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.

Website

https://optima.com.sv/

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