We are proud to announce that the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) has been awarded the Investment Fund of the Year 2026 by ESG Investing, in the category Best ESG Investment Fund: Climate Transition (Private Markets).
The Best ESG Investment Fund award is a second international recognition, as FMO with the DFCD won the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards in 2025, which is widely considered one of the top, most authoritative accolades in the legal industry. Both the high prestige ESG Investing Award and the FT Award are a global recognition that underscores the DFCD’s leadership in driving innovative finance structures to secure high‑impact climate action where it matters most—and where it is often most challenging.
Quoting the jury: “The award is for the DFCD’ distinctive model for Climate Finance, using blended finance and public risk sharing, to mobilize private investments in emerging markets, where capital gaps are most acute.”
Structured around three operationally linked facilities—Origination, Land Use, and Water—the DFCD leverages a unique partnership between FMO, Climate Fund Managers (CFM), and the environmental and development NGOs WWF and SNV with local presence.
The fund’s success remains inseparable from the strategic support of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Inclusive Green Growth Department, and the European Commission, whose EFSD+ backing and Global Gateway alignment amplify DFCD’s reach and credibility. The Best ESG Investment Fund award recognizes the strength of this partnership, as the DFCD helps to build climate‑resilient, nature‑positive markets where capital is needed most.
ESG Investing is recognized worldwide as a leading media platform covering environmental, social, and governance developments for institutional investors, fund managers, and listed companies. Its annual awards highlight the best performers across more than 40 ESG categories, spanning investment funds, research, products, and service providers. The ESG Investing Awards are the only global awards dedicated exclusively to identifying and evaluating excellence in ESG investing. They are designed for banks, investment managers, research institutions, ratings agencies, ETF providers, and exchanges—making the competition both broad and exceptionally rigorous.
Entries are judged by an independent panel of experts from leading academic institutions and investment organizations, including MIT Sloan School of Management, Yale University, ESADE, the London School of Economics, Lightrock, Charles Stanley, Chronos Intelligent Sustainability, and others. Their evaluation covers fund performance, impact reporting, market contribution, and demonstrable climate outcomes. Winning in this environment is a significant achievement—and a strong testament to the DFCD’s innovative and transformative approach.
Receiving the award in the category of Climate Transition (Private Markets) is especially meaningful. Climate transition is one of the most urgent and complex challenges of our time, requiring not only capital, but creativity, resilience, and true collaboration.
This recognition affirms the DFCD’s role in:
In addition to the unwavering commitment by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission, CFM, WWF and SNV, for FMO this award also reflects the dedication and professionalism of FMO teams working together as One FMO, including the strategic persistence of FMO’s Partnership for Impact department (P4i). It is a moment to celebrate the collaboration, expertise, and impact-driven mindset that have brought the fund to this point.
“Our win is a testament to the impactful work by the DFCD consortium. It recognizes the leading work by FMO and the inspiring partnership with Climate Fund Managers, WWF and SNV, as well as the unwavering support of our key stakeholders within the Dutch government and the European Commission. I am particularly proud that we have been recognized in the climate transition category, perhaps the greatest challenge of all. This fuels our ambition to take next steps, together,” Amos de Jong, senior ESG Advisor FMO, DFCD said.
"This award is the result of the dedicated and impactful work by our partnerships for impact -P4I- department, in close cooperation with many colleagues accross other departments, and our persistence to find innovative blended finance and public risk sharing solutions for much needed climate action in emerging market," added Eric Holterhues, Director P4i.
This award strengthens our resolve to continue pushing the boundaries of climate finance. The DFCD will remain focused on delivering scalable, sustainable solutions that support communities, protect ecosystems, and enable developing countries to thrive in a changing climate. As we move forward, we remain deeply grateful to our teams, partners, and stakeholders who make this work possible.
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The DFCD
The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) is a pioneering blended finance initiative, catalyzed by the European Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and sponsored by the Dutch Development Bank FMO through a loan fully backed by mobilized private finance. The DFCD is designed to accelerate climate resilience, climate mitigation and biodiversity in emerging markets. Structured around three operationally linked facilities—Origination, Land Use, and Water—the fund leverages a unique partnership between FMO, Climate Fund Managers (CFM), and the environmental and development NGOs WWF and SNV with local presence.
The unique DFCD architecture covers early-stage development up to scalable investment, underpinned by rigorous ESG standards and an independent impact assessment framework. DFCD’s impact objectives align with global climate and development goals: promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry systems, resilient water solutions, and nature-based adaptation.
