You give 2, SITAWI lends 20, we change 2,000 lives

Hello from SITAWI! Find out our latest news!

In May, SITAWI celebrated the 7th anniversary of Finance for Good! Thanks for being part of our journey! =)

New board member:: Franklin Feder, independent adviser and former CEO of Alcoa Latin America & Caribbean, joined SITAWI’sboard this month. Frank is from the US and has already served as a consultant, corporate vice-president and finance director. Currently he is a member of the advisory boards of five social organizations, including his new position with SITAWI Finance for Good. Welcome Frank!

Business opportunities and the environment:: SITAWI showed its knowledge and expertise on the market for green bonds on 7th May in Brasilia to an audience of environmental experts and banking professionals. Green bonds are used by companies and financial to finance green activities. To find out more about SITAWI’s work on Green Bonds, get in touch with gpimentel@sitawi.net.

Article on Investment & Pensions Europe:: The website Investment & Pensions Europe published an article co-authored by Gustavo Pimentel, director of Sustainable Finance, and Raj Thamontheram, CEO of Preventable Surprises. The article look at how long-term investments can be part of the solution for the Brazilian crisis. Read the full article at http://bit.ly/1dQnXFd.

Our Annual Dinner was a Success! The Annual Dinner for SITAWI Supporters, which took place on May 20th, counted with the participation of Armínio Fraga, supporter since 2011. The speakers’ main themes were the country’s economic challenges and the role of social finance. The guests had a chance to get to know the work of the organization better, besides connecting with other partners and supporters, encouraging Good Networking.

$55 Billion in responsible assets:: this is how much Brazilian pension funds that have reached na intermediate or advanced level at incorporating social and environmental aspects have invested in equities. The data are a result of research presented by SITAWI at the ESG Alpha Event. Worldwide responsible investments now represent more than $21 trillion in investments.

Improving communications:: To become responsible investments, companies need to learn to communicate not only their financial results, but also to integrate their performance and social-environmental credentials. Last month, SITAWI trained more than 15 companies in “GT Empresas Pioneiras de Relato Integrado” to construct concise presentations for institutional investors.

Hello from SITAWI! Find out our latest news from last quarter!

CIES Project in São Paulo, Brazil

SITAWI opens its first Thematic Social Fund

SITAWI and YOPO have developed new ideas for the "FEM-Innovation Social Fund: Women for ICT with Social Impact"! The Fund aims to raise R$ 1.5 million to support startups that will focus on redefining technology and communications from a woman’s perspective. Click here to find out more : http://bit.ly/fundtic

Social Impact Bonds in Brazil!

SITAWI will launch the Social Impact Bond Lab in Brazil to promote conversations and communicate advances of this new concept in the country. SIB lab is a partnership between SITAWI and the Inter-American Development Bank and Social Finance UK. More soon!

New Socio-environmental Loan for CIES

CIES (Integration Center of Education and Health) aims to increase access to technical medical examinations for low-income and vulnerable communities in São Paulo, Brazil. With this new loan, CIES expects to serve 390,000 patients and train 19,500 nurses per year. 

Free tool to renewable energy

SITAWI has developed a free tool which allows energy consumers from any state in Brazil to test the economic viability of installing photovoltaic solar panels into their properties. The simulator is part of the project “Sustainable Business: Transforming Ideas into Innovative Models” from the Ethos Institute and is available on Ethos’ website. Click here to read full article (Portuguese only):http://bit.ly/simuladorsolar

Caribbean Connection

After the launch of the Guide to Social and Environmental Responsibility, SITAWI will conduct training for ten development agencies in Brasilia, at the end of February. And the expertise of our Sustainable Finance team is turning into an export product! After Brasilia, SITAWI will head to the Caribbean island of Barbados to support banks in developing social and environmental responsibility policies and risk management.

Latest stops: Tajikistan and Afghanistan

In early January, SITAWI concluded its environmental risk advisory in Afghanistan that trained more than 100 credit professionals and executives of three Afghan banks. The project was so successful that it was extended to four more banks in neighboring Tajikistan.