Oikocredit, an ecumenical co-operative investment fund in the Netherlands with assets of USD 665 million [1], has released its first social performance report indicating that 20 percent of its portfolio is invested in 18 of the lowest-income countries, 53 percent targets rural clients, and 85 percent of investee clients are women. 80 percent of Oikocredit’s portfolio was invested in microfinance, and 20 percent of the portfolio was invested in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). There were loans and investments with 790 project partners in 70 countries [2].
At the presentation of the report at Oikocredit’s annual meeting in Brazil, Tor Gull, Managing Director of Oikocredit, commented “A combined social and financial perspective is vital for effective management in this sector” [3].
By Julia Korn, Research Associate
About Oikocredit:
Oikocredit is a Dutch cooperative investment fund comprised of church groups, social support groups and individual investors. Established in 1975, it works in 70 countries worldwide, investing mainly in microfinance institutions (MFIs), as well as trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the developing world. As of year-end 2009 it had USD 665 million in total assets with 790 active investments, of which 543 were in MFIs.
Sources and Additional Resources:
[1] The MIX Market. Oikocredit. http://www.mixmarket.org/funders/oikocredit
[2] Oikocredit. “Social Performance Report 2009.” PDF File found at: http://www.oikocredit.org/socialperformance/en/home/social-performance-n…
[3] Oikocredit. “Oikocredit presents Social Performance Report 2009” on June 10, 2010. http://www.oikocredit.org/socialperformance/en/home/social-performance-n…
Microcapital Universe: Oikocredit. https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Oik…
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