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>> Financial inclusion efforts by WSBI-ESBG members
>> Scale2Save programme
>> Financial education: A pathway to financial inclusion
Financial inclusion: A commitment
Committed to knowledge sharing to build a financially inclusive society, platforms help boost outreach by member banks in both developing and transition economies that help provide greater access to financial services. Aimed at all categories of society and at local level, focus is placed predominantly on ways to reach out to poor and low-income households as well as small-scale entrepreneurs. A pledge to financial inclusion is outlined in WSBI positions to G20 leaders and in its commitment to World Bank Group's Universal Financial Access goal. Financial inclusion projects tackle product accessibility and affordability as well as ways to get closer to clients through proximity networks in both remote and underserved areas.
WSBI declarations: Marrakech, Washington
Financial inclusion is an important policy objective for WSBI and its members, as illustrated by the Marrakech Declaration: "An Account for Everyone", adopted by its membership at the 2012 WSBI Congress in Marrakech. Three years later, the WSBI 2015 Washington Declaration was released, moving this endeavour further by taking into account the importance and the influence of digitisation to increase financial inclusion.
As outlined in its 2015 Washington Declaration, WSBI also committed to the World Bank Group’s Universal Financial Access (UFA) 2020 Goal. At its meeting that year in the U.S. capital, the WSBI General Assembly announced in the declaration its aim to reach 1.7 billion customers and 400 million new transaction accounts by the end of 2020, based on the current membership. In addition, WSBI has also successfully intervened with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2010 to convince them to adapt their original anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) rules to a more adapted risk based approach (RBA) based on the national context and to risks posed by transactions. To help reach more low-income people and promote the goal of financial inclusion, WSBI is represented on the FATF RBA project group.
Digitisation: a path to financial inclusion
WSBI sees digitisation as an opportunity to reinforce its profound commitment to customer proximity to give better access to basic financial services. Digitisation is an essential support in reaching out to the two billion people worldwide, who currently have little or no access to financial services. It recognises that achieving the World Bank Group's Universal Financial Access (UFA) 2020 Goal requires a collective effort and we are pleased to be part of the initial Coalition of Partners.
To better embrace the digital wave, WSBI-ESBG continuously seeks ways to foster more fluid exchange of information and best practice among members, keeping in mind the pressing need for global financial access and inclusion.
ESBG raises the financial inclusion bar in Europe
ESBG agrees with the aim of European policymakers to raise the level of financial inclusion among all citizens. The specific reasons for financial exclusion are manifold due to different cultural and historical backgrounds, and economic and social circumstances. ESBG members have considered increasing the level of financial inclusion in their regions integral to their overall mission.
Why it's important
Financial inclusion has become one of the most important international policy issues to help address social-economic development and economic growth, especially in the aftermath of financial crisis. The policy discussion has grown, with financial inclusion being weaved into the Seoul G20 agenda in 2010 as well as a World Bank initiative launched in 2013 "to provide universal financial access to all working-age adults by 2020."
CASE STUDIES: Discover WSBI members' initiatives to promote financial inclusion
BANSEFI (Mexico)
>> Somos Mexicanos
>> Financial Diaries
FEPCMAC (Peru)
How WSBI-ESBG tackles financial inclusion
Training and consultancy services from WSBI-ESBG help better transfer knowledge and experience to retail banks and banking sectors worldwide. Special focus is placed on financial inclusion. For more than two decades, WSBI has developed into a leading provider in financial sector development project work in more than 70 countries with industry leading consultants from close to 50 countries. Capacity building is an important part of WSBI training and consultancy. We help banks impove product design, strategy as well as skills development. Services are provided in various areas of expertise to savings and retail banking sectors, regulated microfinance institutions, central banks and regulatory authorities, and multilateral institutions.
>> WSBI Scale2Save programme | >> WSBI Training programmes
>> WSBI Doubling Savings Account programme | Final report in English | French | Spanish
Knowledge sharing within regional groups boosts their financial inclusion efforts. Convened by WSBI consultancy and training experts, often on the sidelines of other WSBI regional meetings and the World Congress, workshops aim to promote members' best practices, to transfer the knowledge among members while fostering regional cooperation – members helping members. Topics address financial inclusion and related areas likeinnovation and digitisation, and financing micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses. Work done at this level help WSBI members reach numerical commitments to the World Bank Group Universal Financial Access 2020 Programme outlined in the WSBI-published Marrakech and Washington declarations.
>> WSBI Regional Groups
>> WSBI-ESBG Innovation and Digitisation Hub