Program

Global Trade Supplier Finance (GTSF)

Sustainability starts with the supply chain

Scenes from the MBM Garments, LTD factory in Bangladesh where Levi’s jeans are made, for use with greening the supply chain (GTSF), Pact, and Better Work stories.

Short-term financing, long term impact

IFC helps companies create stronger, more sustainable supply chains with its Global Trade Supplier Finance (GTSF) Program, a $1 billion short-term lending facility.

Competitively priced and highly scalable, GTSF extends affordable short term financing  to a client’s supplier network  by purchasing and discounting invoices accepted for payment by pre-approved participating buyers. In addition to financing GTSF can be a powerful tool to incentivize suppliers to continuously improve their environmental and social performance. 

Clients can contribute to a more sustainable future under GTSF by providing financial discounts to suppliers when they meet targets in areas such as environmental and social compliance, gender equity, and decarbonization. 

The better the suppliers’ performance, the more they save – and the more the planet and people benefit. 

Gtsf Photo 2 Man Using Ipad Tunnel Farm IFC 2024

We help buyers

  • Encourage uptake of environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals throughout their supply chain
  • Extend working capital to supplier network at affordable rates
  • Deploy IFC advisory services that help suppliers meet business and ESG goals

We help suppliers

  • Access discounted short-term financing and working capital to meet business needs
  • Enhance competitiveness by incentivizing improvements in their ESG ratings
  • Automate processing and reporting for payables and receivables

GTSF in Action

Sweet & sustainable: Partnering with global chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut

IFC is partnering with the world’s largest manufacturer  of chocolate and cacao products, Barry Callebaut, to help incentivize sugarcane suppliers to improve their environmental performance.

 

Garments for good: Partnering with Levi Strauss & Co. for a sustainable supplier network

IFC and Levi Strauss & Co. are continuing their longstanding partnership to encourage textile and apparel suppliers to improve energy and water efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Results

 

$12.8 Billion

Disbursed to over 2,500 suppliers across 28 countries between 2012 and 2023

60%

Of disbursements in FY2023 were in sustainability-linked facilities

 

$2.15 Billion

Disbursed to over 350 suppliers in FY 2023
 

68%

Of disbursements in FY2022 were provided to suppliers in the world’s poorest countries

Man Working In a Factory IFC 2024

What we do

GTSF provides short-term financing to suppliers selling to global or domestic corporates by purchasing and discounting invoices accepted for payment by pre-approved participating buyers. IFC provides this financing directly to suppliers via web-based supplier finance platforms or indirectly through financial institutions. By leveraging the credit rating and commercial strength of buyers, GTSF enables access to competitive financing solutions for suppliers, many located in IDA17 countries.

In addition to providing financing, GTSF helps improve the sustainability of global supply chains by offering sustainability-linked pricing that connects receivable discount rates to environmental and social (E&S) performance of suppliers, and by providing advice directly to suppliers on improving compliance with labor and environmental standards,  increasing gender inclusion, and developing and implementing  decarbonization programs.

Program Structure

Under the program, IFC works with buyers across industries that source goods in emerging markets. IFC can also structure funded or unfunded risk participations with financial institutions that offer supply chain finance and help them increase their presence in emerging markets.

The GTSF Program provides post-shipment finance to suppliers based upon acceptance of receivables by select buyers approved by IFC. This allows suppliers to improve working capital by converting sales receivables to immediate cash and to access lower-cost financing based on the superior credit risk of the buyer. The program  also enables emerging market suppliers to finance open account transactions at competitive rates without collateral requirements, and therefore, levels the playing field among larger and smaller suppliers for access to finance.

Main Features

GTSF partners with buyers to broaden access to finance for suppliers, some of whom otherwise would not be able to obtain affordable financing. Participating suppliers have the option to sell their receivables at an attractive discount rate, based on the buyer’s credit strength, after the buyer has approved the receivable for payment.

IFC also mobilizes private capital through GTSF by partnering with banks and credit insurers and helps global supply chain finance platforms to expand their emerging markets coverage.

IFC also provides expertise that enables buyers and participating banks to establish sustainability linked supply chain finance facilities. 

Partner programs

Providing incentives for sustainability is just half the challenge. IFC pairs GTSF’s financial incentives with best-in-class advisory programs that help clients make progress in the fields of energy efficiency, waste-waster treatment, emissions reductions,  labor practices, gender smart workplaces, and more. Our programs include:

Contact Us

Aliza Marcus
Senior Communications Officer, Agribusiness, Forestry, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Tourism, Retail, and Property
Washington D.C.
+1-202-473-9411