FINCA Guatemala Receives Smart Certification for Strong Client Protection Practices
FINCA Guatemala announced it received Smart Certification in recognition of its commitment to client protection. This designation came after a rigorous independent review process where it was found that it upholds industry-leading client protection standards in providing financial services.
FINCA Guatemala joins the FINCA Impact Finance subsidiaries in Armenia, Ecuador, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua and Pakistan in receiving this certification from the Smart Campaign, a global initiative promoting prudent, transparent and respectful treatment of clients.
According to Fermín Sánchez, CEO of FINCA Guatemala, “Our customers are at the center of everything we do. Our commitment to responsible finance is more important than ever due to the rapid rise of digital services. Ensuring clients are treated fairly and ethically, and protecting them from becoming over-indebted, remains our primary focus.”
Founded in 1987, FINCA Guatemala serves more than 25,000 customers, nearly 76% of whom are women, throughout the country. The microfinance leader offers a range of financial products including individual and group loans, insurance, remittances, and payments. It serves clients from 25 branches located throughout Guatemala and through expanding digital channels, including cash-in terminals and a proprietary referral app, Soy FINCA.
About FINCA Impact Finance
FINCA Impact Finance is a global network of 20 microfinance institutions and banks that provides socially responsible financial services and enables low-income individuals and communities to invest in their futures. For more information, visit www.FINCAImpact.com or follow us on Twitter @FINCAImpact.
About the Smart Campaign
The Smart Campaign, an initiative of The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI), is a global effort to unite microfinance leaders around a common goal: to keep clients as the driving force of the industry and to create an environment in which financial services are delivered safely and responsibly to low-income customers. The Campaign’s Client Protection Principles were developed in 2008 and are intended to protect clients, businesses, and the industry as a whole. CFI will shift ownership of the Smart Campaign implementation resources and management to the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) and CERISE and sunset the Smart Campaign brand.