GCash, partners unveil ESG Scorecard to drive sustainable MSMEs’ growth

Ant International, the International Finance Corp. and GCash are developing a digital Sustainability Impact Scorecard designed to help Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises track their environmental and social impact.

The initiative, announced following discussions at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, aims to provide local businesses with clear pathways to measure sustainability performance and align with global environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

In the Philippines, MSMEs account for 99.6 percent of all businesses and employ more than two-thirds of the workforce. However, these enterprises frequently cite limited access to financing as a primary barrier to growth. The new scorecard acts as a benchmark, allowing businesses to demonstrate credible sustainability practices to potential investors and lenders.

“For MSMEs, this is a game-changer,” said Winsley Bangit, GCash group head for new businesses. “It provides visibility into their environmental and social impact and credibility that can attract green capital and partnerships.”

The scorecard leverages the GCash ecosystem to provide metrics specifically tailored to the Philippine market. It is part of Ant International’s “Programme Sirius,” a global initiative launched in 2024 to support small businesses in their transition to sustainable operations.

Carrie Suen, vice president and head of global affairs and strategic development at Ant International, said the collaboration makes technologies like artificial intelligence more accessible to local businesses.

“This scorecard serves as a vital tool for future innovation, reinforcing that true environmental sustainability integrates social and economic impact,” Suen said.

The project will roll out in phases, beginning with ecosystem assessments and stakeholder engagement, followed by validation and field testing. Christina Ongoma, IFC regional advisory manager for the financial institutions group in East Asia and the Pacific, noted that equipping MSMEs with these tools is critical for building large-scale economic resilience.

While the pilot program is focused on the Philippines, partners indicated that findings from this rollout will inform a potential expansion of the scorecard across the AsiaPacific region.