Small businesses are the backbone of the Philippine economy, but many still struggle to access funding and scale sustainably. A new collaboration between GCash, Ant International, and International Finance Corporation aims to change that through a first-of-its-kind Sustainability Impact Scorecard.
Designed specifically for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises, this initiative is set to make sustainable growth more achievable and measurable.
A Simpler Way for MSMEs to Track Sustainability
The Sustainability Impact Scorecard is being developed to help MSMEs understand and improve their environmental and social impact. Instead of complex frameworks, the tool will offer clear and practical insights tailored to local businesses.
By integrating with the GCash ecosystem, the scorecard will provide easy-to-use metrics aligned with global environmental, social, and governance standards. This means business owners can better track their performance while staying competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
Unlocking Access to Sustainable Financing
One of the biggest hurdles for MSMEs is securing funding. Despite making up 99.6 percent of businesses in the Philippines and employing a large portion of the workforce, many still face limited financing options.
This is where the scorecard becomes especially valuable. By serving as a credible benchmark, it allows businesses to demonstrate their sustainability efforts to lenders and investors. In turn, this can open doors to green financing and new partnerships.
As emphasized by industry leaders involved in the project, the tool is expected to boost credibility while giving MSMEs visibility into their real-world impact.
Combining Technology and Sustainability
According to Carrie Suen, the initiative is about making advanced technologies more accessible to smaller businesses. She explained that empowering MSMEs with tools like AI can help them become part of the next wave of sustainable digital transformation.
Meanwhile, Christina Ongoma highlighted the importance of equipping MSMEs with practical tools that support resilience and long-term growth.
The collaboration underscores a broader idea: sustainability is not just about environmental impact, but also social and economic progress.
From Global Discussions to Local Impact
This partnership builds on conversations from COP30 and aligns with Ant International’s Programme Sirius, which was launched to help MSMEs take their first steps toward sustainability.
With GCash as the pilot partner in the Philippines, the initiative aims to translate global sustainability goals into actionable, on-the-ground solutions that local businesses can actually use.
What to Expect Next
The rollout of the Sustainability Impact Scorecard will happen in phases. It will begin with ecosystem assessments and stakeholder engagement, followed by development, validation, and field testing.
Insights from the pilot phase could eventually lead to expansion across the Asia-Pacific region, giving more MSMEs access to tools that support responsible growth.
For many small business owners, sustainability can feel overwhelming or out of reach. This initiative changes that by making it more accessible, measurable, and directly tied to business growth.
If successfully implemented, the scorecard could become a powerful tool not just for compliance, but for unlocking new opportunities. It bridges the gap between doing good and doing well in business.
For MSMEs looking to future-proof their operations, this is definitely something to watch.