- March 6, 2015
- 12:07 pm
- Mary Ann McGrath
- no comments
Sustaining Santiago
This entry is from our student guest blogger, Abbey Rosenwinkel:
The theme of our Wednesday visits can be characterized by one word: sustainability. In one way or another each speaker we heard from emphasized the importance of sustainability in Chile. Although all three companies were very different, there was a clear link between them.
First we heard from Emprendo Verde, a company that supports and advises entrepreneurs interested in sustainability. Annika Schüttler, the cofounder of Emprendo Verde, explained that due to Chile’s history and the recent growth in the last 20 years, there isn’t the cultural framework for entrepreneurship that we have in the United States. As Americans we learn to be independent and to strive for innovation from a young age, whereas many Chileans attend college and are encouraged to pursue a fixed and structured career. In order to form this framework, Emprendo Verde works to create a network to support new entrepreneurs. They offer Green Academy workshops and seminars, networking events, and advising support for companies. Emprendo Verde has impacted to all regions of the country and is continually growing!
Presentation from Emprendo Verde
The theme of sustainability continued as we heard from a second speaker, Jorge Yañez from the Ministry of Economy who works for the Foreign Investment Committee. He shared some detailed factual information about the economy of Chile and its strengths and weaknesses. For example, he told our group that Chile has the best rated economy in Latin America and is a low risk country for investment. Jorge explained that Chile needs to focus on sustainability and that there are notable opportunities related to solar power. Foreign direct investments in sustainability and other areas will add value to the country, provide quality jobs, and help with growth. Since Jorge was representing a government sector, his message and concern for sustainability represented this as a national priority.
Finally, Carlos Gajardo from the SONAMI Chilean Mining Association shared the goals of the association, information about Chilean mining, and the challenges of the industry in Chile. SONAMI represents the general interests of the Chilean mining companies and provides support services for their members. The mining industry is essential to the Chilean economy, accounting for 59 percent of the total exports and 15 percent of the total Chilean GDP. Despite the positive impact of the mining industry, there are clearly a number challenges. Carlos explained the social, political, environmental, and technical issues involved. Specifically, the environment issues are focused around the new guidelines. The laws require that the mining companies cause the least damage possible and that they compensate for the damage they do cause. He explained that this represented the rapid change in policy of the past three years to be more environmentally conscious after years of not considering the environmental impact. Understandably, many companies resist these new laws and SONAMI works to help them adapt more sustainable mining practices. Carols indicated that there has been “a change from how much you produce to how well you produce it” and that it can be difficult to convince many companies of the importance of this change. SONAMI wants support mining as a key industry in Chile while adapting to the new sustainability laws.