Publications

Jul 8, 2020

Principles for Learning - Conducting Impactful, Inclusive, Scalable, and Sustainable Learning Programs in Emerging Markets

IFC has partnered with industry leaders to create a set of Principles for Learning for training and advisory service providers working in emerging markets. The eight principles represent foundational qualities that make a performance improvement project effective and impactful. They draw on best practices from a range of learning institutions and specialists, experts on gender-inclusive initiatives, and IFC and World Bank staff working in emerging markets, including fragile and conflict-affected situations. The accompanying publication Guide to Training puts the principles into action.

English | 8 pages | 2020 IFC

Jul 8, 2020

Guide to Training - Setting the Standard for the Design, Delivery, and Evaluation of Learning Programs in Emerging Markets

The Guide to Training offers a roadmap for training professionals to design and implement successful learning and skills programs in emerging markets, giving them the tools to strengthen their client companies and help build the skilled workforce of the future. The guide provides detailed steps and advice for each phase of a training project. The guide also puts into action IFC’s Principles for Learning for training and advisory service providers working in emerging markets. It is essential reading for trainers, coaches, advisory service providers, and anyone who designs or manages learning experiences.

English | 170 pages | 2020 IFC

Jun 25, 2020

Banking on Women-Global Trade Finance Program

English | 2020 IFC

Jun 22, 2020

Necessary Ambition: How Low-Income Countries Are Adopting Sustainable Finance to Address Poverty, Climate Change, and Other Urgent Challenges

This report is the first comprehensive review of drivers and innovation behind market-level efforts to promote sustainable finance in low-income countries.

64 pages | © June 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Jun 15, 2020

Emerging Markets: Assessment of Hard-Currency Bond Market

As countries plan economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and issuers may see green and social bonds as a way of meeting environment goals, mitigating the negative health and socioeconomic impacts, building sustainable financial systems, and transitioning into a more balanced world economy.

English | 48 pages | 2020 | IFC International Finance Corporation 2020

Jun 11, 2020

Sixth Annual Fintech CEO Summit

English | 92 pages | 2018 IFC International Finance Corporation 2018

Jun 1, 2020

Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Financial Services

Artificial intelligence technologies are permeating financial services sectors around the world. The application of these technologies in emerging markets allows financial service providers to further automate their business processes and to leverage new and big data sources to overcome obstacles— including the high cost of serving rural and low-income customers and establishing customer identity and creditworthiness—that prevent the delivery of financial services to many consumers. Realizing financial inclusion benefits through the adoption of artificial intelligence relies on its responsible adoption by firms, on competitive market settings, and on continued investment in the necessary infrastructure.

English | 8 Pages - June - Note 85 | IFC 2020

Mar 19, 2020

Energized - Client Stories on Sustainable-Energy Finance

This collection of 13 mini-case-studies shows how IFC combines technical and advisory services with financing to help transform the climate impact of banks and businesses in emerging markets. We invest in FIs, which on-lend the funds to companies and other organizations to help lower their environmental footprint while also reaping bottom-line rewards. Since introducing sustainable-energy financing more than 20 years ago, IFC has provided $6.4 billion in climate finance to more than 110 emerging-market FIs and has mobilized an additional $3.4 billion.

English | 35 pages | 2014 | IFC International Finance Corporation 2014

Feb 16, 2020

Venture Capital and the Gender Financing Gap: The Role of Accelerators

This report studies the steep differential between financing for male and female-led start-ups post-acceleration and finds perceived risk and investor bias are the most likely causes.

Jan 30, 2020

Creating Domestic Capital Markets in Developing Countries: Perspectives from Market Participants

Domestic capital markets that are deep, efficient, and well-regulated can create access to long-term, local-currency finance. Interviews with market participants reveal four important findings. First, there are two distinct phases of capital market development, an embryonic phase in which the government is predominant and a mature phase in which the capital market starts to serve the private sector. Second, capital market development requires continuous monitoring and policy interventions due to changing market stages. Third, while capital markets are a crucial source of large volume, long-term local currency finance, they often fail smaller countries and companies. Finally, as the capital market develops, intangible or “soft” factors become more important.

English | 8 Pages - January - Note 77 | IFC 2020

Jan 29, 2020

Her Home - Housing Finance for Women

Women make up half the world's population, and half of its economic potential. Yet they are far less likely than men to own a home. That's because women work in informal jobs, are unfamiliar with formal loan-application procedures, or are stifled by traditional cultural norms. This new study sheds light on the women's market for housing finance in Colombia, India and Kenya.

