Ant International is teaming up with industry partners to create a new tool to help small businesses in Asia become more sustainable.
Called the “MSME Sustainability Impact Scorecard” (MSME S-Card), this digital solution will make it easier for these businesses to track their environmental and social impact.
The scorecard is part of Ant International‘s broader Programme Sirius initiative, which focuses on helping MSMEs adopt sustainability practices in line with global standards.
The tool is designed to be user-friendly and will help small businesses understand how they can operate more sustainably.
It works by automating the collection of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) data through digital platforms, helping businesses validate their sustainability credentials.
This makes it easier for them to attract investors and compete in the global market.
Ant International recognises the challenges small businesses face in adopting sustainable practices, such as a lack of knowledge, limited resources, and difficulty accessing green financing.
Specific challenges include the high costs of green-certified solutions, such as solar-powered equipment, and the increasing demand for meeting complex sustainability requirements in global supply chains.
The MSME S-Card addresses these issues by providing actionable insights, a clear framework, and access to tools that help small businesses make progress in their sustainability efforts.
GCash, a mobile wallet provider in the Philippines, will be the first to pilot the scorecard.
In collaboration with Gprnt, a technology partner with expertise in ESG reporting, GCash will customise the tool to meet the specific needs of local MSMEs. The project is expected to launch next year.
Programme Sirius was launched by Ant International in March 2024 to empower MSMEs in their sustainability journey.
Supported by partners like IFC and 13 Asia-Pacific fintech leaders, the initiative focuses on helping small businesses align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Lionel Wong, Executive Director, Gprnt, said,
“The launch of the MSME S-Card could not have come at a better time, happening in lockstep with Gprnt’s launch of its own automated Disclosure and Marketplace tools, which are designed to simplify sustainability reporting for all businesses, and connect them to an ecosystem of solutions to support their financing and decarbonisation needs.”
Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ant International, said,
“One of the key priorities when we launched Programme Sirius earlier this year was to address the critical challenge of sustainability inclusion for MSMEs, who are being left behind in the global shift towards sustainability, missing out on new opportunities.
We hope that the MSME S-Card, the first initiative under Programme Sirius, will offer a benchmark for MSMEs and financial institutions to work together to support MSMEs’ sustainability journey, enabling them to contribute to a shared vision for a better future while gaining practical benefits from sustainable payments, ESG reporting, and green financing.”
