NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, October 14, 2013

PRESS RELEASE: The Smart Campaign, a global initiative to incorporate strong client protection practices across the microfinance industry, today announced the first three microfinance institutions in Latin America to become Client Protection Certified for meeting strong standards of client care: Pro Mujer Mexico, andFundación Mundo Mujer Popayan and Crezcamos in Colombia. They join six other institutions from Eastern Europe and South Asia that have all been certified since the program launched in January 2013. Together, the nine certified institutions serve more than 2.1 million clients worldwide and there are many more institutions on their way to certification.

Client Protection Certification publicly recognizes those institutions providing financial services to microentrepreneurs whose standards of care uphold the Smart Campaign’s seven client protection principles, covering such important areas as pricing transparency, fair and respectful treatment, and prevention of over-indebtedness.