Owsley Brown II, Liquor Company Chief, Dies at 69
By SUSANNE CRAIG
Published: September 29, 2011
Owsley Brown II, who expanded his family’s Kentucky liquor company to reach a global market for its brands, among them Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort and Finlandia vodka, died on Monday in Louisville, Ky. He was 69.
Matthew Barzun, a son-in-law, said the cause was complications of pneumonia.
Mr. Brown was a former chief executive of Brown-Forman, the company founded in Louisville in 1870 by his great-grandfather George Garvin Brown. The company’s first brand, Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, was America’s first bottled bourbon and remains one of Brown-Forman’s strongest sellers.
Mr. Brown worked his way up the ranks of the family business, becoming chief executive in 1993. Two years later, he added the title of chairman.
Besides expanding into foreign markets under Mr. Brown’s leadership, Brown-Forman also introduced a number of new products. In 1995, it released Tropical Freezes, which the company calls the first blended freezer cocktails. The drink, which comes in a foil package, was another big seller. In 2002, Brown-Forman joined with Miller Brewing to produce Jack Daniel’s Hard Cola.
But he resisted calls for merging Brown-Forman with another company. Speaking in June, he said mergers could “breed arrogance and complacency, and even a sense of entitlement.”
“One thing seems clear to me,” he said, “pursuing size for its own sake is a very poor choice.”
Mr. Brown lived in Louisville and was a leading philanthropist there. He is survived by his wife, Christy; his brothers W. L. Lyons Brown Jr., known as Lee, and Martin Shallenberger Brown Sr.; a sister, Ina Brown Bond; his children Owsley Brown III, Brooke Barzun and Augusta Holland; and nine grandchildren.
Mr. Barzun, a former United States ambassador to Sweden and now President Obama’s national campaign finance chairman, said Mr. Brown “deserves credit for turning a great American company into a great global company.”
He said his father-in-law favored tradition and quality, be it in his choice of drink, his vision for Brown-Forman or his hopes for Louisville. In June, Mr. Brown received a corporate citizenship awarded from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, based in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Brown’s favorite drink, he said, was Old Forester Bourbon over ice with a splash of water or club soda.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
President Barack Obama, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu Joined President Clinton for Second Day of the 2011 Annual Meeting
September 21, 2011
Today’s sessions focused on sustainable consumption, change in the Middle East and North Africa, and sports as a tool for good
New commitments announced will develop green buildings worldwide, combat non-communicable diseases, create jobs, and provide programs to end violence against women
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize laureate, peacebuilder, and general secretary of the National League for Democracy via satellite and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chairman of the Elders in a first-time conversation between the two visionary leaders. Suu Kyi spoke about her own struggles for human rights, democratic governance, and ethic reconciliation, while Archbishop Tutu discussed his recent work to end child marriage. The highlight of the conversation was the overwhelming admiration Tutu and Suu Kyi expressed for each other’s efforts to promote world peace and democracy.
“The lives and accomplishments of Aung San Suu Kyi and Archibishop Desmond Tutu are an inspiring testament to the tremendous good than can be achieved by a boundless reserve of courage, humility, and conviction,” said President Clinton. “Suu Kyi and Archibishop Tutu exemplify the positive work of CGI members – who have made 194 new commitments this year, valued at $6.2 billion that will positively impact more than 100 million people.”
President Clinton introduced President Barack Obama, who made remarks regarding job creation in the U.S., including infrastructure building and supporting education. President Obama also thanked CGI members for their commitments to address some of the world’s greatest challenges.
The “Sustainable Consumption: Redefining Business As Usual” panel focused on the role of corporate responsibility in business and was hosted by Gro Harlem Brundtland, former prime minister of the Kingdom of Norway and included heads of major corporations including Bob Diamond, chief executive, Barclays; Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo; and Paul Polman, chief executive officer, Unilever. Panelists discussed how corporations are creating shared value by addressing critical issues around the world, such as food security and global health, which also directly support their core business strategy.
Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal announced new commitments by Care with Love, Johnson and Johnson, Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, GBCHealth, and OVG that will build a home and healthcare facility for rural children with cancer in Egypt, promote and obtain smokefree worksite policies for major companies with global supply chains, and raise and distribute $1 billion during the next five years to develop green buildings around the globe.
