Takeaways

• Crédit Agricole CIB has introduced SPASE, an AI-powered ESG trade tool designed to improve transparency in trade finance across Asia Pacific.
• The platform converts trade transaction data into ESG insights, helping companies assess suppliers, products, and trade flows more efficiently.
• The solution aims to support sustainable trade finance by enabling better decision-making and strengthening ESG reporting across supply chains.

Crédit Agricole CIB has launched SPASE, an AI ESG trade tool that brings sustainability data directly into trade finance. The platform, introduced in Hong Kong, is designed to help businesses measure environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance using real-time trade transaction data.

The bank describes SPASE as the first artificial intelligence-powered ESG-linked trade finance solution of its kind in the Asia Pacific region. It uses transaction records to build a clear and verifiable picture of sustainability performance across suppliers, products, and trade flows.

The launch comes as companies face increasing pressure from regulators, investors, and customers to improve visibility into their supply chains. While many businesses already collect ESG information, the process is often manual, time-consuming, and spread across different departments.

Read More: Leveraging AI for Enhanced ESG Data Management as a Pathway to Sustainable Finance

SPASE aims to simplify that process by turning raw trade data into easy-to-read dashboards. These dashboards provide clients with an overview of ESG performance across their trade finance portfolios, allowing finance, procurement, and sustainability teams to work from the same information.

The platform is expected to help companies identify suppliers with stronger sustainability performance, evaluate the environmental impact of products, and review trade flows against their ESG goals. According to the bank, these insights could also help businesses optimize their sustainable trade finance portfolios while reducing operational costs.

Better-performing suppliers may also benefit from increased business opportunities, as companies place greater emphasis on sustainability when selecting partners. This could encourage suppliers to improve their ESG practices to remain competitive.

Crédit Agricole CIB has already tested SPASE with the Hong Kong-based regional sourcing hub of a global industrial services company. Following the pilot, the bank plans to expand the solution across the Asia Pacific region, where international trade continues to play a vital role in economic growth.

Parth Agrawal, Head of International Trade & Transaction Banking in Hong Kong, said sustainable development remains a priority across the regional financial sector, although limited resources can make implementation challenging.

Antoine Rose, Head of Sustainable Investment Banking for APAC and the Middle East, said the bank has combined its experience in green finance with artificial intelligence to create a solution that supports trade-focused businesses. He added that SPASE is expected to accelerate sustainable development across the region while strengthening the bank's leadership in sustainable finance.

The introduction of SPASE reflects a broader shift in ESG trade finance, where sustainability is becoming part of day-to-day business operations instead of remaining a reporting exercise. By linking ESG performance directly to trade transactions, companies can make more informed financial decisions backed by measurable data.

The development is also significant for investors. Stronger supply chain ESG data can improve the assessment of climate, regulatory, and governance risks, particularly for businesses operating in complex global supply chains.

Also Read: i-ESG Unveils AI-Powered ESG Intelligence Platform for Global Compliance

As Asia Pacific remains one of the world's largest trade and manufacturing hubs, innovations such as this AI ESG trade tool could influence how banks and businesses integrate sustainability into global trade finance in the years ahead.

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Source: ESG NEWS