AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, DEFORESTATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS: THE CASE OF AMAZONIAN SOY, BEEF AND COCOA
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:30am ET
How are key agricultural commodity companies and investors working to reduce deforestation and defend human rights in their supply chains in the Amazon Region? What more can they do? How can the outside world pressure and collaborate with them?
Raquel da Costa
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Raquel is a Sustainable Finance specialist with technical expertise in Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) investment analysis. Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
Pedro Amaral
Mars
Pedro is Senior Sustainability Officer at Mars, a global, family-owned business, with presence in over 80 countries and USD 45 billion in annual sales. He is responsible for leading globally the strategy development and implementation of Mars’ soy and beef sourcing & deforestation commitments, for global work streams focused on Mars’ Net Zero GHG emissions target and for co-chairing the Beef WG in the Consumer Goods Forum Forest Positive Coalition of Action. Prior to Mars he served as Deputy Director at Proforest, a not-for-profit group headquartered in Oxford, UK, that helps organizations achieve the sustainable use of natural resources with focus on agricultural and forestry commodities.
Tomás Kovensky
The Nature Conservancy
Tomas is a Conservation Finance Specialist at the Nature Conservancy where he is responsible for the development and application of business models and innovative financial mechanisms that catalyze Soy and Beef deforestation and conversion-free production in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay as part of IFACC Initiative (Innovative Finance for the Amazon, Cerrado and Chaco), in partnership with UNEP and the Tropical Forest Alliance and funded by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. His focus is on supporting financial transactions with stakeholders such as banks, trading and input companies, slaughterhouses and farm producers; as well as the integration of the regional strategy for the Chaco Region.
Jose Pugas
JGP Asset Management
Jose is Partner and Head of Responsible Investment and Engagement at JGP Asset Management. He is a political scientist with over 15 years of experience in sustainability and finance, leading several projects in Brazil and Latin America. Currently, José Pugas is an active member of think tanks and international forums dedicated to discussing regenerative finance, nature-based solutions and just transition.
