Our mission
In 2023, we endorsed the ESG Strategy that encompasses our paramount strategic goals, directions, and objectives in sustainable development.
Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan by offering equal opportunities to access easy-to-use and high-quality financial products powered by innovative technologies.
Solva adheres to the principles of responsible and ethical business conduct in our interactions with clients, partners, and employees, contributing to their well-being and economic growth in Kazakhstan.
ESG Strategy
Since 2023, Solva has been committed to the UN Global Compact corporate responsibility initiative and its ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. We also support and strive to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 by the UN General Assembly.
Four priority SDGs to which Solva plans to contribute the most:
We joined:
Inclusive financing
We believe that every person should have equal rights and access to financing, whether for personal goals or growing their own business. By adopting a responsible lending approach, we aspire to offer our clients financial products and a level of service that best meets their needs.
Female entrepreneurship
We take gender equality seriously and develop initiatives to provide women with equal opportunities for financing their business projects and help them build the business of their dreams. Over 70% of microloans in our SME portfolio are provided to female entrepreneurs.
We have established a multifunctional platform called “Women in Business” with the goal of supporting women’s entrepreneurship and enhancing financial literacy in Kazakhstan. In 2023, the “Women in Business” platform won the PLUS Award in the “Best ESG Initiative in Finance” category.
0% of our SME clients are women
"Best ESG initiative in finance"
Solva is the first company in Kazakhstan to join the 2X Global initiative that brings together the entire spectrum of capital providers, from institutional investors to fintech innovators, with an aim to promote gender-focused investment and build inclusive financial systems.
In June 2023, Solva issued the first corporate gender bonds in Kazakhstan with the total value of 20 bn tenge to finance micro-, small, and medium-sized businesses owned by female entrepreneurs. The placement received the “Best ESG Bond Primary Placement Deal in Kazakhstan” award by Cbonds and became the winner of the Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets CEE, CIS & Türkiye Awards 2023 in “High-Yield Deal of the Year” category, and was also honored with the prestigious KASE Award as a Leader of the ESG bonds market.
Taking care of our clients and promoting financial literacy
We care about our clients and strive to provide them with access to easy-to-use and technologically advanced products and services of high quality. We are guided by the principles of openness, integrity and respect.
Responsible lending
Strictly following the principle of responsible lending, we believe that our lending terms should be transparent, comprehensive, clear, and easy to understand. We do not mislead out clients by using fine print and other marketing tricks.
To avoid the risk of over-indebtedness, we carefully assess the financial capabilities of borrowers before approving microloan applications and signing a contract.
We care about the financial well-being of our clients, and have set up the Financial Ombudsman office at our company. The role of the Ombudsman is to settle disputes and issues related to overdue debt for clients facing financial difficulties.
Financial literacy
We are convinced that the success of a new business as well as individuals’ general material well-being depend on the level of financial education. Solva actively supports initiatives to promote financial literacy. Together with experienced experts, lecturers, and representatives of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market, Solva regularly conducts financial literacy trainings across Kazakhstan.
Over the past three years, more than 0 Kazakhstanis have participated in our educational events.
Taking care of our employees
At Solva we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset. We deeply care about their well-being, promote equal opportunities, and foster conditions for each team member to fulfill his or her potential. Solva fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, collaboration, and open dialogue.
In our company, discrimination based on gender, race, age, and other grounds is strictly prohibited. We strive to provide our employees with a fair level of compensation and create all necessary conditions for professional growth.
Protecting the environment and combating climate change
Our business activities do not have a direct negative impact on the environment, however, we strive to contribute to environmental protection and the fight against climate change.
Solva is a carbon-neutral company and offsets its own greenhouse gas emissions (scopes 1, 2, and 3) by financing a range of green projects worldwide, with the goal of reducing global CO2 emissions.
In Kazakhstan, Solva is also developing its own green financing projects. In 2023, we launched our first such product for SMEs.
Documents and reports
Contacts
Oksana Sinelnikova
ESG Director, Solva Global
Investor Relations
Contact us:
esg@solva.kz