Apolitical, a global network and learning platform for government, has announced its list of the 75 most influential organisations in financial security 2021.
- The list highlights organisations currently making the biggest impact in financial security policy at local, regional, national, and international levels.
- Local and national government departments, ministries, central banks, and multilateral organisations are all included.
- This project is supported by Mastercard.
Apolitical is releasing this list to celebrate featured organisations for finding innovative ways to improve financial security for individuals, communities, and businesses - one of the most difficult challenges faced by governments globally. These organisations deserve recognition not only for their indomitable efforts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but for the work they have done for decades to drive positive change.
“Governments around the world are playing an essential role – in partnership with NGOs, the private sector and many others – in fostering digital and financial inclusion, and strengthening the pathway from financial access to financial health and security,” said Nicola Villa, Executive Vice President, Strategic Growth at Mastercard. “We are pleased to support Apolitical in recognising some of the vital work being done by governments to help the most impacted communities and businesses around the world.”
“In a post-pandemic world of devastating financial insecurity, smart, bold, and committed government action is critical to a recovery that builds back better - more digitally, inclusively and equitably ,” said Robyn Scott, CEO and Co-Founder of Apolitical. “So we are delighted to be working with Mastercard to recognise the groundbreaking initiatives undertaken to safeguard some of the most vulnerable communities around the world.”
You can meet these leading organisations and hear about their influential work at the official launch event, held 9th December online from 13:00-14:00 GMT | 8:00-9:00 EST. You can register here.
Apolitical’s 75 Most Influential Organisations in Financial Security was finalised using expert and peer nominations. Nominations were received from local and national governments, international organisations and NGOs, as well as others seeking to recognise the efforts of policies, programmes and services that have been influential in their contexts. In particular, organisations selected are those whose interventions utilise technology or innovative solutions, work across services, and build flexible, agile, and inclusive financial processes to support:
- Individuals, who are vulnerable to negative impacts on their financial security, either temporarily or in an ongoing manner.
- Communities of people, whether demographic or geographic, who are restricted from equitable access to financial security, either temporarily or in an ongoing manner.
- Businesses, particularly small and micro-businesses, which are facing negative impacts on their economic viability, either temporarily or in an ongoing manner.
This list demonstrates the impressive work that organisations have been doing to improve financial security, including in the aftermath of COVID-19, with many organisations developing recovery plans centred around gender or racial equity, and that place a particular focus on vulnerable groups. For example, South Africa’s National Treasury developed a Youth Relief Fund, aimed at providing support for youth-owned organisations and small-to-medium enterprises across their country.
As well as celebrating the efforts to support COVID-19 recovery, we also recognise innovation that furthers financial security. For example, the Government of Estonia has been pioneering in their work to facilitate citizen interactions with the state via the use of electronic solutions. They have enabled greater financial inclusion by digitising 99% of government services, allowing citizens and organisations to make secure transactions, file taxes, and register new businesses online.
These efforts are being replicated across the globe - 42 countries from Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Americas, and the Middle East are represented on our list.
About Apolitical: Apolitical is a global network and learning platform for government with a mission to build 21st century governments that work for people and the planet. We equip policymakers with the knowledge, skills and community they need to solve the world’s hardest challenges. We are used by more than 150,000 public servants and policymakers in 170 countries with members ranging from mayors, ministers, and heads of civil services to pioneering digital innovators. We are trusted partners for governments (from the UK and Canada to South Africa and Brazil) and foundations and companies like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Mastercard. Over 80% of our members say that Apolitical makes them better at their jobs and over 90% would recommend our online courses to their colleagues.
