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> Posted by Alyssa Passarelli, Communications and Operations Assistant, the Smart Campaign
Pro Mujer Mexico delegation at certification award ceremony held last week in conjunction with 2013 Foromic conference in Guadalajara
The Smart Campaign is pleased to announce that three Latin American institutions became Client Protection Certified at the close of September 2013. These three institutions are Crezcamos and FMM Popayán, both from Colombia, and Pro Mujer Mexico. These are the first institutions in the Latin America and Caribbean region to receive certification. We congratulate each of these institutions for their hard work and exceptional commitment to the fair treatment of their clients, as demonstrated in meeting the standards needed for certification.
The Smart Campaign launched Client Protection Certification in January 2013. The three new certified institutions bring the number of certified organizations to nine. The institutions that were certified earlier this year are:
- Cashpor, India
- Grameen Koota, India
- Ujjivan, India
- Partner Microcredit Foundation, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Mi-Bospo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- EKI, Bosnia & Herzegovina
When undergoing a certification mission, an institution is evaluated by one of the four licensed certifying agencies: M-CRIL, MicroFinanza Rating, MicroRate, or Planet Rating. To become Client Protection Certified, an institution must meet the 30 standards of care for client protection based on the seven Client Protection Principles.
> Posted by Jami Hubbard Solli, Senior Policy Advisor, Consumers International UK
Spanish Version » French Version »
What really happens to microfinance clients who do not repay their obligations?
As a late-comer to microfinance in 2005, I bustled from the Boulder training, to the Blue Book conferences, to the MicroCredit Summits (and back), trying to understand the dynamics of microcredit. At all these events, I heard proclamations of very high repayment rates, which sparked curiosity about what happened to that small percentage of borrowers who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) repay their microloans. This topic wasn’t presented at any conference I attended.
There has been industry research done on why clients default, as well as interesting work highlighting the gap between providers’ and borrowers’ perceptions and experiences related to over-indebtedness.¹ However, there is very little work done that details the actions taken by practitioners when a borrower doesn’t repay, nor on the experience for defaulting clients in the short-term, or over time.
The knowledge gaps on default management include what providers actually do, as well as what influence (if any) legal and regulatory frameworks have on industry practices. For example, what guidelines or boundaries does a country’s legal framework offer on debt collection? Is there a prescribed manner in which MFIs can collect a past due debt, including how to go about the seizure, valuation, and the sale of collaterals? Is there a limit to the length of time which a borrower is legally responsible for a debt? What are MFI practices regarding collection post write-off? Are there any insolvency or personal bankruptcy provisions available to debtors, either by law, or through voluntary debt counseling centers? More importantly, if the legal framework does exist, is it enforced? Are MFIs aware and in compliance with requirements? And, lastly, there does not appear to have been any industry research on the consequences of default from the client perspective.
The Smart Campaign is very interested in these topics, as are many practitioners we have been in touch with. Thus, this month, to kick-start a larger investigative project, CFI invited endorsers of the Smart Campaign to take part in a survey that asked MFIs about practices related to default. We believe that collection, analysis, and dialogue around such information can help the industry improve how it handles clients in arrears, and perhaps how to salvage, versus sever, relations with clients who have defaulted.
> Posted by Alyssa Passarelli, Communications and Operations Assistant, the Smart Campaign
Technical assistance providers work every day with microfinance institutions to help them improve their operations. These interactions could be excellent opportunities to integrate the Client Protection Principles into operations. The Smart Campaign would like to connect with technical assistance providers who support client protection and work together with them.
In collaboration with The SEEP Network, the Smart Campaign is conducting a one day client protection training on November 4 specifically for specialists in technical assistance that work with MFIs and financial service providers. Technical assistance providers give consultative guidance to institutions to help them grow, become more efficient, and improve policies, practices, and performance. This is the Campaign’s first initiative to exclusively target this business area. Guiding these technical assistance providers on how to enhance their work as it relates to client protection will help them strengthen their impact and position this part of the industry to support positive practices.
> Posted by Jimena Vallejos, Project Coordinator, Fundación Paraguaya
Non-discrimination is embedded in the fifth Client Protection Principle, Fair and Respectful Treatment of Clients. A microfinance institution (MFI) may work, knowingly or not, with clients that have particular disabilities or conditions. In order for MFIs to operate without discrimination, it’s essential that they are inclusive of persons with disabilities and that they offer services that account for these clients’ unique needs. Fundación Paraguaya (FP) is an MFI that operates in Asunción, Paraguay and employs an impressive non-discrimination policy and code of ethics, fully taking into account those with disabilities and physical conditions. These documents can be viewed on the Smart Campaign website:
- Non-Discrimination Policy of Fundación Paraguaya
- Code of Ethics for Fundación Paraguaya
Fundación Paraguaya and CFI are working together on a specific project, “Non-Discrimination: Making Microfinance Institutions Disability Inclusive and Smart Campaign Certifiable,” establishing and testing guidelines for a model comprehensive non-discrimination policy. As part of the project, Thomas Meriaux and Caroline Cervera from Handicap International are currently visiting Fundación Paraguaya to provide trainings on disability inclusion for clients and employees at the MFI. We recently spoke with Thomas about his visit, and he told us about an incident that brought it all home.
