good practices.
2. Enhancing institutional support by strengthening the role and capacity of Cooperative Societies Council, the APEX organization for cooperatives, which aims to support cooperatives in the country through fostering a collaborative work culture, building human, financial and technical capacities, and establishing strong partnerships. 
3. Building technical capacities of MHRSD, primary and secondary cooperatives and education institutions on cooperative development and management. Training efforts under this outcome aim to institutionalise learning among cooperative service providers and educational institutions, complemented by study tours to create partnerships with other countries and benefit from good practices. 
4. Advancing statistical data by producing a report on the state of national statistics concerning cooperatives in the country and developing a roadmap in close collaboration with the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) towards improving them in line with the ILO Guidelines concerning Statistics on Cooperatives. 
5. Promoting co-operators and raising awareness about innovative cooperative experiences from around the world through virtual study tours, webinars, and videos. 

 

1. Objectives of the assignment

With the support of the MHRSD, and through subcontracting a production firm, the ILO will produce a short awareness-raising video on cooperatives in KSA, with the aim to promote the National Cooperative Strategy, inform the public of the legislative framework and raise awareness on the role of the Cooperative Societies Council and its services. The video developed in Arabic, with English subtitles, would provide insights on the role of the cooperative sector and its governance structure in the Kingdom.

The objective of the assignment is to produce two high-quality video products:

1. A 3–5 minute main awareness-raising video in Arabic with English subtitles.
2. A <1-minute teaser version for social media platforms.

These videos aim to:

1. Raise awareness about the cooperative model, principles and values
2. Showcase Saudi cooperatives' contributions to socio-economic development and KSA’s Vision 2030.
3. Promote the roles of MHRSD and CSC in policy-making, legal reform, and institutional support for the cooperative sector.
4. Highlight real cooperative stories from different regions and sectors (agriculture, services, care, handicrafts…) across the Kingdom.
5. Support broader outreach efforts to engage youth, women, and the general public.

 

Primary audiences for these videos include the general public in Saudi Arabia—particularly youth and women, as one of key drivers for the future of the cooperative sector—as well as existing and aspiring cooperative members and entrepreneurs interested in inclusive and sustainable business models.

Secondary audiences include policy-makers and government officials (notably within MHRSD and related ministries), employers’ and workers’ organisations, development partners and international organizations, educational and training institutions, and media outlets and influencers who can further amplify cooperative success stories and promote understanding of the sector’s potential.

 

1. Main Tasks

The selected national video production company will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Develop a script and storyboard in consultation with ILO, MHRSD, and submit it for validation.
2. Conduct interviews with ILO officials, cooperative members, MHRSD and CSC staff, and other relevant stakeholders.
3. Conduct on-site filming, and take photographs of relevant sites, stakeholders, and cooperatives across key sectors.
4. Carry out full editing and post-production, including Arabic voiceover or narration, English subtitles, music, and branding in line with ILO and MHRSD guidelines.
5. Deliver a final 3–5 minutes version for general use
6. Deliver a shorter teaser version (<1 minute) for social media.
7. Submit unedited/raw footage for future documentation and archival purposes. Please note that all raw and final video materials will remain the property of the ILO and MHRSD.

 

1. Main deliverables

Deliverable

Description

Deadline

1. Script and storyboard

Detailed narrative and visual plan of the video, including draft interview questions and filming plan

15 October 2025

2. Raw footage and interviews

High-resolution unedited files from all filming, interviews, including photographs and b-roll

30 October 2025

3. First edited version

First cut of the 3–5 minute video with Arabic narration and English subtitles.

15 November 2025

4. Final edited version of long video

Final 3–5 minute version incorporating feedback, with branding and subtitles.

30 November 2025

5. Final edited version of short video

<1-minute teaser for social media, finalized with subtitles and branding.

30 November 2025

 

 

 

 

1. Timeframe

The contract duration is expected to be from 1 October 2025 to 30 November 2025.

All work mentioned in this ToR should be finalized by 30 November 2025, with completion of the above-mentioned deliverables to the satisfaction of MHRSD, the ILO Regional Office for Arab States and ILO COOP/SSE Unit in HQ Geneva.

 

1. Reporting lines

The video production company will report to the KSA Programme Coordinator who oversees the overall implementation of the programme and the Enterprise Development Specialist at the ILO Regional Office for Arab States with technical backstopping from the COOP/SSE Technical Specialist in HQ.

 

1. Required qualifications

 

1. A registered production company based in Saudi Arabia with demonstrated experience in producing professional, high-impact video content.
2. Proven experience working with international or development organizations on awareness-raising or promotional content.
3. Strong storytelling, scripting, and editing skills, with a portfolio of similar assignments.
4. Capacity to film and conduct interviews on-site across various regions of Saudi Arabia.
5. Fluency in Arabic with ability to produce English subtitles.
6. Familiarity with themes of cooperatives, social development, or inclusive business models is a strong asset.

 

 

1. Payment Schedule

Below payments will be processed upon reception of related deliverables to the satisfaction of the ILO. Payment will be made in two tranches:

Payment

Amount

Deliverable

First instalment

40%

Upon submission and approval of the script, storyboard, and raw footage.

Second and Final instalment

60%

Upon delivery and acceptance of all final videos (long and short).

 

1. Application Process

Production companies/ Producers interested in this assignment are invited to submit a proposal by email including:

1. A brief profile with proven experience with similar work and with UN organizations
2. Portfolio with examples of previous work.
3. Proposed team and timeline (if different from that outlined above).
4. A financial offer with the number of workdays rate per workday (including all costs) for each of the deliverables (Applicants can use the below example, if they wish)

 

Financial offer example:

Deliverable

Number of Days

Rate per day

Total amount per deliverable

 

Proposals should be submitted by email to Mr. Jad Yassin at yassinj@ilo.org and coop@ilo.org  with the subject line: “Video: Cooperative Awareness – KSA 2025”

Deadline for submission: 25 September 2025.