This case study outlines the journey of IFC’s partnership with McCormick & Company (“McCormick”), and Citibank, to provide discounted interest rates on short-term working capital financing for black pepper suppliers in Viet Nam and Indonesia linked to their improvements in environmental and social (“E&S”) performance.

Read the full case study to learn more about how this partnership sees financial returns on their investment, and how their investment is aligned to principles of the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry.

This case study is part of a special series that showcases how investments into food, agriculture and forestry sectors retroactively align with the ASEAN Guidelines on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (ASEAN RAI). Critically, these case studies showcase:

1. Social, environmental and financial results of these investments
2. Business case for responsibly investing in supply chain projects 
3. How investors ensure long-term sustainability and viability of their investments 
4. Key policy recommendations and learnings for the future