Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation

What Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation does

Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (C.I.C., nonprofit) headquartered in Watford, England, established to build ESG, climate, and responsible finance capacity across the 57 markets of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Foundation develops research, training, and policy tools aimed at financial institutions, startups/SMEs, and regulators — with an explicit focus on the intersection of Islamic finance principles and ESG/climate goals, including Paris Agreement and Net Zero alignment.

The Foundation's core technical asset is the open-access Financed Emissions Database, published through the RFI Insights platform (rfi-insights.org), which provides five years of historical financed emissions estimates (2017-2021) across 11 OIC markets — the six GCC nations, Malaysia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The Foundation complements this data asset with research reports (including an Arabic-language version and a joint ESG-Shariah study with Refinitiv and INCEIF), the Responsible Finance FinTech Program (GVI Hub accelerator), the Blue Finance Challenge (with HSBC), policy comment letters to regulators, and the RFI Newsletter. It holds UNFCCC observer status and is an endorser of UNEP FI Banking Principles and the GEFI Path to COP28.

The Foundation operates a non-commercial, partnership- and grant-driven model with no publicly disclosed pricing. It reaches financial institutions and policymakers through direct engagement, training programs, and co-developed initiatives with named partners including ADGM, AAOIFI, HSBC, Systemiq, Refinitiv, INCEIF, ISRA, GDF, GEFIN, and GASP. Its GTM is sales-led in the sense of direct institutional engagement, but the underlying revenue mechanics are project-based partnership delivery rather than licensed product sales.

Name

Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation

Legal name

RFI Foundation, C.I.C.

Website

https://rfi-foundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RFI Foundation is a UK-registered nonprofit that builds ESG, climate, and responsible finance capacity across OIC markets through a financed emissions database, research, training, and policy engagement, serving financial institutions, startups, and policymakers in the MENAT region and select Asian OIC markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Finance Advisory and Research

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Risk & Scenario Analysis (TCFD/IFRS S2) (EUAHAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG), ESG Data, Ratings & Climate Benchmarks (FSAFAIAI), Financial Climate Stress Testing & Portfolio Analytics (Banks, Asset Managers, Insurers) (EUABALAE)

Keywords

• Sustainable finance research
• ESG advisory services
• Islamic finance consulting
• Climate risk training
• Responsible investment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Training and Implementation Programs: RFI Foundation delivers practical, action-focused training programs for startups, SMEs, and financial institutions on environmental and social effects, including ESG integration and responsible finance.
2. Partnerships and Collaborations: The foundation partners with organizations like HSBC, Systemiq, and others on specific initiatives (e.g., Blue Finance Challenge, Global Virtual Innovation Hub) which likely involve collaborative funding or support.
3. Research and Reports: RFI produces research reports and financed emissions databases that may be accessed through partnerships or subscriptions, supporting financial institutions' climate strategy implementation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RFI Foundation develops and maintains an open-access Financed Emissions Database covering 11 OIC markets with five years of data (2017-2021), enabling financial institutions to assess portfolio climate risk. It complements this with ESG and responsible finance training programs for startups and financial institutions, accelerator cohorts (Responsible Finance FinTech Program), open innovation challenges (Blue Finance Challenge), and policy comment letters submitted to regulators in OIC countries.

Product overview

The RFI Foundation operates as a knowledge and capacity-building organization focused on enabling responsible finance in OIC markets. Its core data product is the open-access Financed Emissions Database covering 11 OIC markets (2017-2021), supported by the RFI Insights analytical platform. The organization delivers market development through interconnected programs: the Responsible Finance FinTech Program (GVI Hub) accelerator for MENAT startups, the Blue Finance Challenge open innovation initiative, training and advisory services for financial institutions and SMEs, policy engagement via comment letters to regulators, and the RFI Newsletter tracking responsible finance developments. These offerings work together to build financial sector capacity for ESG integration and climate transition in Islamic markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RFI Insights: Open-access platform providing financed emissions database and research for OIC markets
• RFI Summit
• GVI Hub (Global Virtual Innovation Hub)
• Blue Finance Challenge

