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(L-R) IFC East Asia and the Pacific Regional
advisory manager for financial institutions group Christina Ongoma; GCash group
head for new businesses Winsley Bangit; and Ant International vice president
and head of global affairs and strategic development Carrie Suen
Furthering its mission of
driving digital financial inclusion, Ant International, International Finance
Corp. (IFC), and GCash are developing a Sustainability Impact Scorecard that
will make it easier for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to track
their environmental and social impact, easily adopt sustainability practices in
business operations, and align with global standards.
The Scorecard provides Filipino
MSMEs with trusted, clear, and accessible pathways to measure sustainability
performance, strengthen credibility, and unlock opportunities aligned with
global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. By leveraging the
GCash ecosystem and metrics tailored to the Philippine market, the Scorecard
aims to empower local MSMEs with relevant, simple insights to help transform
businesses.
In the Philippines, MSMEs
account for 99.6% of businesses and employ over two-thirds of the workforce,
yet limited access to financing remains a key challenge. The Scorecard, which
serves as a benchmark for MSMEs, will help businesses demonstrate their
sustainability practices and unlock access to sustainable financing to support
growth.
Aside from tracking
sustainability performance, the Scorecard also provides MSMEs with a way to
build the credibility needed to engage with investors and lenders on
sustainability performance.
“For MSMEs, this is a
game-changer. It provides visibility into their environmental and social impact
and credibility that can attract green capital and partnerships,” said GCash
group head for new businesses Winsley Bangit.
“Crucially, MSMEs’ growing social
impact cannot be overlooked. Through our collaboration with GCash and IFC, we
are making technologies such as AI more accessible to local MSMEs, empowering
them to participate in the next wave of sustainable digital transformation.
This scorecard serves as a vital tool for future innovation, reinforcing that
true environmental sustainability integrates social and economic impact, and it
must never be sidelined,” said Carrie Suen, vice president and head of global
affairs and strategic development at Ant International.
“MSMEs play a critical role
across markets. By equipping them with the right tools, we can strengthen
resilience, support adaptation, and enable sustainable growth at scale,”
Christina Ongoma, IFC East Asia and the Pacific Regional Advisory manager for
the Financial Institutions Group, added.
Shaping a world-class,
competitive & sustainable future for Filipino MSMEs
The partnership builds on
discussions at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and Ant International’s Programme
Sirius, launched in 2024 to support MSMEs in taking the first step toward
sustainability. With GCash as a pilot partner, the initiative aims to translate
global sustainability commitments into practical, on-ground digital solutions
for underserved communities in the Philippines.
The Scorecard pilot will roll
out in phases, starting with ecosystem assessments, stakeholder engagement, and
the development of the sustainability impact scorecard, followed by validation
and field testing. Learnings from the pilot will inform potential scaling
across the Asia-Pacific region.
This initiative underscores the
power of collaboration in expanding MSMEs access to practical, data-driven ESG
tools, enabling small businesses to integrate sustainability into everyday
operations, scale responsibly, and connect with solutions previously deemed out
of reach. This reflects the shared commitment of Ant International, IFC, and
GCash to advance sustainable finance solutions and build a more inclusive
digital economy.
For more information, please
visit www.gcash.com.
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