Sustainability in Latin America: Recent Episodes
Dalberg
Conversations with executives, entrepreneurs, and investors on sustainability trends and innovations in Latin America. Join our host, Jeff Berger, as he digs into private sector efforts to drive environmental and social impact in the region as well as the challenges leaders face and learnings from their own careers in sustainability.
In today's episode, we speak with Tammy Newmark, CEO and Managing Partner of EcoEnterprises Fund, about using the tools of venture capital to grow nature-positive, gender-smart businesses in Latin America. Tammy explains how the fund set out to create a "portfolio for the planet" more than 20 years ago as an innovation within the Nature Conservancy, and has since spun off and become an impact investing pioneer, hosting three successful impact investment funds and raising capital for a fourth. EcoEnterprises Fund invests against the thesis that businesses can support Latin American biodiversity and communities to build a stronger, more sustainable economy.
Additional info:
- EcoEnterprises Fund Website: https://ecoenterprisesfund.com/
- Tammy Newmark's Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-e-newmark-6974aa1a/
- Tammy's email address: tnewmark@ecoenterprisesfund.com
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
In today’s episode, we speak with Maria Fujihara, the Brazilian founder and CEO of SINAI technologies, a decarbonization platform helping the world’s biggest polluters measure, analyze, price & reduce their emissions. Maria talks about her connection to climate issues since childhood and about the grueling path as a startup founder, in which she overcame one failure and went back to the drawing board to develop a thriving climate tech business that's making headway on some of the most challenging aspects of decarbonization. She tells us that in order to solve a problem, it's important to be obsessed with it, research it extensively, and use a mix of hard data & gut instincts to make big decisions.
Additional info:
- SINAI technologies: https://www.sinaitechnologies.com/
- Maria Fujihara Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariafujihara/
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn ( https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL ) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode, we speak with Cristina Gil, Chief Sustainability Officer at Suzano, one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies, which is based in Brazil. Cristina talks about why protecting nature is good for business and how to engage with local communities as a force for good. She also tells us why working at a nonprofit early in your career can be a great way to build skills that will serve you well in sustainability roles.
Additional resources:
- Sustainability at Suzano: https://www.suzano.com.br/en/sustainability/
- Cristina Gil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinagilwhite/
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode, we speak with Cristina Gil, Chief Sustainability Officer at Suzano, one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies, which is based in Brazil. Cristina talks about why protecting nature is good for business and how to engage with local communities as a force for good. She also tells us why working at a nonprofit early in your career can be a great way to build skills that will serve you well in sustainability roles.
Additional resources:
- Sustainability at Suzano: https://www.suzano.com.br/en/sustainability/
- Cristina Gil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinagilwhite/
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode we speak with Juan José Toha, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at LATAM Airlines, the region’s largest and most important airline. Juan José talks about reinventing themselves as a company through the pandemic, emerging as leaders in the sustainability agenda within the air travel industry. LATAM pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050, learn how they’re planning to reach this ambitious goal.
- LATAM Airlines sustainability
- Juan José’s Bio
- Cataruben Foundation
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode we speak with Francisco J. Noguera, president of iNNpulsa, the government agency in charge of Colombia’s entrepreneurship and innovation agenda. Francisco talks about investing in scalable business models that can target the SDGs and about the importance of collaboration to foster innovation. He tells us why there's never been a better time to consider entrepreneurship in Colombia and Latin America.
Show notes:
- iNNpulsa Website
- ALDEA program
- Francisco Noguera’s Bio
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode we speak with Francisco J. Noguera, president of iNNpulsa, the government agency in charge of Colombia’s entrepreneurship and innovation agenda. Francisco talks about investing in scalable business models that can target the SDGs and about the importance of collaboration to foster innovation. He tells us why there's never been a better time to consider entrepreneurship in Colombia and Latin America.
Show notes:
- iNNpulsa Website
- ALDEA program
- Francisco Noguera’s Bio
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
Jeff speaks with Alan Cohen, founder and CEO of Kokomio. Alan explains why fond memories of beach vacations in Acapulco sparked a desire to launch a unique, "whole fruit" coconut beverage. He also tells us why it makes sense for the company to operate in a sustainable way - from growing and harvesting the coconuts to manufacturing, shipping, and consuming Kokomio's products.
Kokomio
- Website: https://bit.ly/32DnXaS
- Instagram: https://bit.ly/3KOToQu
- Press Release on Sustainable Packaging: https://prn.to/3oo57MH
Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
Jeff speaks with Darice Gubbins, Credicorp's Head of Sustainability, about launching a corporate sustainability office and creating an integrated sustainability strategy for Peru's largest financial services holding company.
- Credicorp Sustainability (https://bit.ly/3dWKUry)
- Yape mobile wallet (https://bit.ly/3oZ7k1N)
- Credicorp's Financial Inclusion Index (https://bit.ly/3ITAdUH)
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today's episode we speak with Juan Valdez Café's CEO (Camila Escobar) and Sustainability Manager (María Lopez). They explain why many of their sustainability efforts have accelerated during the pandemic and how Juan Valdez is increasingly betting on women to help drive the company's success - from coffee producers themselves to board members, and of course, the CEO and sustainability lead.
Links:
Juan Valdez
- Juan Valdez Café sustainability: https://bit.ly/3o6nN3O
- Women Coffee Growers Program: https://bit.ly/3COULtn
- B Corp certification announcement: https://bit.ly/3p3ybs4
- National Federation of Coffee Growers: https://bit.ly/3DWsMJQ
- National Coffee Growers Fund: https://bit.ly/2ZmYH70
Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
We speak with Marcela Ponce, the IFC's Climate Finance Lead for Latin America & the Caribbean. Marcela explains why the IFC (the private sector-focused arm of the World Bank) emphasizes climate finance in Latin America, and shares with us some of their flagship initiatives.