Products and services

• Financed Emissions Database Open-access database providing five-year estimates of financed emissions (2017-2021) across 11 OIC markets, enabling financial institutions to assess portfolio climate risk and understand value chain emissions risk transmission.
• RFI Insights Platform Web-based analytical platform providing access to financed emissions data, reports, and tools for responsible finance stakeholders in OIC markets.
• Responsible Finance FinTech Program (RFTP) Cohort-based accelerator within the Global Virtual Innovation (GVI) Hub for FinTech startups in the MENAT region, providing collaborative sessions and mentorship on integrating responsible finance and ESG principles.
• Blue Finance Challenge Open innovation challenge organized with HSBC seeking technology solutions to help financial institutions in the MENAT region extend financing to the blue economy and ocean-related sectors.
• Training and Advisory Services Practical, action-focused training programs empowering startups, SMEs, and financial institutions to understand and address environmental and social effects of their companies, with programs tailored for MENAT region participants.
• RFI Newsletter Regular email newsletter delivering insights and analysis on responsible finance developments, climate risk, transition finance, and Islamic finance trends relevant to OIC markets.
• Policy Engagement Services Submission of comment letters to policymakers and regulators providing guidance on sustainable finance policies, taxonomies, and frameworks affecting OIC markets.
• Research Reports Published research covering ESG-Shariah integration, financed emissions analysis, transition finance, climate risk assessment, and sustainable finance frameworks for Islamic markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Covers 11 OIC markets representing significant portion of Islamic finance sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization shown in RFI Foundation's partner logos section.
• AAOIFIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions - partner organization.
• Global Green Business Council (GBBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization - steering committee member of GBBC.
• UNEP Finance InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorser of UNEP FI Banking Principles - partnership for sustainable banking.
• INCEIFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIslamic Research and Training Institute - collaborated on ESG-Shariah research.
• ISRA (Islamic Research and Training Academy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner organization shown in partner logos.
• RefinitivcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReleased joint report with Refinitiv investigating the impact of combining Shariah and ESG screens on emerging market investments.
• HSBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Global Virtual Innovation Hub and Blue Finance Challenge initiative organized with HSBC, searching for technology to extend blue economy financing in MENAT region.
• SystemiqcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on blue economy and sustainable finance research, including Blue Whale Inquiry.
• BC100+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in BC100+ initiative focusing on blockchain and SDGs, coordinating Oceans Flagship Laboratory announced during COP28.
• Swiss Arab NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization shown in RFI Foundation's partner logos section.
• Indonesia Halal Lifestyle CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization shown in RFI Foundation's partner logos section.
• Green Digital Finance (GDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on green and digital finance.
• Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorser of COP28 Path to GEFI - partnership on ethical finance initiatives.
• GASP (Global Association for Sustainable Prosperity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee Member organization - strategic partner in sustainable prosperity initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions): Standard-setting body for Islamic finance, including ESG and sustainability disclosures. Strategic partner of RFI; both develop technical frameworks used by OIC banks, and AAOIFI represents the chief potential absorber or co-architect of the standards RFI helps shape.
• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): UN-supported investor network promoting responsible investment through signatory commitments and policy engagement. Same archetype as RFI: NGO providing policy advocacy, capacity building, and frameworks for finance institutions on ESG/responsible-finance practice.
• CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project): Not-for-profit running the world's largest environmental disclosure system for corporates, cities, and financial institutions. Comparable model to RFI: open climate data platform that drives institutional reporting, with revenues from accreditations, scoring, and partner services.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): NGO that validates corporate and financial-institution emissions targets against climate science. Operates a similar nonprofit model — rigorous methodology, FIs as primary users, and growing role in shaping transition-finance commitments.
• Climate Bond Initiative: Independent investor-focused NGO standardizing green/transition-finance instruments globally and by region. Closest structural analogue to RFI: a nonprofit that builds trusted data and taxonomies to channel capital toward credible climate projects, including via Islamic markets.

Others

• Systemiq: Systems-change advisory working on circular economy, climate, and finance (e.g., Blue Finance Challenge co-partner with RFI). Adjacent participant in the responsible-finance ecosystem rather than direct competitor; a collaborator on shared initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI): Global partnership between UNEP and financial institutions developing sustainable finance principles (e.g., Principles for Responsible Banking). RFI is an endorser of these banking principles, putting UNEP FI in the same broader ecosystem; comparable on policy/training delivery, but broader scope globally.
• Refinitiv (LSEG) Sustainable Investing: Commercial ESG data and indices arm of LSEG. Already a research partner of RFI (joint ESG-Shariah report), LSEG is the market-leading commercial ESG data vendor that could expand or partner to subsume OIC-specific financed emissions data products.
• IIRC / IFRS Foundation (ISSB): International Sustainability Standards Board is setting global baseline disclosure standards (IFRS S1/S2) for sustainability/climate. Direct comparator to RFI's TCFD-aligned work — a higher-authority private-sector standard setter that may one day obviate the need for regional financed-emissions databases.

Emerging players

• Climate Action Tracker: Independent scientific assessment of government climate commitments. Same DNA as RFI — independent analysis, data-driven, and policy-adjacent — though focused on country-level commitments rather than portfolio-level FI data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rfi-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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