BRAC become the only organization in Bangladesh to receive the prestigious Client Protection Certification (CPC) Gold, in recognition of its commitment to ensuring maximum protection for clients.
The certification was recently awarded to BRAC’s Microfinance Program by the international organization MicroFinanza Rating (MFR), representing the highest global recognition for excellence in client protection and responsible financial services.
"With recognition comes greater responsibility," Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC, noted at a celebratory event at BRAC Center in Dhaka on November 6.
"As a market leader, BRAC Microfinance carries many such responsibilities, and we are committed to upholding them. BRAC Microfinance has long sought to reach communities often beyond the reach of traditional banks, providing financial services that are a basic necessity for everyone. The mission remains to expand access to finance, particularly to hard-to-reach areas, and to support those with no one to speak or act on their behalf. Every step forward underscores the need to stay true to the organization’s vision, widening the net of financial inclusion while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability."
The CPC Gold certification is awarded based on compliance with eight international principles. These include client-centric product design, prevention of over-indebtedness, transparency, responsible pricing, privacy of client data, and mechanisms for complaint resolution.
For the past five decades, BRAC’s Microfinance Program has played a pioneering role in advancing financial inclusion in Bangladesh. To date, the program has reached more than 40 million people, 90% of whom are women. Through its financing initiatives, millions of small entrepreneurs, farmers, and women have achieved economic resilience, bringing positive changes to their lives and livelihoods.
Chief Guest Professor Dr. Mohammad Helal Uddin, Executive Vice Chairman of the Microcredit Regulatory Authority, highlighted that scaling up and localizing interventions have become essential, particularly in the context of declining foreign aid. He emphasized the need to expand access to finance to enable marginalized communities to realize their untapped potential, with special focus on small borrowers who are often overlooked. He further noted that BRAC continues to serve as a role model, with opportunities to extend its impact even further.
Special guest Muhammad Saeed Kutub, Additional Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division under the Ministry of Finance, stated that receiving an international award of this nature is not only a great honor for BRAC, but also a matter of national pride. He added that the recognition reflects BRAC’s significant role in supporting communities, despite the challenges of a complex sector such as microfinance.
"Beyond advancing financial inclusion, BRAC continues to play a transformative role in social development across Bangladesh, from health care and education to youth skills development and extreme poverty alleviation," Saleh said. "Our aim is to support people in a holistic sense, helping them not only to achieve financial stability but also to enhance their overall wellbeing and lead lives of dignity and self-reliance."
While delivering the welcome address, Arinjoy Dhar, Senior Director of BRAC’s Microfinance Program, highlighted that the true credit goes to BRAC's field staff, whose unwavering dedication and commitment to serving clients made this accomplishment possible.
Also present from BRAC at the event were Sabbir Ahmed, Chief Financial Officer; KAM Morshed, Senior Director, Advocacy, Innovation and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL); AFM Shahidur Rahman, Director, MEAL; Mafruza Khan, Director, Global Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships; Brigadier General Rakib Uddin Ahmed, Director, Operations; Nafiul Hasan, Associate Director, Advocacy for Change; Shashwatee Biplob, Associate Director, Social Empowerment and Legal Protection and Gender Justice and Diversity Program; Shariful Islam Hasan, Associate Director, Migration Program and BRAC Youth Platform; Muhammad Belayet Hossain, Associate Director, Dabi, Microfinance; Amit Kanti Sarker, Associate Director, Progoti, Microfinance; and Muhammad Reaz Uddin, Chief Operating Officer, Microfinance.
The event also included an open discussion session, during which the invited guests and BRAC officials responded to a variety of questions from attending journalists, and a detailed conversation was held on the state of the country’s microfinance sector.
This is the second time BRAC Microfinance has received this recognition. BRAC first achieved the CPC Gold certification in 2016. As the only institution in Bangladesh to earn this distinction, BRAC’s recognition marks a proud milestone for the entire microfinance sector of the country.
This achievement ensures that over 14 million clients under BRAC’s Microfinance Program continue to receive services that are safe, fair, and dignified. It reaffirms BRAC’s position as a global leader in responsible microfinance. The CPC Gold certification stands as an international testament to BRAC’s leadership in this field.
