Manila, Philippines – The Asian Institute of Management – Gov. Jose B. Fernandez Jr. Center for Sustainable Finance (AIM-JBF Center) participated in the 2024 Fair Finance Asia (FFA) General Assembly, held from 21 to 25 October at Citadines Bay City Manila, Philippines. The event gathered over 70 participants from nine ASEAN countries, all focused on advancing sustainable finance initiatives in Asia.
FFA brings together 90 civil society organizations committed to promoting transparency and accountability in Asia’s financial sector. The annual General Assembly serves as a strategic platform for strengthening regional advocacy, building alliances, and setting implementation priorities. This year’s assembly focused on renewable energy financing and just energy transition initiatives in Asia, addressing emerging risks in financial sector influencing, and establishing regional priorities for 2025.
Professor Felipe Calderon, CPA, CMA, PhD, the Executive Director of AIM-JBF Center, brought his sustainability and sustainable finance expertise to the assembly. On the first day, he attended the FFA Advisory Committee meeting to discuss strategic directions for the network in the coming year. Prof. Calderon has been a member of the FFA Advisory Committee since 2021.
On the following day, Prof. Calderon delivered opening remarks along with other committee members and moderated the Fair Finance Philippines (FFPh) session titled “Finance for Renewable Energy (RE) and Just Energy Transition (JET): Unlocking Opportunities for Financial and Private Sector Engagement.” This session provided a country case for FFA coalitions and partners to learn about climate finance for RE and JET, fostering constructive dialogue among key sectors and stakeholders in identifying challenges and exploring potential collaborations to unlock financing opportunities that directly benefit vulnerable communities in terms of energy access.
FFA is a regional network of civil society organizations operating across ten countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. This alliance comprises diverse backgrounds and expertise in sustainability themes and financial sector advocacy, committed to ensuring that practices, including the funding decisions of financial institutions, align with the environmental and social well-being of local communities. Since 2020, AIM-JBF Center has partnered with FFA and FFPh. Through its active participation in the FFA General Assembly, AIM-JBF Center reinforces its commitment to promoting sustainable finance that supports resilient and inclusive growth in the financial sector in the Philippines and Asia.
To learn more about Fair Finance Asia and Fair Finance Philippines, visit their websites at https://fairfinanceasia.org/ and https://philippines.fairfinanceasia.org/.
