Events & Partnerships
Our Events
An important avenue for dialogue and collaboration between members of The Montreal Group is through a variety of events, both in person and remotely.
The Montreal Group Summit
Our next edition of The Montreal Group Summit is set to take place in September 2023, in Cartagena.
This event will consist of four days of workshops and events, in collaboration with our partner Finance in Common.
Annual General Meetings
Each year, the Board of Directors calls an Annual General Meeting, in which directors are elected, the work plan for the year is approved, and financial matters are reviewed.
CEO Gatherings
These gatherings provide an opportunity for CEOs and leaders from SME-focused public banks around the world to connect and learn from each other. The first edition of this event took place in Amsterdam in 2019, followed by a virtual edition in 2021.
The most recent gathering took place in London in June 2022. At this event, leaders were able to exchange ideas on how best to support MSMEs in their journey to sustainability, and how to become more digital and inclusive.
Working Groups Expert Gatherings
In addition to their regular virtual meetings, the working groups of The Montreal Group occasionally meet in person, as determined at each Annual General Meeting. These events are organized by the Secretariat, and they provide an opportunity for close collaboration, site visits, and exchanges of expertise.
The most recent of these events was the Chief Economists Gathering, which took place in Paris, in December 2022. The main objectives were to discuss the latest macroeconomic trends around the world and to discuss different impact measurement methods and strategies.
Partnerships
To better support our members, The Montreal Group leverages partnerships with a variety of global actors, including non-member public banks, regional Public Development Bank associations, academic leaders, and international organizations.
Below is a list of our current partnerships in 2023
OECD Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability | (Paris, France)
The OECD Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability helps local and national governments unleash the potential of entrepreneurs and SMEs, promotes inclusive and sustainable regions and cities, stimulates local job creation, and implements sound tourism policies. The OCDE Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability also provides data and analysis to develop policies that promote SMEs and entrepreneurship, and that facilitate sustainable growth, competitiveness, and the creation of skilled jobs. Since 2022, The Montreal Group is a knowledge partner of the OECD Platform.
Finance in Common | (Paris, France)
Finance in Common is the global network of all Public Development Banks (PDBs), aligned with the financial flows of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement for Climate Change. It aims to build partnerships among PDBs to accelerate convergence toward common standards and best practices, to support banks’ commitments to reorient their strategies toward sustainability, and to give PDBs greater visibility in global forums that discuss international policy issues. Since 2022, The Montreal Group is a member of its Executive Committee.
UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) | (Geneva, Switzerland)
UNEP FI gathers a broad network of banks, insurers and investors that collectively catalyses actions across the financial system to create a more sustainable global economy. It supports financial institutions in defining and implementing sustainability goals, promotes the implementation of global frameworks, and fosters in-depth thematic research.
INSME | (Rome, Italy)
INSME is a non-profit organization that supports SMEs with best practices in innovation, and that catalyzes information on opportunities, latest trends and insights in innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship. The Network also aims to foster transnational cooperation and public-private partnerships among economic actors and intermediaries.
SME Finance Forum | (Washington, United States of America)
The SME Finance Forum is a global network that shares knowledge, stimulates innovation, and promotes the growth of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). It has over 240 members (financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions), and is dedicated to accelerating access to finance for SMEs.
UN Women & UN Global Compact | (New York, United States of America)
In addition to these partnerships, The Montreal Group is a proud signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, a set of principles which provide guidance on how to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community.
Launched in March 2010, following a collaboration between the UN Women and the UN Global Compact, Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of seven Principles for business offering guidance on advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. The WEPs are based on international labor and human rights standards and recognize that businesses have a responsibility in gender equality and women’s empowerment.
