The aim of the present paper is to connect sustainability with financial solutions designed to improve development in poor regions or developing countries. First part of the paper presents the concept of socially responsible investments (SRI) and their evolution in the last decades, emphasizing the social, environmental and governance objectives addressed by SRI. In order to find a possible solution for redirecting private financial capital and resources towards sustainability benefits, the second part of the paper introduces the concept of alternative risk transfer (ART) solutions, by presenting their appearance, evolution and classification. Third part of the paper reveals the social and environmental role that ART solutions could play by exposing three very recent representative examples of innovative financial products that have also achieved social and environmental goals in developing countries. Finally, fourth and fifth parts of the paper focus on current state in Romania, potential further research and conclusions.