Ant International, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and GCash are strengthening their shared commitment to digital financial inclusion through the development of a Sustainability Impact Scorecard designed to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) measure and improve their environmental and social impact.
The initiative aims to provide MSMEs with a clear, accessible, and trusted framework to track sustainability performance, adopt responsible business practices, and align with global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. By leveraging the GCash ecosystem and locally relevant metrics, the Scorecard is designed to deliver practical insights that can help businesses operate more sustainably and competitively.
The tool will also serve as a benchmark for MSMEs, enabling them to strengthen credibility, demonstrate sustainability efforts, and access financing opportunities tied to green and responsible growth.
In the Philippines, MSMEs represent 99.6% of all businesses and employ more than two-thirds of the workforce. Despite their vital role in the economy, limited access to financing continues to be a key challenge. The Sustainability Impact Scorecard is expected to help bridge this gap by allowing businesses to better showcase their ESG performance and unlock pathways to sustainable funding.
“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.
He also emphasized the broader value of the initiative in supporting inclusive innovation. “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 reinforces that true sustainability integrates environmental, social, and economic impact—and none of these should be left behind,” 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,” added Christina Ongoma, East Asia and the Pacific Regional Advisory Manager for the Financial Institutions Group at IFC.
The collaboration builds on discussions held at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and expands on Ant International’s Programme Sirius, launched in 2024 to support MSMEs in taking initial steps toward sustainability. With GCash serving as a pilot partner, the initiative aims to translate global sustainability commitments into practical, on-the-ground digital solutions for underserved communities in the Philippines.
The pilot rollout will be implemented in phases, beginning with ecosystem assessments and stakeholder engagement, followed by the development, validation, and field testing of the Scorecard. Insights gathered during the pilot will help guide potential expansion across the Asia-Pacific region.
Ultimately, the initiative highlights the growing role of collaboration in equipping MSMEs with data-driven ESG tools, enabling them to integrate sustainability into everyday operations, scale responsibly, and access opportunities previously out of reach. It reflects the shared vision of Ant International, IFC, and GCash to advance sustainable finance and support a more inclusive digital economy.
For more information, visit www.gcash.com.
