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Oschadbank Joins Global WE Finance Code To Expand Women Entrepreneur Financing

Prime Highlights- 

  • Oschadbank joins the global WE Finance Code initiative, pledging to expand financing access for women entrepreneurs in Ukraine.  
  • Oschadbank’s loan portfolio for women-led MSMEs quadruples to 5.2 billion hryvnia since the start of the full-scale war.  

Key Facts- 

  • Women entrepreneurs hold 34 percent of Oschadbank’s MSME loan portfolio.  
  • Women’s Business ecosystem offers franchise, agricultural financing up to 10 million hryvnia. 

Background- 

The bank officially became a member of the international WE Finance Code project, pledging to increase access to financing for women entrepreneurs in Ukraine.

Oschadbank was determined to improve its work on women’s entrepreneurship, measure its financial indicators by gender and expand the range of products for women entrepreneurs.

It will report progress to the National Bank of Ukraine once the transition period ends, feeding into the initiative’s annual global report. Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture coordinates the WE Finance Code nationally, working alongside the National Bank of Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The coalition brings together banks, credit unions, leasing companies and financial sector associations, and Oschadbank’s accession adds to its growing membership.

The bank’s loan portfolio for women-led micro, small and medium enterprises has grown four-fold since the start of the full-scale war, now standing at 5.2 billion hryvnia.

Women entrepreneurs make up 34 percent of Oschadbank’s MSME loan portfolio and 40 percent of recipients of non-repayable grants the bank supports.

Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, a member of Oschadbank’s board of directors overseeing MSMEs, said the growth in lending to women-led businesses reflects their resilience and financial discipline despite ongoing wartime conditions. She said the bank aims to work with other WE Finance Code participants to develop new financial solutions for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs.

Oschadbank runs its own Women’s Business ecosystem, offering financing for franchise startups up to 5 million hryvnia and agricultural projects up to 10 million hryvnia.

The program includes preferential lending terms, a repayment deferral of seven to nine months, fast loan processing, online document submission and personalized consulting support.

WE Finance Code operates in more than 30 countries, bringing together financial institutions, regulators and business associations to expand women entrepreneurs’ access to financing.