In this context, banks are powerful agents of change that have the necessary resources and knowledge to drive change in the world's corporate and business structures and lead them towards sustainability, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This is how Grupo Promerica, a pioneer in sustainability, understands it and that is why it decided to be one of the main sponsors of Evolución Sostenible, a space to raise awareness, socialize and engage companies, organizations and individuals with sustainability and compliance with the SDGs in business management.

John Keith, executive president of Banco Promerica Costa Rica, who participated as a panelist in the event, said that "for us it is very important, after 15 years of pushing the issue of sustainability, to know that we are reaching a point where it is spreading to the rest of the companies. Today we are here at an event with more than 200 people from different companies, where we are already getting fully involved in a sustainability strategy. All the effort we have made is turning into an important initiative".

One of the main conclusions of Evolución Sostenible, a meeting that brought together global references and national leaders in sustainability, is that one of the greatest challenges is the need to promote, support and accompany the efforts that many micro, small and medium-sized companies are making towards the sustainability of their operations.

It is estimated that in Central America, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, where Grupo Promerica is present, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent 99% of the region's business park.

"We have been accompanying SMEs in their growth; the bank, as a regional group, understands their needs, not only for financing but also to accompany them to understand what sustainability is and that it is a good business: it will generate operational savings and greater productivity", explained Michelle Espinach, Sustainability manager of Banco Promerica Costa Rica and panelist at Evolución Sostenible.

Three Grupo Promerica banks are signatories of the Zero Net Banking Alliance, signed by 43 global financial groups in april 2021, which has among its commitments to be net zero entities and to have a zero emissions portfolio by 2050. Also, Grupo Promerica banks signed, in 2019, the Principles for Responsible Banking, a United Nations initiative to commit banks to be agents of change and seek a sustainable society aligned with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.

Sustainable Evolution is an initiative of the Alianza Empresarial para el Desarrollo (AED) which for its 2023 edition was sponsored by Grupo Promerica and United Way.

Translated by: A.M