Symbiotics NewsWatch #216, 26 June 2012

Jun. 25	Making the Market a Force for Good Many companies already understand the important role they play in supporting the wellbeing of communities, but what can be done to ensure social responsibility becomes a key part of corporate strategy? Source: The Guardian
Jun. 25	New Strategy to Minimize Confusion While Increasing Options in Microfinance MFIs are evaluated with various social criteria. Though these criteria give MFIs new tools it can often confuse MFIs and investors. Source: Microfinance Focus
Jun. 22	Mali: Savings Groups Support Resiliency in the Sahel Access to financial services for the rural poor provides an important tool that can help women and their families be resilient in the face of drought and conflict and respond to health shocks and other uncertainties. Source: The Huffington Post
Jun. 21	Fiji: New Loan Facility Allows for Funding of Business Equipment, Vehicles for SMEs WESTPAC Bank yesterday launched a new loan facility for small and medium enterprises, allowing full funding of business equipment or motor vehicle purchases. Source: The Fiji Times ONLINE
Jun. 20	Who Is In Charge of MFIs? “What was going on in those board rooms?” I doubt I am the only one asking myself that question as I watched microfinance developments over the past few years. It is difficult not to second-guess the decisions that MFI managers, boards and owners were making, especially since some of them seem to have missed the mark in striking the right balance between MFIs’ financial and mission bottom lines. Source: CGAP
Jun. 20	India: SKS Top Executives Take Steep Salary Cuts Seventeen top executives of SKS Microfinance Ltd, including managing director and chief executive officer M.R. Rao and chief financial officer S. Dilli Raj, have taken pay cuts as the firm struggles to pare losses. Source: Livemint
Jun. 19	Africa: Sustainable Development Needs Innovative Financing and Private Sector Support Innovative sources of finance and resources from the private sector are key to achieving sustainable development in Africa, African leaders and world experts said yesterday at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro. Source: African Development Bank Group