Madrid, 6 November 2018. COFIDES, Compañía Española de Financiación del Desarrollo, has joined the Gender Finance Collaborative project. This initiative was launched in 2018 to support the development of financing principles, definitions and methodologies that promote the integration of the gender approach in investments.

The collective objective is to increase the impact of investment on women in their roles as leaders, entrepreneurs, valued workers, consumers and community members. The geographical presence, tools, sectors and themes of each DFI may vary, but not the commitment to achieve gender equality and women´s economic empowerment.

The Gender Finance Collaborative consists of 14 bilateral DFIs in addition to the European Investment Bank. It has a steering committee chaired by CDC, the driving force behind the initiative, and a coordinating team led by external advisors. The joint declaration of commitment has been signed by most of these institutions and the others are in the process of doing so soon.

COFIDES is a public-private company which has been offering financial support to Spanish companies investing abroad since 1988. It is the exclusive manager of FIEX and FONPYME funds on behalf of the Secretariat of State for Trade attached to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. Shareholders include Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Santander, Banco Sabadell and CAF-Development Bank of Latin America.