Ant International launches sustainability scorecard for MSMEs

• GCash to pilot initiative, with Gprnt serving as tech partner
• Aims to help MSMEs track environmental and social impact

Ant International, in collaboration with industry partners, has announced the development of the MSME Sustainability Impact Scorecard (MSME S-Card), a digital solution designed to help Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Asia track their environmental and social impact.

The MSME S-Card is part of Programme Sirius, an initiative launched by Ant International in March 2024 to support MSMEs in their transition towards sustainability. The scorecard aims to provide MSMEs with a streamlined digital solution to build validated ESG credentials and access new economic opportunities.

Leiming Chen, chief sustainability officer at Ant International, stated, "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."

Gprnt, a digital platform for ESG reporting and data, will serve as the technology partner for the initiative. Lionel Wong, executive director of Gprnt, commented, "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."

GCash, a digital finance platform from the Philippines, will be the pilot participant for the MSME S-Card. Winsley Bangit, VP for New Businesses at GCash, explained, "GCash's partnerships with global leaders like Ant International will help enable MSMEs to access both capital and practical support, promoting responsible growth in line with GCash's purpose to uplift Filipinos' everyday lives."

The initiative aims to address several challenges faced by MSMEs in adopting sustainable practices, including lack of knowledge about ESG practices, limited resources for implementing sustainability initiatives, and scarcity of tailored financial products for smaller enterprises.

The MSME S-Card leverages digital platforms to enable seamless reporting and transformation for MSMEs. By integrating ESG metrics in a streamlined and digital way, the scorecard offers MSMEs actionable insights for aligning with sustainability standards and enhancing their ESG credibility.

The pilot project by GCash is expected to launch next year, with further customization of the scorecard benchmarks based on local needs in the Philippines.