General Wesley Clark also announced new commitments by Applied Environmental Research Foundation, Amazon Watch, Basecamp Foundation, Rural Action, Darden Restaurants, Arison Investments, Wetlands International, Applied Materials, Standard Chartered Bank, and Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government that will promote the prosperity and preserve the biodiversity of local landscapes and marshal the talents of the next generation of international leaders.
For descriptions of all the commitments announced today, please see below. A complete list of all CGI commitments is available here: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/commitments.
All open-press sessions – plenaries, breakout sessions, special sessions, and keynotes – can be viewed live at http://live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
On Thursday, CGI will host two press conferences, the first will highlight the important work of CGI members to support the crisis in the Horn of Africa at 11:00 a.m. and the second will convene the U.S. Department of State, MTV, the Body Shop and Julia Ormond to discuss combating human trafficking and slavery at 1:45 p.m.
The following progress reports were announced today:
Environmental Entrepreneurship & Women Waste Pickers (2010)
Commitment by: Stree Mukti Sanghatana
Summary: In 2010, Stree Mukti Sanghatana and its partner agencies committed to provide Mumbai’s women waste-pickers with the training necessary for them to begin dry-waste sorting, composting, and using waste to produce bio-gas. Trainees will earn more income and achieve the dignity they deserve for their labor, while also improving the environment. SMS is involved in ongoing negotiations with the city government of Mumbai to incorporate waste-pickers into the city’s official garbage collection plan.
Expansion of P.A.C.E
Commitment by: Gap Inc.
Summary: In 2009, Gap Inc. committed to expand the “Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement Program,” or P.A.C.E., which it launched in India in 2007 to provide female garment workers with the technical training and life-skills education. More than 7,500 women have received training through the P.A.C.E. program. In 2009, the program expanded to Cambodia, and has since launched in China, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. The program is scheduled to launch in Bangladesh in October 2011 and in Indonesia in April 2012.
Building Constituency for Equality in the Middle East (CGI 2009)
Commitment by: Karama
Summary: In 2009, Karama made a three-year, $3.38-million commitment to provide support to women’s groups in the Middle East and North Africa to end violence against women, and influence policies and political processes. To date, Karama and its partners have implemented 10 action plans in Egypt and Jordan addressing violence against women and its cultural, economic, educational, legal, media, political, and social causes and effects. It also held an emergency regional meeting earlier this year in response to the Arab Spring to make action plans to increase female political participation and influence in the constitutional reform processes.
The following new commitments were announced today:
Reinventing Education Through Technology
Commitment by: Khan Academy
Summary: Khan Academy commits to add curriculum in physics, biology, and chemistry to its successful online courses. The program breaks down these sometimes complex subjects into self-guided lessons that are easy to understand. Courses, which will be translated into ten world languages, can be used to supplement traditional classroom learning or as a stand-alone training program.
Maiyet in Partnership with Nest
Commitment by: Maiyet
Summary: Maiyet and Nest commit to connecting craftspeople in the developing world with buyers of luxury goods based on traditional handicrafts, enabling them to expand their market access. Maiyet and Nest will provide training and critical market access to eighteen traditional craft businesses and 2,600 artisans. Over the next three years, Maiyet will purchase a minimum of $3 million in goods from program participants, setting an example for other companies.
A Billion Acts of Green
Commitment by: Earth Day Network
Summary: The Earth Day Network commits to inform and facilitate an increase in energy efficiency and renewable energy usage. The network will encourage individuals and corporations to purchase renewable energy credits and technology. It will provide governments with information on alternative energy and energy efficiency policy, while also providing tools to calculate and reduce a business or individual’s carbon footprint. Ultimately, the Network will work to prevent one million pounds of new carbon emissions before the United Nations Earth Summit convenes in Rio de Janeiro.
GAIN Future Fortified Campaign
Commitment by: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Summary: The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and its partners will commit to launch Future Fortified, a three-pronged program to fight hunger among women and children. Future Fortified will increase awareness about sustainable solutions to malnutrition and educate communities on ways to maximize micronutrient consumption, and distribute essential nutrients to 50 million people by 2015. As a kickoff to this four-year project, Herbalife and Royal DSM will donate 20 million sachets of micronutrient powder to thousands in the drought-ravaged Horn of Africa.
