Optima Servicios Financieros S.A. de C.V.

Debt : November 2021

BIO has granted a USD 5 M loan to Optima Servicios Financieros, a Salvadorian microfinance institution.

Amount

€ 4,429,500.00

Type of investment

Debt

Development impacts

  • Local economic growth
  • Private sector consolidation/innovation
  • Financial inclusion

Beneficiary locations

Latin America and Caribbean: El Salvador

Investment field

Financial Institutions

Activity

KK.64.191  Microfinance institution

Organisation

Optima Servicios Financieros S.A. de C.V.

Domicile

El Salvador

Optima Servicios Financieros (Optima) is among the main actors specialised in microfinance in the country.

The company was founded in 2009 by a Salvadoran entrepreneur with the aim to become the institution of choice for MSMEs and underserved segments of the banking sector. Since its inception, the company has striven for a culture of achievement and professionalism.

Optima operates with a network of 13 branches all over the country and offers high-quality adapted products and services to clients. Optima has well-anchored entrepreneurial roots with a strong focus on innovation and digitalisation.

Development impacts

  • Local economic growth

    Credit provision to MSMEs: Most loans are to microenterprises (39%) and SMEs (59%)

  • Private sector consolidation/innovation

    Market structuring effects: Through the financing, BIO expects an increase of the institution's market share in the microfinance sector.

  • Financial inclusion

    98% of the portfolio are loans for MSMEs.

E&S impact

BIO and Optima have agreed on the following E&S improvement measures:

  • To nominate an E&S Manager and E&S Officer, and provide them with E&S training
  • To develop a Sustainability Policy, in full alignment with the EDFI exclusion list
  • To perform an external Client Protection or SPI4 assessment
  • To implement measures regarding fire safety, workers’ representation, overtime and the grievance mechanism for workers.

Current situation

Optima does not have a specific E&S Policy in place but applies an exclusion list as part of the credit policy, which is largely aligned with the EDFI exclusion list.

There is no formal E&S team or committee in place. The responsibility of verifying the exclusion list during the loan assessment is part of the business risk function. The company endorses the Client Protection Principles, but has not yet done any type of social Client Protection/SPI4 audit.

Risk Category : C

View more of our investments in this region

Aldea Coffee S.A.

Enterprises

Aldea Coffee S.A.

3,000,000.00

  Nicaragua

  12/12/2023

  Debt

Darby International Capital Latin American Fund IV

Investment Companies & Funds

Darby International Capital Latin American Fund IV

10,000,000.00

  Brazil, Colombia, Peru

  01/12/2023

  Equity

Cooperativa Pacífico

Financial Institutions

Cooperativa Pacífico

10,000,000.00

  Peru

  23/10/2023

  Debt

Alterfin

Investment Companies & Funds

Alterfin

5,000,000.00

  23/10/2023

  Debt

Nordic Solar

Infrastructure

Nordic Solar

100,000.00

  Nicaragua

  14/09/2023

  Subsidy

Financiera Finexpar

Financial Institutions

Financiera Finexpar

10,000,000.00

  Paraguay

  07/09/2023

  Debt

Locfund Next

Investment Companies & Funds

Locfund Next

12,000,000.00

  27/07/2023

  Debt

Alterfin

Investment Companies & Funds

Alterfin

 21,500.00

  11/07/2023

  Subsidy

Banco Solidario

Financial Institutions

Banco Solidario

20,000,000.00

  Ecuador

  20/06/2023

  Debt