Implementing the WE Finance Code

Women-led enterprises remain consistently underserved by financial systems across regions. This is not due to a lack of recognition of their economic potential, but rather to structural gaps in how financial institutions track, understand, and respond to women entrepreneurs as a market segment. The WE Finance Code was developed to address this challenge by introducing a shared framework for accountability, data use, and action across the financial ecosystem.

ConsumerCentriX supports the implementation of the WE Finance Code across multiple markets, working with regulators, financial service providers, and ecosystem partners to turn commitments into operational change. Rather than approaching the Code as a standalone pledge, our work focuses on embedding its principles into the everyday systems and decision-making processes of financial institutions.
Across countries, one reality has become clear. Most institutions do not struggle with intent. They struggle with execution. Gender-disaggregated data may exist, but it is often incomplete, inconsistently reported, or disconnected from core business and policy processes. In many cases, data is collected for compliance purposes but not used to inform strategy, product design, or performance management. The result is a persistent gap between commitment and impact.

Implementation of the WE Finance Code helps close that gap by shifting attention from isolated initiatives to coordinated, system-level change. Coalition-based approaches bring regulators, banks, and other stakeholders together around shared expectations for data quality, reporting standards, and institutional accountability. This collective structure has proven essential in moving markets beyond awareness toward practical, sustained action.

A central pillar of CCX’s work has been strengthening gender-disaggregated data systems. Reliable data is not an end in itself. It is the foundation that allows institutions to understand where women-led enterprises are being excluded, how products are being used, and where opportunities for growth exist. Improving data quality and consistency enables both regulators and financial institutions to track progress credibly and to align interventions with real market behavior.

At the same time, data alone is not enough. Effective implementation requires institutional capacity and coordination. CCX supports ecosystem players in aligning incentives between public and private actors, clarifying roles within WE Finance Code coalitions, and translating high-level commitments into internal processes. This includes helping institutions integrate gender considerations into product development, risk assessment, and performance frameworks, rather than treating women-led enterprises as an add-on segment.

Another consistent lesson across markets is the importance of framing women-led enterprises as a strategic growth opportunity. Where financial institutions view inclusion primarily through a social lens, initiatives tend to remain small or short-lived. Where the business case is clearly articulated and supported by data, institutions are more likely to invest, scale, and sustain their engagement. The WE Finance Code provides a structure for making that shift, but it is the implementation work that brings it to life.

As the WE Finance Code continues to expand, it is increasingly functioning as a shared global platform rather than a collection of country-specific initiatives. While market contexts differ, common patterns are emerging around what enables progress. Strong data systems, coordinated coalitions, and a clear link between inclusion and commercial strategy consistently underpin more durable outcomes.

For funders, regulators, and financial service providers, these experiences point to an important conclusion. Advancing finance for women-led enterprises is less about launching new commitments and more about operationalizing existing ones. When data, collaboration, and institutional incentives are aligned, inclusive finance becomes both sustainable and scalable. Through its implementation work, CCX is supporting markets in making that shift, helping lay the groundwork for financial systems that engage women-led enterprises as a core part of their growth strategy.

WE Finance Code countries supported by ConsumerCentriX