“Impact in Action” at Verdant Capital
Verdant Capital’s clients continue to translate social intent into real-world impact. To ensure it properly supports their impact objectives – and meaningfully aligns and contributes to best practices – Verdant Capital is continually enhancing its industry collaboration:
CERISE SPI4: The SPI4 social audit tool, overseen by French NGO CERISE, assists financial institutions to better evaluate their implementation of the Social Performance Task Force’s “Universal Standards for Social Performance Management”, including the Smart Campaign’s Client Protection Principles. The tool is now an industry standard. Verdant Capital participated in the SPI4 Steering Committee developing the new web-based tool, comprised of leading industry stakeholders in 2019. The team is already trained on using the tool.
Responsible Finance Forum for Digital Inclusion: In March, Verdant Capital was pleased to become a Signatory of its Investor Guidelines, representing a natural enhancement to its existing due diligence requirements and social performance standards for its “fintech” clients. The Firm has actively advised such clients and investors for many years and looks forward to becoming an active member of the Forum and advancing the promotion of responsible finance for digital inclusion across Africa.
Microfinance African Institutions Network (MAIN): In 2019 Verdant Capital became a Signatory of MAIN, whose mission is to help reinforce the social and economic role of African MFIs by “localising” the promotion of best practices in areas such as financial and technical assistance, and information exchange. Abidjan-based, MAIN has facilitated training for over 3 700 microfinance practitioners, organized 100+ seminar/conferences and with steady publication on related themes.
Verdant Capital looks forward to continued collaboration and support with these and other such stakeholders in its mission to make lasting differences in high impact sectors across Africa.