English | 68 pages | 2020 | IFC International Finance Corporation 2020

Dec 3, 2019

Implementing Corporate Governance Practices - A Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar

This Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar supports the health of Micro- and Digital Finance firms in that nation. The Guide details the results of a pilot project, the Myanmar Microfinance Program, established in 2013. Prompted by IFC's efforts to promote financial inclusion, the report was produced by our Myanmar Microfinance, East Asia and Pacific Corporate Governance, Global Microfinance and Responsible Finance programs.

182 pages | 2019 IFC

Nov 14, 2019

Lower NPLs for Women-Owned SMEs: Business Case Update #2

IFC client data shows that for the past 4 years, women-owned SME borrowers are more likely to pay their loans than the overall SME pool of borrowers. Financial Institutions who worked with IFC on strategies to reach out to women and ensure their success had significantly lower non-performing loans in their portfolios.

English | 2 pages | 2019 IFC

Oct 7, 2019

IFC & Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women: Investing in Women's Business Growth

The Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility Progress Report 2019

English | 2019 IFC

Oct 4, 2019

Banking on SMEs - Trends and Challenges

What is the future of SME banking? In IFC’s inaugural SME business banking survey, we asked the heads of SME operations serving small businesses around the world. The online survey launched in 2018 posed questions to identify the biggest issues SME banking leaders are grappling with and to better understand the opportunities to run innovative, competitive and sustainable SME banking units.

English | 40 pages | 2019 IFC

Sep 19, 2019

The Dirty Footprint of the Broken Grid

To better understand the impacts of generators on health, economies, and the climate, IFC has partnered with the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University to embark on the most comprehensive inquiry to date into the footprint and repercussions of using backup generators. This study explores fundamental questions about the scale and impacts of backup generators that have been largely unanswered beyond anecdote and local or regionally focused studies.

English | 64 pages | 2019 IFC

Aug 22, 2019

Exploring the Opportunities for Women-owned SMEs in Cambodia

Cambodia Market Study

English | 2019 IFC

Aug 15, 2019

Trailblazers - Portraits of Female Business Leadership in Emerging and Frontier Markets

Aug 13, 2019

South Africa Market Study

South Africa Market Study

English | 2019 IFC

Aug 2, 2019

Financiar a las emprendedoras es buen negocio

English | 2019 IFC

Jul 3, 2019

Trade Finance and the Compliance Challenge

This publication provides an explanation of the current global trade finance gaps amid market failures as well as perceived regulatory risk and presents an analysis of the recent trends of de-risking and the reasons for falling correspondent banking relationships. It shows how the WTO, IFC and the FSB have worked together to respond to this issue since the end of 2017.

English | 50 pages | 2019 IFC

Jul 1, 2019

Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) & Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Risk Management in Emerging Market Banks

Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) & Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Risk Management in Emerging Market Banks - Good Practice Note (06/05/2019)

English | 87 pages | 2019 IFC

Jun 26, 2019

DARP—Creating Distressed Assets Markets – Lessons Learned Since the Global Financial Crisis and Opportunities for Investors in Emerging Markets Today

The rapid growth of credit over the last two decades has led to increased levels of non-performing loans across the globe. This can reduce lending and hamper economic recovery, creating a vicious circle that can be difficult to break. However, robust distressed assets markets can interrupt this loop, allowing for a return to financial stability and economic growth. IFC, through its Distressed Asset Recovery Program (DARP), is taking the lead in developing strong distressed assets markets in emerging economies.

English | 80 pages | IFC 2019

Jun 3, 2019

Basic Business Models for Banks Providing Digital Financial Services in Africa

Digital Financial Services have progressed rapidly since the first mobile-money services in East Africa a decade ago. Their early success in Kenya and Tanzania sent telecom firms, banks, technology firms, and development institutions scrambling to launch similar services. Yet many or most of these new services found only limited success of their own. The process delivered valuable lessons to the industry, however, including insights about scale, effective engagement models, the importance of adopting new technologies and rethinking corporate cultures, and the need for new digital financial services and products.

English | 6 Pages - June - Note 68 | IFC 2019

May 13, 2019

bKash’s Success Establishes Mobile Financial Services in Bangladesh

In five years, growth of mobile financial services in Bangladesh has skyrocketed, with IFC client bKash leading the way.

English | 2 pages | 2019 IFC