The Foundation is a signatory of the Customer Protection Pathway

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is proud to be a signatory of the Cerise + SPTF Client Protection Pathway. This path guides financial service providers in implementing client protection standards, which are essential consumer protection practices in terms of product design and delivery, over-indebtedness prevention, transparency, responsible pricing, fair and respectful treatment of clients, client data confidentiality, and complaint resolution mechanisms.

The Customer Protection Pathway is a tool developed by CHERRY* and the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF)** to help financial services providers engage, make progress and ensure customer protection standards.

Edouard Sers, Head of Risk, Compliance, and Impact at the Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the launch of the Client Protection Journey: “When the Smart Campaign closed last year, I was worried that the industry would lose focus on client protection. As a partner of 76 MFIs in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation pays close attention to their practices during each due diligence and stands ready to support them on their journey to excellence in client protection, through financing and technical assistance. I am delighted that CERISE and the SPTF are taking on this important role in our industry.”

Only collectively can we ensure the stability of the sector, especially in these times of climate change and pandemic. The Foundation therefore strongly encourages its partners to prioritize customer protection and join this important initiative.

Download the Joint Declaration

*CERISE is an association created in 1998 that promotes responsible, inclusive and ethical finance and works with various stakeholders in the sector to co-create social standards tools and social assessment tools that are free and accessible to all.

**SPTF is a non-profit organization that seeks to develop and promote standards and best practices for social performance management to make financial services safer for customers.