All publications for topic

Aligning financial systems with a just transition - Recommendations for the 4th International Financing for Development Conference

Addressing both social and environmental objectives is essential to mitigate risks and seize opportunities related to the low-carbon transition. A just transition requires supportive financial flows and enabling financial systems. The objective of...

Scaling up digital wages: Lessons and challenges from India’s enabling environment

Drawing on research and insights from experts and policymakers, this report identifies nine key factors driving the rapid adoption of digital wages in India — ranging from digital ID integration and universal bank access to digitized social benefits...

A system analysis of the financial market in Uganda and its potential to contribute to sustainable development

As part of the cooperation between the ILO and Sida to enhance the development impact of financing instruments, this publication analyzes supply and demand of financial services, as well as the regulatory and supporting environment affecting...

Sustainable Finance Working Group

Enhancing the social dimension in transition finance: towards a just transition

A system analysis of the financial market in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Annual Report 2023

The Annual Report 2023 highlights the achievements of the Social Finance Programme over the past year. The report covers developments in Social Finance's three streams of work: financial inclusion, impact insurance and sustainable investing.

Just Transition Finance - Pathways for banking and insurance

Promoting a just transition is essential to achieve broad-based support for ambitious climate action. In this collective effort, financial institutions play a major enabling role. This publication highlights crucial elements, emerging practices and...

Developing an impact monitoring system for Sida’s guarantee instrument

Credit guarantees can be a powerful instrument to achieve positive development results. This paper summarises findings from case studies, conducted in Guatemala and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and illustrates their contribution to our work...

Social Finance Brief: Financial services to enhance resilience

Banks, credit unions and microfinance institutions can boost the resilience and create a brighter future for vulnerable communities through innovative solutions. This brief explores in more detail such comprehensive services, including savings,...

Driving better business results with women’s insurance

This publication highlights the evolving socio-economic status of women and calls for increased engagement from insurers. It provides a comprehensive roadmap to address the unique needs of women, spanning both customer and employee perspectives,...

Integrated financial services for better risk management

Financial institutions have a critical role in supporting vulnerable low-income households to cope with the growing risks and impact of climate change and extreme weather events. This publication highlights the importance of an integrated approach...

An impact insurance solution to build smallholder farmers' resilience

This paper explores impact insurance for smallholder farmer and what type of insurance solution can help build their resilience. The report looks at the background of inclusive insurance and suggests a framework to assess the performance of future...

Annual Report 2022

The Annual Report 2022 highlights the achievements of the Social Finance Programme over the past year. The report covers developments in Social Finance's three streams of work: financial inclusion, impact insurance and sustainable investing.

Digital wages for decent work in Indonesia - a rapid assessment

Digital wage payments (through bank accounts, mobile money wallets or prepaid cards) can benefit workers and enterprises and contribute to achieving public policy goals. But the transition from cash to responsible digital wages brings challenges...

Social finance

Digital Wages for Decent Work in the Philippines: Fact sheet

The project fact sheet provides an overview of about the ILO's Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work initiative in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate the responsible transition from cash to digital wage...

Social Finance Brief: RUFI's journey in serving refugees and host communities in South Sudan and Uganda

In this brief, focussing on “Making Finance Work for Refugees”, Social Finance documents the experience of the Rural Finance Initiative (RUFI) in South Sudan and Uganda. RUFI aims to provide financial services to rural entrepreneurs to improve their...

Social Finance Brief: Seguros Bolivar

In 2018, the Colombian insurance company Seguros Bolivar launched “Tranquilidad Pymes”, a multi-risk insurance product to protect micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Colombia. This Social Finance Brief shows how the company developed its...

Brief: Promoting responsible digital wage payments

Digital wage payments (wages paid into a bank or mobile account or a prepaid card) have become the norm for most workers worldwide. But millions of workers still lack access to them. When designed and offered responsibly, digital wage payments can...

Social Finance Brief: Suramericana Argentina

Suramericana is a company of Colombian origin with more than 70 years of experience in the Latin American insurance market. This Social Finance Brief describes Suramericana's work on providing insurance to micro, small and medium enterprises in...

Social Finance Brief: Dvara KGFS

Dvara KGFS is a non-banking financial company serving more than a million customers and enterprises in rural areas of India. This Social Finance Brief describes their integrated risk management product “Dvara Sampoorna Sampath” and how it helps...