Sustainable financial solutions for a climate-friendly future
Sustainable financial solutions play a key role in promoting environmental and social standards. As part of Partners in Transformation, the German Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation (DSIK) supports financial institutions worldwide in developing and implementing such solutions. Even the introduction of individual green financial products - such as loans for solar energy systems or sustainable agriculture - can bring about positive change. However, DSIK's holistic approach goes further and integrates sustainability into the entire corporate strategy in the long term.
An important part of sustainable financial solutions is supporting a Just Energy Transition - a just transition to a climate-friendly economy. Financial products that facilitate access to renewable energies or promote the energy efficiency of micro-enterprises help to reduce social inequalities and simultaneously reduce CO2 emissions.
Analysis with the Sustainable Finance Compass
The Sustainable Finance Compass is a comprehensive analysis tool from DSIK that assesses the current status of an institution in the area of sustainability. Structured interviews with employees and the evaluation of international benchmarks are used to determine how sustainably an institution operates. The results serve as a starting point for the development of a customised sustainability strategy.
Development of customised sustainability strategies
Based on the analysis, a customised sustainability target is developed together with the partner institutions and embedded in the general business strategy. A concrete action plan defines the next steps - from training employees on basic sustainability issues to the introduction of specific measures, such as the development of green financial products or the introduction of CO2 measurement systems.
Practical examples and innovations
One successful example is the development of sustainable financial products for target groups such as micro-enterprises or farmers who use environmentally friendly technologies. As part of the green.connect collaboration programme, a start-up that has developed a digital solution for CO2 measurement specifically for microfinance institutions was funded. The solution was successfully tested at partner institutions in Mexico and shows how innovative technologies can improve the environmental footprint of financial institutions.
Long-term change through sustainability
This integral approach ensures that sustainability is not just understood as a short-term project, but as a long-term transformation of the entire economy. Implementing sustainable financial solutions not only improves the competitiveness of institutions, but also actively contributes to environmentally and socially responsible development. Close cooperation with partner institutions in Latin America makes a measurable contribution to the global sustainability agenda.
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