IFC
- IFC in Latin America & the Caribbean: https://bit.ly/3EfaHWP
- World Bank Group Climate Change Action Plan 2021–2025: https://bit.ly/3jxbbQs
- Green Banking Academy: https://bit.ly/3m7XFEq
- Sustainable Banking and Finance Network: https://bit.ly/3b4AHYH
- FELABAN Annual Assembly: https://bit.ly/3mlGqjb
Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: https://bit.ly/3jzjRWl
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
In today’s episode, we speak with Katerina Elias-Trostmann, Head of Sustainability at BNP Paribas in Brazil. We dig into how the bank is looking to incentivize more sustainable land use in the Amazon and other ecosystems. We also explore some of the more innovative transactions BNP has underwritten in recent years to support green transitions and COVID recovery - all of which contributed to the bank recently being named "Sustainable Finance Bank of the Year in Latin America" by Latin Finance.
Links:
Dalberg:
- Investment
- Areas of Expertise: Investing for Development (https://bit.ly/3nIvGws)
- Amazon
- WWF-Dalberg Amazon Health Rivers (https://bit.ly/3CoLdWq)
BNP Paribas
- Global Sustainability Strategy (https://bit.ly/3lF2d3Y)
- Restrictive Policy To Fight Deforestation In The Amazon (https://bit.ly/3tLedV6)
- BNP Named Latin America's Best Bank For Sustainable Finance (https://bit.ly/3ANqgUq)
- COVID-19 Response Bond (https://bit.ly/3icATc7)
- CEMEX Sustainability Linked Bond (https://bit.ly/3zI7Frt)
-
Suzano KPI Linked Bond (https://bit.ly/3EHxMTm)
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
We speak to Tono Aguilar, founder of a startup that designs, builds, and remodels climate-friendly homes for Guatemalans of all incomes. Tono, who’s also a Harvard-trained astrophysicist, tells us why reimagining home construction is crucial to living more sustainably – especially in a rapidly urbanizing region like Latin America.
CASSA Guatemala
- About CASSA Guatemala (https://cassa.com.gt/en/)
- CASSA’s Collaboration with Swiss Re (https://bit.ly/3Cnn2rV)
Dalberg
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America (https://bit.ly/3t9Av2r)
- 2018 Global Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report (https://bit.ly/3mQfAAm)
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2WB3UX6) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
Intercorp is one of Peru’s largest conglomerates with dozens of well-known businesses under its umbrella, such as Interbank, Supermercados Peruanos, Inkafarma, and Innova Schools. In this episode, we speak with Lia Celi, Sustainability Lead at Intercorp, about the initial steps the group is taking on its sustainability journey.
Additional info:
-
Intercorp Retail Sustainability report (2019) - https://bit.ly/372ZTwM
-
Innova Schools: https://www.innovaschools.edu.pe/
-
Escuela Kadabra (Online game for reading comprehension): https://www.escuelakadabra.pe/
-
Alivia (Telemedicine platform) https://www.alivia.pe/
Belissa Rojas, Impact Measurement and Management Lead at SDG Impact and CEO of Impacto Consulting, talks to us about how companies and investors in Latin America and beyond can better embed sustainability into their strategy and decision-making – not just report on sustainability metrics.
Additional info:
- Enterprise standards: (https://bit.ly/3xJIzI8)
- Impact measurement & management course with Duke: (https://bit.ly/3j6hN8Y)
- SDG Investor Platform (developed with support from Dalberg): (https://bit.ly/3da5Z1F)
- Example of an investment opportunity area in Colombia: (https://bit.ly/3dcHbWG)
Contact:
- Belissa’s email: (rojas@undp.org)
- Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
Richard Lee, who until recently was Ambev's Head of Sustainability, and Carlos Pignatari, the company's current Head of Social Impact for South America, talk to us about the sustainability commitments Latin America's largest brewer has made as well as the progress they’ve made and challenges they’ve faced along the way.
Additional info:
Ambev
- Ambev's Sustainability report: (https://bit.ly/3dchQMD)
- Ambev's plastic commitment: (https://reut.rs/3vQ6ft7)
Dalberg
- Dalberg LatAm: (https://bit.ly/3dbdsgP)
- Dalberg's Report for WWF "Solving Plastic pollution through accountability": (https://bit.ly/3wWdTn7)
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!
Danone’s Ecosystem Fund is an impact investing fund that looks to address social and environmental challenges along Danone’s ecosystem. In this episode, we learn about the Ecosystem Fund and its activities in Latin America from Timothée Murillo Kockmann, who oversees sustainable sourcing, partnerships and development for the Fund and was previously its regional coordinator in the Americas.
Additional info:
Danone Ecosystem Fund
- About the Danone Ecosystem Fund: (https://bit.ly/3qmatHT)
- Margarita Project (dairy): (https://bit.ly/3jn8HVF)
- Madre Tierra Project (strawberries): (https://bit.ly/2STI0wZ)
Dalberg
- Overview of Dalberg’s work in Latin America: (https://bit.ly/3dbdsgP)
- Areas of expertise - Impact Investment: (https://bit.ly/3gSLZTv)
Reach out to Jeff via LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3gRUNsL) if you have thoughts or suggestions about the podcast!