> Posted by Alexandra Rizzi, Deputy Director, the Smart Campaign
Defaulting on a loan can have very serious consequences for both financial providers and low-income families, but to-date the microfinance industry has not gathered systematic information on how financial institutions serving the poor treat defaulting clients.
While many assume that financial institutions treat defaulting clients in similar ways, anecdotally there appear to be big differences across countries and between providers. Many questions exist around what policies and practices kick into motion after a client defaults and what could drive differences in practice across or even within countries (i.e. regulation vs. culture vs. educational levels of loan officers vs. how an MFI prices for risk etc).
To begin to address this knowledge gap the Smart Campaign is launching an exploratory project to map out default management practices among providers in several key markets in order to analyze trends and determinants, and to extract good practices. But before jumping into the key markets, as an initial step the Campaign has created a basic survey for its endorsers, partners, and other interested parties to take so that we might first learn more about default management.
> Posted by Alyssa Passarelli, Communications and Operations Assistant, the Smart Campaign
In early June, the Smart Campaign traveled to Panama for a Steering Committee meeting and a Certification workshop, back-to-back with the annual Social Performance Task Force meeting, an event attracting over 300 microfinance practitioners and supporters.
In between all of the meetings Neal Kennedy and Eric Zuehlke from the CFI communications team caught up with event attendees to better understand how stakeholders are using the Client Protection Principles (CPPs) and why they think the work of the Campaign is important. We are pleased to release a series of interview videos in which these partners, stakeholders, and friends of the Campaign speak about their relationship with client protection.
> Posted by Nadia van de Walle, Senior Africa Specialist, the Smart Campaign
On June 18 and 19, I attended the “African Microfinance Pricing Transparency Leadership Forum“ in Nairobi, Kenya on behalf of the Smart Campaign. The conference convened key African microfinance market actors, including regulators, policymakers, and technical assistance providers, to discuss policies in support of pricing disclosure and client protection. It was hosted by MFTransparency (MFT), Planet Rating, and the Agence Française de Développement. Participants came from all over the continent, ranging from Ghana to Mozambique. As a new member of the Smart Campaign team, I took away a few thoughts for our own work.
The concept of transparency from MFIs is gaining ground. No longer can an MFI withhold pricing data without censure from peers. Participants voiced the need for greater intervention from their governments in the form of reporting standardization, regulatory oversight, and financial education programs so that clients can better interpret pricing information.
We should capitalize on this momentum and seek out partners who are truly committed to transparency and to improving the market environment. We should also encourage discussions among on-the-ground actors regarding difficult subjects such as pricing caps, improving small MFIs’ operating efficiency, and proper fee disclosure. And as MFIs commit to sharing more information, the industry should work to ensure that clients can understand and use pricing information to make good choices.
But many actors are reluctant to take on the responsibility and costs of bringing transparency to the market. Participants voiced concern about taking on greater costs and duties regarding regulation and providing recourse. Further, in some countries, confusion remains over how regulatory and oversight responsibility is allocated among government agencies.
Those working in microfinance can help lay the groundwork for sector transparency in Africa. We in the Smart Campaign should focus on forcefully communicating the incentives for transparency and the mid-to-long-term benefits to MFIs and their associations. We should support collaboration and knowledge-sharing among market actors and support the development of strong truth-in-lending legislation that protects borrowers. Actions must reflect the national regulatory context and engage local partners who understand specific local issues. Even with stronger legislation and increased regulation, there are many non-regulated actors slipping between cracks (e.g. very small, non-deposit taking organizations) and the Smart Campaign and others need to find ways to protect the clients of these institutions as well.
Populist policies are not always the most effective policies for client protection. MFT presented empirical evidence that, despite their recent popularity, pricing caps are not more effective than a client protection agency or strong client protection legislation. MFT’s evidence shows that if price caps are introduced, they must be comprehensive (i.e., address all fees and additional charges) and will result in the smallest borrowers and lenders being forced out of market. It is key to encourage legislative steps and the creation of a regulatory body rather than laws directly focused on interest rates and caps. At the same time, the lengthy timelines for legislation processes to introduce such protections can discourage people from taking action. Meanwhile, the thorough collection and effective communication of data being done by organizations such as MFT and MIX is an important part of improving the microfinance environment.
