In this interview, we speak with Katherine Brown, Client & Impact Senior Officer at Advans Group, about why climate change is a critical issue for the organization. As one of the international microfinance institutions supporting entrepreneurs and farmers, Advans integrates climate awareness into its operations to strengthen micro lending Africa and better protect vulnerable clients.

Why is Climate Change important for Advans?

In Advans countries of operation, our small business and farmer clients are not the greatest carbon emitters, but they will be increasingly affected by climate change. Advans needs to be able to support them to help face these challenges going forward as a responsible financial inclusion player. So we therefore launched our climate strategy in 2022 with this goal in mind and with the support of our key partners.

Why are we deploying the Climate Fresk?

So our staff can support our clients to face the new challenges climate change will bring, be they extreme weather events, longer-term climate changes, or transition to sustainable economies. They need to fully comprehend the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as the current and future impacts it will have on our clients.

As the first step, Advans is therefore rolling out a worldwide renowned method called the Climate Fresk. The Climate Fresk is a fun and interactive three-hour workshop which aims to raise awareness and help our staff gain a first level of understanding of what climate change is and how it will affect our countries of operation.

Where do we stand and what is the plan for roll out?

So far, over 200 staff members have participated in the Fresk and we have 20 qualified Fresk animators to date. The Fresk is the first step towards building our staff capacity on climate change. We plan to continue to roll out this workshop so that at least 50% of staff in Ghana, Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire will have experienced the Fresk within the framework of our overall climate project.

By deploying the Climate Fresk across its teams, Advans Group is building internal capacity to better support clients facing climate risks. This approach demonstrates how micro finance Africa actors can contribute to financing climate change adaptation while reinforcing their long-term social and environmental impact.