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Would a women’s club break the hegemony of the men’s club?
* By Maria Teresa Villanueva and Ana Isabel Rodríguez Iglesias You could play a game to find the seven differences in photographs of boards of chambers of commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean. At first glance, they all look very similar: white men between 50 and 60 years old, wearing suits and ties. A quick review of the composition of boards or councils of seven chambers of commerce in the region (in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and Peru) reveals that 91% of their members are men and only 9% are women.
A survival guide for business: The role of corporate governance and sustainability
By Rocío Budetta and Andrea Ortega Químicas Veterinarias is a small producer and distributor of veterinary products in Nicaragua. The Hoigjelle family founded the company in 1999, and since then it has met with success in this Central American country with a market of more than 120,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Development finance institutions and private sector innovation
By Andre Averbug Development finance institutions (DFIs) can play an important role promoting innovation for increased competitiveness and sustained development in their client countries. Properly executed programs and projects can leverage private investment placement, develop local capital markets, improve resource allocation, as well as avoid moral hazard.
Five reasons FinTech companies are an opportunity for financial institutions and SMEs
By Greg Da Re Access to financing has been and continues to be the main obstacle facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to a recent survey, 90% of all banks surveyed in Latin America and the Caribbean consider SMEs strategically important for their business, yet 44% acknowledge that their portfolio lacks suitable financial products for such enterprises.
Financial inclusion just a click away: E-wallets and payment platforms
By Valentina Echeverry, Opportunities for the Majority; and Sergio Navajas, MIF. In Latin America, 60 percent of the population lacks access to financial services, equivalent to approximately 250 million people. However, mobile phone penetration is between 90 and 100 percent. In some countries, such as Colombia, penetration is 105 percent. This indicates that most people have a mobile device and some, even two. What role do mobile wallets and payment platforms play in financial inclusion?
Infrastructure 360º Awards: promoting best practices in sustainable infrastructure
* By Ana María Vidaurre-Roche A sustainable approach to project design has allowed a metro line in Peru to reduce greenhouse gas emissions up to 80% above what regulations require. The line connects 11 districts across Lima and improves access and mobility, increasing the city’s productivity level by reducing commuting times by almost four times. The project has created meaningful actions that go beyond its immediate business: engaging community groups in cultural and reforestation programs to enhance public space, and helping address other visible problems such as social insecurity, youth unemployment, traffic chaos, and pollution. In the Dominican Republic, a wind farm project driven by a sustainable strategy provided an agrarian, low-income region with power and brought added value to the communities through educational and social programs, rehabilitation of community assets, and support of local businesses.