We are thrilled to announce that our founder Claudine Adams, has been selected as a key member of the Impact Disclosure Taskforce, a global initiative led by HealRWorld. This exciting collaboration brings together over 60 of the world’s top financial institutions, data providers, and corporations with a shared mission: to drive trillions of dollars towards sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Recently, Claudine had the honor of representing small businesses in the federal sector as a speaker at the HealRWorld summit in New York City, where she discussed the critical need for equitable capital allocation to empower sustainable SMEs.
A Commitment to Sustainable Development
Ms. Adams’s role in the Impact Disclosure Taskforce aligns perfectly with her long-standing commitment to sustainability, innovation, and small business advocacy. The taskforce’s objective is clear: to increase transparency and accountability around corporate sustainability efforts, particularly those involving SMEs. These businesses are vital to the global economy, making up 90% of the world’s enterprises, and their participation is crucial in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“It’s clear that the current capital allocation landscape presents significant challenges for impact-driven SMEs,” said Michele Bongiovanni, Founder and CEO of HealRWorld. “Without sufficient funding, many of these businesses cannot fully commit to sustainable practices, which jeopardizes the global effort to meet the SDGs. Claudine Adams’ leadership and expertise in the federal sector will be instrumental in addressing these systemic issues.”
Bridging the Gap for Sustainable SMEs
One of the key findings presented at the summit was a staggering $1.13 trillion funding gap for social enterprises worldwide, as reported by the World Economic Forum. This shortfall disproportionately affects women and minority-owned businesses, which have already faced significant barriers to accessing venture capital and government contracts. Ms. Adams’s advocacy for these underrepresented groups, particularly within the federal contracting space, makes her a vital voice in the fight to ensure more equitable distribution of funds and opportunities.
Through HealRWorld’s collaboration with data giant Dun & Bradstreet, they discovered that businesses in their proprietary global database, which are committed to sustainability, are three times more creditworthy than the average D&B business. This groundbreaking data will help direct fairly priced capital to SMEs that are “doing well by doing good.”
Driving Real Change
The taskforce is poised to lead a new era of sustainable investment. As Arsalan Mahtafar, Head of JPMorgan’s Development Finance Institution and Co-Chair of the taskforce, explained, “A significant amount of the impact of large corporations is generated through the value chain of SMEs.” By increasing transparency in development impacts, Ms. Adams and her fellow taskforce members hope to create pathways for billions of dollars to flow toward SMEs that are actively advancing the SDGs.
A Vision for the Future
Ms. Adams’s dedication to empowering sustainable SMEs mirrors her personal and professional values. As she takes on this influential role within the Impact Disclosure Taskforce, her vision is clear: to create a world where small businesses have the resources, insights, and capital they need to thrive in a more sustainable global economy.
With her leadership, Bravura is proud to contribute to the global mission of advancing sustainability, equity, and innovation within the small business sector. Claudine Adams’ participation in the taskforce underscores our commitment to driving meaningful change and supporting SMEs as they embrace sustainable practices and grow their positive impact on society.
Stay tuned for more updates on Ms. Adams’ journey with the Impact Disclosure Taskforce and her continued efforts to champion sustainable business practices across industries.