Sustainable BusinessRecent posts
Guatemala Advances in Diversifying Energy Sources for the Transport Sector
IDB Invest supported technical studies that provided evidence for the introduction of a 10% ethanol blend in gasoline in Guatemala.
Making Every Dollar Count: Capital Management for Greater Development Impact
How IDB Invest optimizes its balance sheet to expand investment capacity through its Originate-to-Share model.
The Untapped Opportunity in SME Banking
IDB Invest is helping financial institutions across Latin America and the Caribbean strengthen their SME banking capabilities for long-term growth.
How Haiti is becoming a leader in the quality clothing industry
By Rahul Desai, Principal Specialist, Operations Coordinator, Opportunities for the Majority at the IDB Three business leaders did what others might think is too risky and counter-intuitive. Joey Adler, the CEO of Diesel Canada and founder of the OnexOne Foundation; Richard Coles, the owner of Multiwear, one of Haiti’s leading clothing manufacturers; and Rob Broggi, a former hedge fund executive, created a company to demonstrate that Haiti is a source of higher priced, high quality apparel. This shifts away from the prevailing paradigm as being only a low-cost producer of commodity garments. In 2013 they launched Industrial Revolution II, also known as IRII, a Haiti-based garment factory that while competitive, will still invest 50% of profits into its workers and their families.
The private sector celebrates International Human Solidarity Day
December 20th marks the United Nation's International Human Solidarity Day, a day for "people from all nations, faiths, cultures and traditions to work together in common cause," according to Ban Ki-Moon. To commemorate the importance of solidarity, I wanted to share an experience that allowed my team of private sector experts to work with an indigenous community in Panama. A shared appreciation for skills-based volunteering and sustainable business facilitated the partnership.
Every watt matters: Geothermal and COP20
Latin America and the Caribbean leads the world in renewable energy. Hydropower makes up 60% of the generation matrix. Still, there is vast untapped potential for low-carbon energy development. During my current trip to the COP20 in Lima, Peru, I had a chance to focus on the long-established source of renewable energy that has yet to reach its full potential: geothermal in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Empowering Rural Women in Agriculture
* By Nancy Lee, General Manager, Multilateral Investment Fund Empowering rural women as farmers, entrepreneurs, and leaders throughout the agricultural value chain is a topic with exceptional importance for agricultural productivity, fighting poverty and food security. Earlier this month, we at the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group hosted a workshop in Washington to discuss how that issue plays out in Latin American and the Caribbean. The purpose was to take a deep dive into the lessons learned from MIF projects that seek to equip and raise the incomes of these rural women.
PEDAL YOUR BIKE. 3 Rides for Sustainability. #COP20
Leaders from government, civil society and the private sector are gathered in Peru this week for the final days of the 20th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to define the way forward on climate change. Bringing climate change to the world stage communicates the urgency of the issue. Many companies are already engaged, and some have even based their business models on green principles. Bicycles are one tool. Check out three rides for sustainability:
A Business Approach to Smallholder Agriculture
* By Andrea Sabelli There are an estimated 500 million smallholder farmers across the globe that produce food for over 2 billion people. These farmers work on plots of land that are under 2 hectares. The vast majority are poor and undernourished. Yet, the future role of smallholders in the food supply chain and as land stewards will be essential. By 2050, the global population is expected to grow by 2 billion. To meet food demand growth, FAO estimates that 90% of the increase in food demand will need to come from higher yields on existing farms, of which smallholders play a crucial role. Thanks to an example in Haiti, a business approach to smallholder agriculture may be what it takes for us to efficiently address demand.
