How Ecuador’s shift to green loans is driving a US$800 million boom for small businesses grounded in sustainability

Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, home to an array of species of mammals and birds that are found nowhere else on the planet.   

The country also faces significant socio-economic challenges, with more than a quarter of its population living in poverty and 10.7% in extreme poverty as of 2024. 

When the pandemic caused many in the country to lose their livelihoods, the government designed an economic recovery scheme that would be a lifeline to small entrepreneurs and local communities, offering additional incentives to those who started or ran sustainable businesses.  

Ecuador’s National Corporation spearheaded the effort for Popular and Solidarity Finance (CONAFIPS) a government financial institution that helps small businesses, cooperatives, and community organizations get access to financial services.  

With support from UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), a set of qualifying criteria allowed small businesses to avail of “green loans" in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and waste management, but also in new and innovative sectors such as sustainable fashion and construction using native materials.  

The key was to ensure that businesses that received the loans were indeed ‘'nature positive’ meaning they did not harm the environment. To this end, BIOFIN worked with CONAFIPS to develop a custom screening software that every loan application would have to pass to qualify for the ‘green loans’.  

The screening system and the overall scheme were so successful that the government replenished the fund after the initial US$108 million had been disbursed. By August 2024, CONAFIPS have disbursed $804 million in the form of these "green public credits”" using the SARAS software. More than half of the loan recipients are women-led businesses, and a quarter are under the age of 25, ensuring groups that are typically excluded by traditional banking channels now have access to credit with lower interest rates and longer repayment periods.

^{_{Photo: Yulisa Vargas, owner of the small business “Kyndi Ice Creams” – artisanal ice cream made with products from the Amazon rainforest. She is a beneficiary of a credit from the “CACPE Pastaza” Credit Union. Credit: CONAFIPS}}

With considerable barriers for women entrepreneurs in the traditional banking sector and high interest rates for informal borrowing, the green credits have been a lifeline for women-led businesses to thrive.

 The seed capital for the loans came from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).   

 “Credit unions are like banks in that they accept deposits and advance loans but, they are unique in that they are run as cooperatives and serve the popular economy – meaning people who may not have assets and may not be considered ‘bankable’ by large financial institutions," explains Arturo Mora, National Coordinator for Biodiversity Finance Initiative.

“A key strength of Credit Unions in Ecuador is that they reach the most vulnerable populations — often poor women and young people who want to start small businesses. After the pandemic, we wanted to support these groups by offering sustainable loans for green businesses,” Mora explained.

Those who qualify for green loans benefit from reduced interest rates, longer repayment periods, and flexible collateral requirements. 

Managing risks of green businesses through saras 

The SARAS tool is designed to identify, evaluate, and manage risks associated with green business operations. SARAS integrates advanced technologies, including risk maps and automated mechanisms for verifying environmental and social compliance. 

In under five minutes, SARAS can analyze the environmental and social risks of loan applications. The tool helps conserve resources, checks protected areas, and ensures that important sustainability standards are met.

“The implementation of SARAS in credit unions is a fundamental step in integrating sustainability into Ecuador’s popular and solidarity economy,” said Tatiana Witt, General Manager of CONAFIPS,  

"This initiative is a model for all of Latin America on the path to inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” she said.  

“This not only protects the environment but also ensures that micro-businesses operate more consciously and responsibly, contributing to sustainable economic development.” 

Photo: Carlos Espinosa, owner of the small business “Papayita Yogurt” – yogurt made with tropical forest fruits. He is a beneficiary of a green credit issued by the “CACPE Pastaza” Credit Union. Credit: CONAFIPS

By June 2023, SARAS had been adopted by 78 savings and credit cooperatives, significantly expanding Ecuadorian financial institutions' ability to manage and mitigate environmental risks. 

“The Ecuador ‘green credits’ scheme is the kind of transformational shift we are working towards as part of UNDP’s Nature Pledge,” said Onno van den Heuvel, Head of Biodiversity Finance at UNDP.  

“The Biodiversity Finance Initiative is working across 132 countries to mobilize resources for biodiversity and show how a global shift in finance and economics can not only protect nature but also create jobs,” said van den Heuvel.  

The Nature Pledge is grounded in UNDP’s $3.2 billion nature-related portfolio across 142 countries, covering 931 million hectares of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. It directly benefits 30 million people and indirectly hundreds of millions and connects UNDP’s environment portfolios through expanded partnerships. 

 Empowering microfinance institutions to support green start-ups 

The UNDP-CONAFIPS partnership extends beyond providing loans; it focuses on building capacity within Ecuador's financial sector to support green finance. Training programs have reached over 5,667 participants from 257 credit unions — more than half of the country’s cooperatives. These large-scale efforts enable financial institutions to better evaluate and support projects in sustainable agriculture, ecotourism, and clean energy. 

The collaboration has demonstrated that green finance can promote both economic growth and environmental sustainability. By aligning financial resources with sustainable business practices, Ecuador is building a green economy that is resilient to future crises. 

As Ecuador continues to develop its green finance sector, the SARAS system and green credit initiative offer a model for other countries seeking to combine economic growth with environmental protection.  

With trained institutions, funded enterprises, and the full implementation of SARAS, Ecuador is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable economic development. This effort is a testament to what can be achieved when environmental goals are integrated into financial systems.