On December 4, 2024, our partner Pablo Perezalonso, together with associates Sara Hardy, Pablo Rueda and intern Karla Piñón, in collaboration with Appleseed México, A.C., made the official presentation of the “Financial Inclusion Protocol for Society Organizations Civil” before various Civil Society Organizations. This protocol seeks to build a strategic alliance between banks and Civil Society Organizations to mitigate risks without resorting to “de-risking,” a practice that limits Civil Society Organizations' access to essential banking services. Instead, the protocol proposes a compliance plan aligned with applicable legislation and designed to address the specific needs of these organizations, strengthening their sustainability and promoting transparency.
The key points of the protocol are:
- Recognizes Civil Society Organizations as allies in the prevention of financial crimes, highlighting their role in transparency and internal control.
- Promotes the banking of Civil Society Organizations to avoid reputational, financial and legal risks.
- Provides strategies to comply with international regulations such as the FATF “Forty Recommendations” under a Risk-Based Approach (RBA).
- Highlights the importance of access to banking services to comply with tax obligations, maintain the status of authorized donees and operate efficiently.
Without access to bank accounts, Civil Society Organizations face serious limitations that affect their operational capacity and social impact. This protocol is a key step to address this structural problem and guarantee the sustainability of CSOs in Mexico.
We invite you to read the full protocole to learn more about this topic (only available in Spanish).
In case you have any questions, please contact our Pro Bono experts (see details below).
