IFC Circular Economy in Manufacturing

Enriched UN / Multilateral · Found: 2026-03-11 11:10

IFC supports companies in the manufacturing sector to adopt circular practices across the entire product lifecycle including design, production, use and value recovery. Over USD 1 billion committed to circular economy investments including plastic packaging and PET recycling plants.

Source: https://ifc.org/en/what-we-do/sector-expertise/manufacturing/circular-economy-in-manufacturing

Funding Details

Funder

IFC (International Finance Corporation)

Funding Goal

Support private sector manufacturing companies in adopting circular economy practices — including plastic recycling, waste reduction, eco-friendly packaging, and sustainable material design — through debt, equity, and advisory services.

Funding Amount

Large-scale debt and equity investments; recent transactions range from $37M to €65M+. Over USD 1 billion committed to circular economy investments in total.

How to Apply

No open call; IFC proactively identifies investment opportunities. Companies can express interest via the "Apply for Financing" portal at ifc.org or contact IFC directly through the General Inquiry form at disclosures.ifc.org.

Target Region

Global (focus on developing countries across Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe)

Contact

General Inquiries: https://disclosures.ifc.org/inquiries | Apply for Financing: https://www.ifc.org/en/what-we-do/products-and-services/how-to-apply-for-financing

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:27

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a private sector company (for-profit), not a non-profit or public entity
• Operations must be located in a developing country (IFC's country of operation)

Project Scope

• Project must involve circular economy activities: recycling capacity, use of recycled inputs, waste reduction, or sustainable packaging
• Project should demonstrate measurable development impact (jobs, waste diverted, recycled material volume)

Required Documents

• No open application window; financing is deal-by-deal via IFC's proactive pipeline or direct outreach

Constraints

• Investment size typically in the tens of millions of USD — not suited for small-scale or operational grants
• Project must meet IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards
• Financing is structured as debt (loans) or equity — not grants

Summary

The IFC Circular Economy in Manufacturing program provides financing and advisory support to private sector companies in developing countries to adopt circular practices across the full product lifecycle: circular design and production, circular use, and value recovery. IFC targets manufacturers in sectors such as packaging, textiles, electronics, and construction materials, helping them reduce waste, modernize recycling infrastructure, and integrate recycled inputs into their production. IFC deploys large-scale investment instruments — loans and equity — typically in the range of tens of millions of dollars per transaction. Recent examples include a €65 million investment in a Brazilian rigid-plastic packaging manufacturer and a $37 million loan to build PET-recycling plants in Ghana and Nigeria. IFC has committed over USD 1 billion to circular economy investments, including plastic packaging and PET recycling facilities. Beyond direct investment, IFC works across the World Bank Group to strengthen policy frameworks such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and has established the Harmonized Circular Economy Finance Guidelines (HCEFG) to mobilize capital for circularity. IFC also collaborates with governments and civil society to create enabling market conditions. The program is global in scope, with a focus on developing countries. It does not operate as an open grant call — IFC proactively identifies and structures bespoke financing deals with eligible private sector companies that meet its development impact and commercial criteria.

Historical Context

IFC has committed over USD 1 billion to circular economy investments. Recent transactions: €65M to America Embalagens (Brazil, October 2025) for recycled-resin plastic tube manufacturing; $37M to Mohinani Group (Ghana/Nigeria, February 2025) for PET recycling plants. Page last updated December 2025.

Why it was added

World Bank/dev bank waste management program

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