Social finance in Asia: Mobilising capital for inclusive and sustainable growth
Asia continues to be one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, yet significant social and economic gaps persist. Access to finance remains uneven, particularly for women-owned businesses, SMEs, low-income populations, rural communities and other underserved groups. Many markets also continue to face challenges related to affordable housing, healthcare, education, digital inclusion and job creation.
Against this backdrop, social finance provides an important mechanism to channel capital towards investments that generate measurable social outcomes alongside sustainable financial returns. Social and sustainability bonds, social loans, sustainability-linked financing, risk-sharing facilities and blended finance structures can support critical development priorities whilst broadening financing and investment opportunities.
Financial institutions play a central role in scaling this market. The webinar discussed how issuers and investors can identify eligible social activities and target populations, apply internationally recognised market principles, including ICMA's Social Bond Principles, strengthen impact measurement and reporting, and address practical implementation challenges.
Drawing on IFC's transaction and market development experience across Asia and ICMA's role in supporting internationally recognised principles and market practices, the session featured practical case studies and lessons from the field. Examples include IFC’s work with Muangthai Capital in Thailand on a gender-inclusive social bond, the first such bond issued by a non-bank financial institution in the country, and its support for Khan Bank in Mongolia on the country’s first social bond, which channelled capital towards healthcare, education and affordable housing for underserved and rural communities.
Speakers:
- Allen Forlemu, Regional Industry Director, IFC - Financial Institutions Group – Asia & Pacific
- Borja García Fernández, Senior Sustainable Finance Specialist – Capital Markets & Structuring, IFC - Global Financial Institution Group
- Sedef Gunsur, Capital Markets Lead, IFC - Financial Institutions Group Upstream & Advisory – Asia & Pacific
- Jorge Rubio Nava, Global Head, Social Finance, Citi
- Parithad Patcharachai, Chief Executive Officer, Muangthai Capital
- Christian Rodriguez Torres, Financial Inclusion Lead, IFC - Financial Institutions Group Upstream & Advisory – East Asia & Pacific
- Simone Utermarck, Senior Director, Sustainable Finance, ICMA
