Our Co-Founder and Head of the Multi-Family Office, André Benchimol, welcomed Virgilio Viana, General Superintendent of FAS – Fundação Amazônia Sustentável, for a conversation at G5 Exchange about impact investing, ESG in Brazil and the expectations for COP 30, which will take place in November, in Belém.
They shared their personal connections with the Amazon and reflected on the challenges and opportunities to drive social, environmental, and economic impact in the region.
“Taking care of the people who take care of the forest.” This is the purpose that guides FAS, an organization that operates across 14 million hectares, supports 798 communities and villages, many still without access to electricity, and works with over 20,000 families, impacting nearly 100,000 people, with a management model recognized for its efficiency, transparency, and innovation.
André pointed out that the international community is often more engaged with the Amazon than many Brazilians themselves. To help shift this reality, FAS invests in partnerships with institutions like Fundação Dom Cabral and promotes educational programs that help build a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the forest.
The region’s ecosystem continues to grow, attracting both local and international entrepreneurs and investors in sectors like tourism, sustainable food, cacao, Brazil nuts, and other nature-based businesses.
Talking about COP 30, Virgilio, who has participated in 24 editions, shared his perspective on how the event reinforces multilateral cooperation, the central role of the Amazon, and the massive potential to mobilize blended finance,
philanthropy, and impact capital.