Brussels based Finance Watch is an independent non-profit Members’ association set up in 2011 to act as a public interest counterweight to the powerful financial lobby. Our mission is to strengthen the voice of society in the reform of financial regulation by conducting advocacy and presenting public interest arguments to lawmakers and citizens. Our Members are civil society organisations and expert individuals, supported by a full-time secretariat.
Finance Watch's mission is summed up in our motto, "making finance serve society". Our vision is for a sustainable financial system that serves society and is founded on investing and not betting. We would like to see:
- Banking systems that are resilient and effective, directing credit to productive use without extracting economic rents or transferring credit risks to society, and
- Financial markets that encourage productive investment in the real economy and discourage excessive or harmful types of speculation.
Before either of these can happen, our political leaders and civil society must act together to break the dominance of the powerful financial industry lobby.
A new positive momentum for a sustainable financial system is building as a response to the multiple and growing crises society is facing and in light of the SDGs and COP21. Finance Watch is strategically engaging in this agenda, which calls for a definition of the kind of sustainable, inclusive economy we want to transition to and the kind of patient, responsible financing needed to achieve it.
Finance Watch is delighted to join the Green Economy Coalition. Financing a sustainable economic development is the cornerstone of our mission to make finance serve society. We look forward to engaging with the expert and diverse GEC membership to work towards our common goals.
Christophe Nijdam, Secretary General, Finance Watch
Investment is the lifeblood of the green economy. We are delighted to welcome FinanceWatch to the GEC. We shall benefit from their considerable experience on finance reform. Together we will work to redeem the finance system so it steps up to its primary purpose - building an economy fit for the 21st Century.
Oliver Greenfield, Convenor, Green Economy Coalition
