Ant International has launched its MSME S-Card, aimed at introducing a sustainability impact on SMEs in their development process, as well as new green financing opportunities. Following this announcement, the MSME S-Card is set to provide MSMEs with a streamlined and secure digital solution that can be leveraged to build validated ESG credentials towards more sustainable practices, while also accessing new economic opportunities.

The initiative was developed under Programme Sirius. According to the press release, Ant International's ecosystem partner, GCash, will be the pilot participant, while Gprnt will serve as a technology partner, jointly collaborating in order to customise the scorecard based on the needs of their MSME customers to assess, track, and evaluate their ESG impact. The initiative will prioritise the process of remaining compliant with the regulatory requirements and laws of the industry as well.

More information on the Scorecard launch The MSME Sustainability Impact Scorecard (MSME S-Card) was developed as a digital solution designed to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region of Asia to track their environmental and social impact in a verified and convenient way. The process was based on applicable standards and requirements, aimed at better integrating sustainability into business operations. The MSME S-Card utilises Ant International’s experience and partnerships in digital innovation and platforms, focusing on automating the collection of key data within existing business processes and digital walls.

This process aims to build and validate MSME ESG credentials. In addition, by integrating ESG metrics in this streamlined and digital manner, the scorecard will offer MSMEs actionable insights for aligning with sustainability standards in order to optimise their ESG credibility, attract impact-focused investors, and support long-term and secure sustainable development in line with global market expectations as well. The MSME S-Card is the first initiative under Programme Sirius, a knowledge initiative that aims to empower small businesses in their transition towards sustainability, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

As a Technology Partner to Programme Sirius, Gprnt is expected to build on its expertise in harnessing technology to simplify how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data is collected and accessed, as well as share best practices and community outreach in driving MSME sustainability with Ant International. The company will also act as a data reporting partner, while also further bolstering transparency and optimising the process of supporting MSME’s efforts to achieve alignment with applicable regional standards. Included in the obstacles MSMEs face in their development process are the lack of knowledge, limited resources, and scarcity of tailored financial products.

With this in mind, the MSME S-Card is set to bridge the gaps between financial institutions and small businesses by enabling sustainability reporting through collaborations, such as with the pilot participant GCash from the Philippines, who is expected to further customise the scorecard benchmarks based on local needs and requirements. .