About MFTransparency

Published on April 1, 2012

MicroFinance Transparency is an international non-governmental organization that promotes transparency by facilitating microfinance pricing disclosure, offering policy advisory services and developing training and education materials for all market stakeholders. MFTransparency represents an industry movement toward responsible pricing practices.

Our work centers around four core components, each of which is outlined below:

Pricing disclosure

MFTransparency enables transparent communication among market players on the prices of microcredit products. We present information on credit products and their prices in a clear and consistent fashion, so that all microfinance stakeholders can work with a full understanding of the true prices paid by clients. Additionally, we promote the use of Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and Effective Interest Rate (EIR) as standards for communicating pricing that allow comparison between products.

Training and education

MFTransparency provides training and education to the broad range of stakeholders to ensure that transparency leads to a strengthening of the microfinance industry. MFTransparency’s pricing experts train microfinance institutions, investors and donors, regulators and industry support organizations at workshops and conferences around the world. We disseminate straightforward educational materials to enable all microfinance stakeholders to better understand the concept and function of interest rates and product pricing.

Policy advisory

MFTransparency works with regulators and policymakers of microfinance markets to support the development of effective policies for pricing disclosure and client protection. We provide regulators with training and education, share examples of effective policy and facilitate discussion between regulators of microfinance markets around the world. Our goal is to provide regulators with knowledge and skills to implement policies that promote pricing transparency for the benefit of all microfinance market players.

Industry voice for transparent pricing

MFTransparency partners with initiatives such as the Social Performance Task Force, the MIX Social Performance Reporting Initiative, and the Smart Campaign to further industry discussion on transparency and client protection. MFTransparency facilitates industry-wide participation in the process of developing standards for transparent and responsible pricing.

MFTransparency’s multi-pronged approach is designed to promote the development of best practices within the consumer protection sphere. Through this methodology, MFTransparency seeks to further sustainable microfinance and improve the quality of microfinance services for the poor.