Sustainable BusinessRecent posts
Not Impact Measurement. Impact.
MDBs are pioneering a new profession for results in a data-rich world. This blog was originally posted by the World Bank on April 21, 2026, by the Heads of Outcome Measurement of Multilateral and Bilateral Development Agencies, including IDB Invest.
The Rules Have Changed: Sustainability Is Now the Price of Entry for Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean
Discover how, at Sustainability Week, May 26–28, private-sector leaders turn resilience into investable, scalable growth.
Does Credit Access Create Jobs? New Evidence from 30 Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
A new IDB Invest study measures how $1 million in credit translates into new jobs for MSMEs across the region.
Manufacturing 4.0: Digital Transformation as a Catalyst to Accelerate Development
Contributing 15.7% to the regional GDP, the manufacturing sector is a fundamental driver for the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean countries. New technologies are radically changing the way of production and becoming critical factors for the sector's competitiveness and resilience in the current market context.
Improving Telecommunications Drives GDP and Productivity
The rapid growth of telecommunications in Latin America and the Caribbean presents both an opportunity and a challenge for a sector capable of significantly contributing to GDP growth and enhancing productivity. However, the sector is constantly evolving, with persistent gaps in access.
Innovation Boosts Productivity, Wages, and Sales in the Caribbean
A recent study by IDB Invest and FinDev Canada analyzes survey data from over 1,000 firms across seven Caribbean countries in 2020, finding that investing in new or improved products, services, processes, methods, or distribution channels drives productivity and financial performance and can also make companies more resilient in the face of crisis.
Facilitating Successful Climate Action for Latin American and Caribbean Small and Midsized Businesses
Businesses that manage and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have the opportunity to lower their production costs, become more efficient, develop resiliency against the impacts of climate change, and access markets with environmental demands and regulations.
How Trade Finance Boosts Access to Credit for Smaller Businesses and Food Security
Most of the world’s commerce depends on trade finance. However, the global trade finance gap surged to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2022, widened by the pandemic and ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Narrowing this gap can have a positive impact on two pressing challenges facing the region: limited access to finance for SMEs and mounting food insecurity.
Broadband Boosts Business Performance and Access to Credit in Peru
Access to universal and meaningful broadband internet is a must for boosting economic growth and reducing the digital divide in Latin America and the Caribbean. It can also boost access to finance for the most excluded segment of the credit market: micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). A recent study supported by IDB and IDB Invest analyzed the effects of broadband expansion on the credit market in Peru, finding that smaller firms with limited credit histories benefited the most.
