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Olivia Weiss, LAVCA
weisso@empea.net
+1.646.315.6737
LAVCA Announces 2021 Latin American Private Capital & ESG Awards
Recognizing Excellence in Environmental, Social and Gender Diversity
New York, June 2, 2021 – The Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America (LAVCA) today announced the winners of the Seventh Annual Latin American Private Capital ESG Deal Awards to recognize outstanding investments by fund managers in the region, specifically targeting environmental, social and gender diversity initiatives.
“LAVCA is pleased to celebrate the increasing number of deals that implement responsible investing and gender diversity practices across Latin America,” said Ivonne Cuello, CEO of LAVCA. “The focus on ESG and gender diversity continues to permeate all sectors and asset classes, particularly in the midst of the global pandemic and its lingering impact across the region.”
About the 2021 Latin American Private Capital ESG Deal Award Winners:
Advent International received the 2021 Environmental Responsibility Award for their investment in Grupo Cataratas. Grupo Cataratas, the largest operator of tourist park services in Brazil, oversees a variety of ecoefficiency, recycling, resource conservation and education efforts across its properties. One such program focuses on maintaining and reintroducing biodiversity throughout Brazil’s national parks.
Lightrock received a 2021 Environmental Responsibility Honorable Mention for their investment in General Water, which uses innovative technologies to extract, treat and recycle wastewater while adhering to the highest environmental standards. The amount of recycled water out of the total quantity supplied is expected to reach 27% in 2021.
Linzor Capital received the 2021 Social Responsibility Award for their investment in the Chilean telecom provider Mundo. Among other initiatives, Mundo provides free internet for 1,600 social organizations, including schools, health centers, COVID-19 contact tracing centers, fire departments, neighborhood associations, elderly residences and indigenous communities. Mundo’s commitment underscores their philosophy that expanding internet access improves educational and professional opportunities for its recipients.
Mesoamerica received a 2021 Social Responsibility Honorable Mention for their investment in the Colombian milk company Alqueria. Over 3,000 raw milk suppliers benefit from Alqueria’s “Vaca Madrina” program, which teaches farmers how to increase milk production efficiency through sustainable farming and technological innovation.
Actis received the 2021 Gender and Diversity Award for their investment in Atlas Renewable Energy. Atlas’ Women Workforce Programme aims to improve local women’s access to employment, entrepreneurial opportunities and leadership positions across the corporate value chain. The program established an ambitious target of increasing female representation in the construction workforce to 10-15% overall.
Canary received the 2021 Venture Capital ESG Award for their investment in Alicerce Educação. Alicerce is a Brazilian education and childcare company, which serves children of low- and middle-income families to fill the gaps left by a deficient public schooling system. Students typically spend five hours per day at an Alicerce’s learning center, where each student follows a tailored plan centered around Portuguese, math, English, and socioemotional development activities.
The winners of the 2021 Latin American Private Capital Awards were determined by a distinguished panel of institutional investors from development finance institutions, insurance companies, pension funds, and trusts. More information on the awards can be found here.
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About LAVCA
LAVCA is the Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America, a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to supporting the growth of private capital in Latin America and the Caribbean. LAVCA’s membership is comprised of over 190 firms, from leading global investment firms active in the region and local fund managers to family offices, global sovereign wealth funds, corporate investors, and international pension plans. Member firms control assets in excess of US$65b, directed at capitalizing and growing Latin American businesses. LAVCA’s mission – to spur regional economic growth by advancing private capital investment – is accomplished through programs of research, networking forums, education and advocacy of sound public policy. Visit www.lavca.org for more information.
Olivia Weiss, LAVCA
weisso@empea.net
