Mexico City, March 31, 2023.—With the aim of fostering a dialogue on issues of sustainability, business, governance, and their social impact, students from the Universidad Panamericana, located in Ciudad Panamericana and Mixcoac, held the First Pan-American Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG-UP) Congress.
Societal Benefits of ESG
During the inauguration, Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, president of the Universidad Panamericana, Mexico campus, spoke about social movements in support of environmental protection and the prevention of climate change: “It has been a spontaneous movement by civil society; it began with an awareness—especially among the younger generation at that time—who realized the problem and the need to do something to counteract it. This has fostered a culture of caring for the planet, which in turn has led to the need to develop public policies related to this issue.”
He also said:“The ESG agenda is a long-term concept that involves having a firm belief in the environmental, social, and governance benefits, fostering transparency and trust, and giving back to society a little of what we have received.”
“We must be aware of and fully committed to the agenda and its benefits, and we must put them into practice; that is why I am pleased that our university community at La Panamericana is organizing and participating in the public discussion on ESG,” he added.
Corporate Governance from a Social Perspective
During the panel discussion "Corporate Governance from a Social Perspective,", Rubén Barrera, CEO of Cesce México, and Javier Ibarrondo, CFO of the SAE Institute, participated.
When he took the floor, Barrera emphasized: “The concept of the ESG agenda is a long-term one that involves having a firm belief in its environmental, social, and governance benefits, fostering transparency and trust, and giving back to society a portion of what we have received. We must be aware of and convinced of this, of the agenda’s benefits, and of the need to implement it.”
For his part, Ibarrondo stated: “It is essential to convey to young people that the Universidad Panamericana ’s mission to seek the truth and commit to it is fully aligned with ESG principles. We must transform society in these environmental, social, and corporate governance areas.”
Sustainable Food
At the panel discussion To Save the Planet: Sustainable Food (Eat or Die)Tania Mijares Lizarraga, panelist for the 1.5° Program to Save the Planet; Alejandra Lizarraga Peña and Mariana Basurto, both professors at ESDAI, participated.
Lizarraga said, “We are all part of this planet’s food system and, therefore, we are part of the process of finding solutions to today’s problems. So, I believe the most important thing is to feel that we are part of the solution and to seek to innovate in response to today’s challenges.”
Meanwhile, Basurto stated that the most important thing is that“we raise awareness about the food waste we all contribute to and how we can make a difference to reduce it—by seeking out and embracing creativity and curiosity to do things differently with a clear goal in mind.”
Mijares, in turn, commented: “The most important thing is to understand that food waste has a major impact on the environment through the generation of greenhouse gases in society, due to the loss of food ,and obviously, raising awareness and taking joint action to combat it will lead to a better economy, a better society, and a better environment.”
Decarbonization by 2030
Next, Claudia Núñez, Unilever’s VP of Supply Chain for Mexico and Latin America, took the stage to deliver the presentation Decarbonization by 2030.
During the event, she stated: “I think the effort made by the students at Panamericana to organize a conference on sustainability, governance, business, and social responsibility is incredibly valuable. It’s very important that the next generation of professionals—who will soon be entering the workforce—make this a priority.”
He also stated: “Being here with you (students at Panamericana) allows me to plant this seed in the future professionals who will shape our country and our Latin America.”
“At Unilever, sustainability is at the core of everything we do; that’s why it’s part of our daily routine— an effort we make every day to ensure that each of our actions is focused on and linked to building a better planet. We have a comprehensive sustainability program that ranges from products suited for these processes to reducing carbon emissions,” he added.
Sustainability: In UP's DNA
Finally, Dr. Fernanda Llergo, President of the National Institute for Higher Education ( Universidad Panamericana ) and IPADE, emphasized: “Creating and being part of change was the conference’s theme, and I would go so far as to say that this is the first conference (of its kind) to be held at a private university.”
“This view of ESG is very much in line with the DNA of the Universidad Panamericana. It’s not just about helping companies become sustainable or engage in social initiatives—it goes much further than that. We’re interested in ensuring good governance, financial health, the sustainability of our planet, and, of course, a workplace where people can be truly happy, ”he concluded.
