Press releases

Zurich, 17 July 2017 — The responsAbility-managed energy fund focused on climate investments in developing countries more than doubled its climate impact in 2016. Alongside monetary benefits, the energy projects financed until the end of 2016 help to reduce CO2 emissions by 8.6 million tonnes over the lifecycle of the installed plants and equipment, double the amount recorded in 2015. At the same time, the funded projects generated more than three times as much renewable energy as in 2015.

Zurich, 30 June 2017 — responsAbility, the asset manager specialising in development investments, elected three new members to the Board of Directors at its annual general meeting on 29 June. The new independent members strengthen the board with their expertise in the areas of emerging markets and private equity, and with their strategy and management experience in the financial industry and politics.

Zurich, 22 June 2017 — A responsAbility-managed company designed to finance, build, own and operate renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa has started construction on a 2.7 MW hydropower plant in the Republic of Rwanda. The run-of-the-river plant is located on the Mukungwa River, in the Northern Province close to the city of Musanze. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2018.

Zurich, 20 June 2017 — A responsAbility-managed private equity vehicle has completed a USD 6 million investment in the Brazilian factoring company Dunasplus and now holds a significant minority stake in the company. Dunasplus focuses on supplying short-term working capital to SMEs, thus closing a gap in Brazil’s financial market.

Zurich - AmeriaBank, Armenia’s leading corporate and SME bank, has signed a USD 30 million loan agreement with a responsAbility-managed fund focusing on climate financing. The facility is dedicated to financing corporate energy efficiency measures in sectors such as agriculture and industry in Armenia.

Tbilisi and Zurich - Georgia-based TBC Bank has signed a USD 25 million loan agreement with a responsAbility-managed fund focusing on climate financing. The facility is dedicated to financing small-scale hydropower plants in Georgia.

Zurich - Take USD 3 million of start-up financing from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), an asset management team with initiative and 13 years in the fertile ground of development investments and the result is: A total of USD 3.2 billion of assets – 80% of which is from the private sector – invested through 14 investment vehicles in a total of 560 companies across 96 countries. The responsAbility success story is a prime example of effective collaboration between the public and private sectors. A new publication examines this recipe for success.

Zurich - responsAbility Investments AG, the asset manager specialising in development investments, has appointed Roland Pfeuti as Head Investment Solutions & Sales and a member of its Executive Management team. The Swiss specialist in private equity and sustainable finance will be responsible for the investor-oriented areas of the business, Investment Solutions and Sales.

Zurich and Phnom Penh - Cambodia’s leading microfinance institution Prasac has signed an agreement for a USD 20 million green lending facility with a responsAbility-managed fund focusing on climate financing. The facility that took effect in October 2016, enables Prasac to pioneer green lending in Cambodia by offering its customers financing in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Global micro and SME finance markets are expected to grow by 10-15% next year according to the newly published responsAbility ‘Micro and SME Finance Market Outlook 2017’. The Asia Pacific region remains the principal driver of this trend. In addition to traditional microfinance, SME financing in developing countries is booming.