Microfinance Focus, Aug 13, 2010: PlaNet Finance India is inviting applications for its 4^th Microfinance Process Excellence Award to reward process excellence in microfinance institutions (MFIs), and to establish industry benchmarks and elevate the standards of process- and institutional management across MFIs in India.

Governance and Price Transparency were introduced in MPEA 2010 in order to spread awareness on the importance of good corporate governance standards in the Indian microfinance sector and to fit the program in the larger framework of social performance measurement. This is also an attempt to upgrade the management quality and institutional strength of MFIs through recognition of best practices.

The key indicators as well as the judging criteria have been developed in collaboration with and verified by MFTansparency, Genpact, Access, Sa-Dhan, EDA, as well as other members of the service provider’s roundtable in India. Efforts have been made to achieve clarity and transparency in the application process through an easily accessible online survey and are in link with the Social Performance reporting metrics that are under way in the Indian microfinance sector.

15^th September 2010 is the closing date for filling the survey and the Award ceremony will be held on 15^thNovember of this year.