Building bridges

Latin American institutions and governments are often unable to meet society’s needs because of a lack of funds, the pressure to protect powerful minority interests, and a top-heavy bureaucracy. To offset this trend, it is essential to build a closer relationship – even a new partnership – between business and civil society leaders. This is what we mean when we talk of building bridges.

Business and civil society can learn a lot from each other by working together in matters of common interest, just as we work with our partners setting up contacts and promoting alliances. Companies can learn to respond more effectively to human, individual, and collective needs – not always reflected in market demands – thus learning to operate in a multidimensional world.

Civil society organizations can improve their tools to evaluate their clients’ needs and demands and be in a position to act appropriately and seek innovative solutions whenever circumstances change. This enables them to offer more professional and effective assistance.

The initial results of our bridge-building activity have been encouraging. They clearly show that, thanks to its business origins, AVINA can play an important role in reducing the levels of mistrust that both business and civil society organizations bring to the table when they begin working together. We are convinced that this is an important key to that change of course that our society so urgently needs.

To date, AVINA has invested in excess of $ 400 million in leaders working to guide their societies towards sustainable development. More important than money, however, are our ongoing partnerships with each leader and the fact that we are becoming a source of financing and multiple services that generate value for those leaders.

As a socially committed businessman, I am used to generating wealth and value, both economically and socially. Traditionally, wealth and value have been measured in economic terms. This is, however, a limited viewpoint, as all of us also promote and respect non-material values and wealth. We appreciate the beauty of a mountain landscape, rejoice in the sheer perfection of a Bach fugue, experience the satisfaction of completing a task, or enjoy being healthy and fit. None of these values can be measured in financial units.

Traditionally, the business world has been reluctant to discuss or deal with non-material values. This trend, however, is changing, at least among the leading corporations and in the more than 160 companies in the WBCSD. They are now addressing issues related to their corporate social responsibility. Lately, they have become active in the search for new ways to help people create more sustainable livelihoods for themselves.

Personally, I have long wrestled with the issue of integrating my different facets: I am a businessman, a citizen, a father, a hiker, an art collector, and a philanthropist. In the meantime, I struggle daily to ensure that all my roles are based on the same vision, the same values and convictions. In the business world, my goal is to achieve financial wealth, not only for myself but for my employees and society in general. At the same time, I endeavor to protect and, if possible, to improve, the environment.

Of course, conflicts of interest abound – as they do in all companies when they try to satisfy the often contradictory interests of their customers, employees, suppliers, stockholders, and other interested parties. My goal is to strike a balance.