Water use and consumption have risen rapidly in recent years, resulting in supply and quality problems, which has caused scarcity to be an issue in all continents. In Latin America and the Philippines, over 130 million people still lack improved sanitation, and over 39 million lack access to improved water sources. Latin America concentrates its economic activity in arid zones particularly. For companies, governments, and civil society in general, this has led to greater competition not only for water quantity, but also for quality and its use.
Malnutrition is a complex and multifactorial issue that limits human development. All countries have been somehow affected by this problem, which is a consequence of different conditions such as poverty, lack of education, sendentarism and unbalanced diets. Latin America is a contrasting region: the countries endure a double task regarding malnutrition since undernourishment levels persist while obesity and overweight continue rising. Every year, 3.5 billion dollars are spent due to malnutrition issues, which equals to 500 dollars per person. If an intervention exists to prevent malnutrition, especially during the first years of life, positive impacts can be achieved on health and human capital and drive a growth of the GDP by 12%.
THE STRATEGY
Sustainable Social Investiment
Social investment is our vehicle for generating sustainable solutions to water and nutrition issues. We invest in the best resources to benefit communities by providing them with tools to take control of their own development, thereby generating a quantifiable (social or economic) return. This means going further than just providing support: we respond with strategic solutions that prevail. Our work philosophy focuses on a commitment to generate economic, social, and environmental value that is expressed in three spheres:
- Involving others to resolve social problems in an innovative way.
- Taking advantage of the available tools to achieve sustainable changes.
- Constructing significant and useful knowledge that results in better practices.
Water and sanitation access, as well as hygiene education, are a precondition for our communities to grow, to unleash their potential. The impact of this area on productivity, school attendance, and health is a driver for human development.
Protecting our water sources is an essential element for the progress and growth of cities and industries. The future of the production processes that move society is closely linked to the state and quality of the environmental services are provided by watersheds.
The comprehensive and appropriate water resources management, either in the public or private spheres, is one of the great priorities for achieving sustainable development. We can respond to the great challenges we are facing through a professional water sector that is well informed and innovative.
Promoting the adoption of healthy eating habits and physical activity since early childhood is the first step to a better and longer life. Disseminating up-to-date scientific information regarding food and its effects on our health through nutrition education is key to mitigate malnutrition issues. By addressing behavioral change from a comprehensive perspective (working with children, parents, teachers and their environment) we build long-lasting positive changes.
We encourage the study of nutrigenomics (the relationship between food and its properties, genetics and the prevention of malnutrition-related diseases) in order to foster innovation in the scientific arena and improve people’s health and quality of life.
