Oikocredit Releases 2011 Social Performance Report of 500 Microfinance Institutions

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Oikocredit Releases 2011 Social Performance

Report of 500 Microfinance Institutions

PR Newswire

STOCKHOLM, June 15, 2012

STOCKHOLM

,

June 15, 2012

/PRNewswire/ --

The Full Picture: 500 MFIs Report Social Data for 2011

Close to 500 microfinance institutions around the world

have reported social performance data to private

microfinance investor Oikocredit. The data, to be

released today in

Stockholm, Sweden

, reflects the

organization's dedication to prioritising microfinance

clients by advancing the analysis of social goals.

The report draws on 2011 data submitted by 495 of Oikocredit's microfinance

partners - a 20% jump in data participation since data collection began in 2008.

"With this many partners reporting social and financial performance data,

Oikocredit has one of the most comprehensive social databases among

microfinance investors," says Oikocredit director social performance Ging

Ledesma.

"The data shows our partners are increasingly committed to client-oriented

practices. For example, the number of partners that have developed

environmental policies and client satisfaction surveys has dramatically

increased in the past two years."

At the close of 2011, Oikocredit's total development portfolio was € 520 million,

with € 410 million in microfinance and the remainder in social enterprises like

fair trade and agricultural cooperatives. Almost 26 million people were reached

through the microfinance partners: a majority of which are small MFIs each

serving less than 10,000 clients. The 2011 data showed 53% of MFI clients were

living in rural areas, and 83% were female. While Oikocredit's portfolio spans

every continent, it holds a steady presence in

Africa

with 15% of its total

portfolio in the region - a figure that is double the industry average.

Oikocredit hosted over 100 workshops and introduced a programme to 'mentor

the mentors' throughout 2011 in an effort to increase client-focus among

partners. As a direct result of these initiatives, the number of partners

endorsing the Client Protection Principles increased, and many more partners

underwent social ratings when compared with 2010.

In the coming year, Oikocredit will continue to work directly with partners to

integrate their social and financial focus, while fine-tuning its own data

collection to monitor changes over time.

"Some partners who have been assisted in the use of the Progress out of

Poverty Index, a poverty measurement tool, are beginning to track changes in

clients' lives over a period of years, so more in-depth reporting on that is

expected in 2013," said Ms Ledesma.

"Measuring impact continues to be a challenge but we firmly believe that by

supporting MFI partners in social performance, they can achieve a genuine

client-centred approach in their daily practice."

Oikocredit

Oikocredit is a social investor and worldwide cooperative that promotes global

justice by empowering disadvantaged people with credit. Since 1975, Oikocredit

has offered loans and investment capital to microfinance institutions,

cooperatives, fair trade and other businesses. Today, Oikocredit has 896

partners in almost 70 countries. For more information, visit

http://www.oikocredit.org.