On 16 December 2025, the fourth and final session of the third Road Safety Capacity Building Program Webinar Series was held. Webinar Series 3, Strengthening and Diversifying Financing and Implementation for Road Safety, was co-presented by the Asia-Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the CAREC Program. The session was attended by 130 participants. 

The discussion focused on innovative financing mechanisms and cross-sector collaboration for road safety. The session was opened by Chen Chen, Director, Transport Sector, Asian Development Bank, who emphasized the need to mobilize diverse financing approaches to scale road safety action. 

Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund, emphasized that no single program or funding source can meet global road safety financing needs. She highlighted the importance of partnerships and blended financing models to combine multiple sources and close persistent funding gaps. 

Greg Smith, CEO of iRAP, noted that road safety is well suited to impact investing due to its clear, measurable outcomes, including lives saved and safer roads and vehicles. He emphasized that successful impact investments require clear intentionality, action beyond “business as usual,” evidence-based impact measurement, and a viable—if modest—financial return. 

Mei Ling Tan, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Bridgestone, shared how the company has shifted from one-off CSR grants to long-term, evidence-based programs focused on proven, scalable interventions. By combining funding, employee engagement, standardized delivery, and rigorous impact measurement, Bridgestone is maximizing impact while improving sustainability. 

Chinara Kasmambetova, Director and Project Manager of the Public Association “Road Safety,” described how small, sustained non-governmental organization (NGO) grants in Kyrgyz Republic have catalyzed government action, policy change, and infrastructure investment. By piloting and measuring evidence-based interventions and embedding results into national strategies, NGO-led financing has reduced investor risk and unlocked long-term public and development bank funding. 

The webinar series was supported by a grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR), financed by the Government of Japan through the Asian Development Bank.