Washington, D.C., October 10, 2012—IFC,
a member of the World Bank Group, launched a report today that highlights
the personal stories of 14 leaders of some of IFC’s inclusive business
clients around the world. Being the Change: Inspiring the Next Generation
of Inclusive Business Entrepreneurs features 6 Latin American leaders
representing Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil.
The report reflects the strength of
the region in fostering inclusive growth. These Latin American leaders
have developed innovative and successful business models that expand access
to goods, services, and livelihoods for poor people, while generating strong
financial returns.
The 6 featured Latin American leaders
are:
- Carlos Cavelier, Alquería S.A.
(Colombia), who provides improved livelihoods for rural
Colombians through milk production.
- Gonzalo Correa, Moderna Alimentos
S.A. (Ecuador), who expands economic opportunities through a network
of 6,000 small-scale bakeries in Ecuador.
- Sergio Leal, VINTE Viviendas Integrales
(Mexico), who provides affordable, eco-friendly housing to low- and
middle-income families in Mexico.
- Juscelino Martins, Tribanco (Brazil),
who extends credit and other financial services to small retailers in Brazil.
- Francisco Mere, Agrofinanzas S.A.
(Mexico), who provides financing to rural Mexican farmers and food
producers.
- Luis Orvañanos, Corporación Geo (Mexico),
who designs and builds communities to meet the housing needs of Mexico’s
low- and middle-income population.
“By bringing low-income producers and
consumers into their supply chains, these leaders are pioneers,” said
Nena Stoiljkovic, IFC’s Vice President of Business Advisory Services.
“Creating inclusive business models in developing economies is a top priority
for IFC, and critical to building prosperity.”
Based on interviews with the founders
and CEOs, the report identifies a number of lessons on inclusive business.
Leadership and financial sustainability are key components in creating
opportunity at the base of the economic pyramid. Leaders must balance short-term
returns with long-term goals and value knowledge of local conditions, needs,
and capabilities. The stories reflect the overarching optimism these leaders
share about the future of inclusive business.
Since 2005, IFC has invested over $7 billion in more than 300 companies
and leaders that focus on inclusive business models. These investments
have reached over 250 million people in more than 80 countries. IFC aims
to increase the number of financially sustainable, inclusive businesses
operating at scale to help address the issue of access to goods, services,
and livelihoods for billions of low-income people.
For more information about inclusive
business at IFC—including the report, previous publications, and case
studies—visit www.ifc.org/inclusivebusiness.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development
institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing
countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing
capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services
to businesses and governments. In FY12, our investments reached an all-time
high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector
to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world’s most pressing
development challenges. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
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