> Posted by Alyssa Passarelli and Jeffrey Riecke, the Smart Campaign and CFI
One good deed often leads to another. Whether it’s by learning about new opportunities to do good or by an increase in peer pressure, positive changes are contagious. This also applies to business practices, including how financial institutions treat their clients. Still new on the microfinance scene, the Client Protection Certification program has certified six MFIs to date – three in India and three in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As more institutions become certified, it increasingly changes the expectations for how financial institutions are to serve the poor, especially the expectations in markets where groups of institutions have been certified, like those in India and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Smart Campaign Director Isabelle Barrès recently traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina for an event to publicly congratulate and recognize the country’s three MFIs that were certified earlier this year, EKI, Mi-Bospo, and Partner. Organized by stakeholders in the Bosnian market, in particular the IFC, the event also highlighted the significance of certification, for the institutions and for the market at large. Of the three Bosnian MFIs Isabelle said, “The three client protection certified financial institutions, EKI, Mi-Bospo and Partner, can distinguish themselves in a highly competitive market, as organizations that are meeting adequate standards of customer care. They deserve the spotlight, and the attention from responsible funders and from clients.”
> Posted by Alyssa Passarelli, Communications and Operations Assistant, the Smart Campaign
The launch of Client Protection Certification in January 2013 is a significant milestone for the Smart Campaign and for the financial inclusion community. As an initiative that is the first of its kind, it shifts awareness of client protection in microfinance to an industry standard. The Smart Campaign and the licensed certifiers have been working diligently to get the word out about certification to help build engagement and a market for this important program.
A frequent request from participants in the certification webinar series was to clarify the difference between a Smart Assessment and a Client Protection Certification mission. While they differ in purpose, the important message is how they work hand-in-hand. Both assessments and certification are based on the 30 adequate standards of care rooted in the Smart Campaign’s seven Client Protection Principles (CPPs).
- An assessment is a report for management. It used the standards as reference to give an in-depth-”diagnostic,” with a grade of the MFI’s practices. The Smart Campaign recommends Smart Assessments as an excellent way for an MFI to prepare itself for certification.
- Certification is aimed at the stakeholders of an institution. It applies the standards as a firm benchmark for achievement that merits certification. With certification, a financial institution can tell clients, investors, and regulators that it takes adequate care to ensure that its clients are protected.
A Smart Assessment typically lasts four to five days and is conducted by two trained assessors who examine an MFI’s policies and procedures, as well as interview staff and clients. After the assessment field-visit, the MFI receives a lengthy and detailed confidential report that presents the assessors’ comments on each indicator, grading, and supporting evidence. As such, a Smart Assessment is a very useful opportunity for an MFI to see which areas of operations are in adherence with the standards and which need improvement. The cost of an assessment will vary depending on the MFI and the partner with which it collaborates. To date, the Smart Campaign has conducted over 75 assessments across the globe. Most of the organizations that are now Client Protection Certified first underwent an assessment to make sure they were prepared for the certification mission. You can learn more about Smart Assessments from Sergio Guzmán, Lead Specialist for the Smart Campaign.
> Posted by Alexandra Rizzi, Deputy Director, the Smart Campaign
As the market for the Smart Campaign’s recently launched Client Protection Certification Program kicks off, we’d like to acknowledge the important role that investors will play in the success of the program. What we mean by success is the creation of a viable, sustainable market for certification that encourages the industry’s standards of practice to improve. As suppliers of funds to retail financial providers who serve the poor, investors are in a key position to incentivize their portfolios to improve practices and work towards certification. And by encouraging their investees to get certified, they are helping them to meet public, industry-wide standards of practice that can be understood by everyone – including indirect investors, regulators, and ultimately even clients.
Certification can help investors distinguish among retail providers, particularly in complicated markets where the microfinance label is applied to actors with varying motivations. While it is not meant to replace the investigative rigors that funders conduct prior to an investment, certification conveys that an organization has met a concrete set of operational standards. “We see the Smart Campaign’s Certification Program as similar to a Fair Trade standard for microfinance. It weaves client protection into all aspects of the business relationship between a customer and a financial institution,” said Asad Mahmood, Managing Director of the Global Social Investment Fund at Deutsche Bank.
The Smart Campaign has long enjoyed support from the investor community, with over 200 investors and donors having endorsed the Campaign. Investors have also provided co-financing for activities like assessments and tool creation. But now that certification is available, there are additional ways that investors can support the program and build the market:
- Urge your investees to seek certification.
- Support organizations to become certification-ready through self-assessments, third-party assessments, and other tools available to diagnose and improve practices. Most providers will require improvements in practice to become certification-ready. Certification is achievable for most providers with time and effort, but each institution will have its own timeframe.
- Reward and highlight organizations that become certified in whatever ways are available. For example, it may be possible to offer margin reductions to organizations that have achieved the high standards set by the Campaign.
We’ve been excited by the enthusiasm from the investor community, particularly the examples of Oikocredit and Deutsche Bank, who are taking concrete steps to incorporate certification into their work .
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