FMO signed the Gender Finance Collaborative that supports the development of shared financing principles, definitions and methodologies to promote the integration of “gender smart” decision-making into investment processes and operations.
The Collaborative consists of 14 Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) plus the European Investment Bank (EIB). There is a steering committee currently chaired by CDC, plus a coordinating team led by external advisers. The full membership meets four times per year and also liaises in smaller sub-groups relating to issue-specific working groups and initiatives.
While each development finance institution is on its own journey with varying commitments and levels of capacity, the collective goal is to increase the strategic impact of investment capital toward women as business and fund leaders, entrepreneurs, a strong and valued workforce, consumers and community members.
Through collaborative dialogue and a shared commitment to action, we aim to advance the standard and the vision for the future of gender smart investing and to move more capital, more strategically, from within the DFI community and our private sector co-investors. We are committed to increasing our own collective knowledge and capacity as well as that of our investees.
The Collaborative is committed to supporting and sharing experiences with each other in context of the unique needs of the DFI community and the internal and external capacity building required to advance this work. The group also seeks to support the development of the field by partnering with other relevant organisations, programmes and initiatives.
A Joint Commitment Statement for the Collaborative has been developed, agreed and signed by most of the members with others in process.