Improving Africa’s Neglected Food Crops
Commitment by: New Partnership for Africa’s Development
Summary: A consortium of partners, led by Mars, World Wildlife Fund, IBM, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, will work to improve Africa’s ‘orphan’ crops. The consortium will genetically sequence two dozen genomes of neglected food crop species and introduce this information into the public domain. They will also establish a plant breeding academy based in Ghana that will train 750 African scientists and technicians in improving the quality of native crops.
REACH: Rural Entrepreneurs for Agricultural Cooperation in Haiti
Commitment by: Heifer Project International
Summary: Heifer Project International commits to provide livestock, as well as animal husbandry and business training to more than 20,000 households in Haiti. Their five-year program scales up the work they’ve done in Haiti for twelve years. Heifer’s market-based approach to crop and livestock development will focus on improving the agricultural skills of women, engaging youth, preserving environmental resources, and developing natural disaster preparedness.
Restoration of Solar Home Systems in Rural Thailand
Committed by: Border Green Energy Team
Summary: Border Green Energy Team commits to restore solar systems on the Thai-Burmese border. In 2004, the Thai government installed 300,000 solar systems for off-the-grid homes, but the UNDP estimates that 80 percent of these systems have stopped working due to lack of a long-term maintenance plan. BGET will restore 100 of these systems by providing micro-loans to finance repairs, and will train a corps of local technicians who can continue maintenance in the long term.
Improved Water Quality for Vulnerable Families in Tonga
Committed by: Tonga Community Development Trust
Summary: The Tonga Community Development Trust will improve access to safe drinking water by supporting the repair and maintenance of 300 household rainwater-harvesting tanks. In this community-designed program, the Trust will cover the cost of repair materials while participants will provide labor.
MaxWest Technology: Reducing Need for Landfills in US and China
Commitment by: MaxWest Environmental Systems
Summary: MaxWest commits to construct two facilities that process biosolids by sustainable gasification in Plymouth, Maine and Guangdong Province, China. This treatment method will capture and recycle energy, reducing the need for fossil fuels. MaxWest will recycle the water in biosolids waste to yield a phosphate-rich fertilizer additive. This technology will reduce landfilling by 100,000 tons per year.
Tunisian and Egyptian Scholarships
Committed by: The Mohamad S. Farsi Foundation
Summary: The Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation, Middle East commits to provide scholarships in the next five years to two university students from Egypt and Tunisia to attend the Washington Semester Program at American University in Washington, D.C during their junior year. Students will participate in seminars with working professionals, internships, and academic courses, such as “American Politics,” “Islam and World Affairs,” and “Peace and Conflict Resolution.”
Promoting Self-Employment Among Youth in Tunisia
Committed by: Enda Inter-Arabe
Summary: Enda Inter-Arabe commits to launch an entrepreneurship program in Tunisia to train at least 40,000 youth and finance 20,000 new ventures, for which it will provide case studies, business training, mentorship, and capital. Enda has been a leader in microfinance in Tunisia for 17 years and currently serves 170,000 low-income micro-entrepreneurs.
Employment Through Youth Entrepreneurship in MENA
Committed by: The Prince of Wales Youth Business International; The Centennial Fund
Summary: The Prince of Wales Youth Business International currently offers underserved young people in thirty-four Middle Eastern and North African countries training, seed money, and mentoring to start their own businesses. Over the next three years, Youth Business International will partner with The Centennial Fund to extend programming to six new countries in the region to train 28,000 young people, launch 7,000 businesses, and create 22,800 jobs.
Construction of Professional Soccer Stadium in Haiti
Committed by: Delos Living; Fondation L’Athletique D’Haiti
Summary: In partnership with Fondation L’Athletique D’Haiti (FLADH), Delos Living commits to co-develop, construct, and manage Haiti’s first-ever professional soccer stadium in Cite Soleil. FLADH has a long record in Haiti, having trained and provided a safe haven to more than 6,000 adolescents through their after-school athletic program. The construction of this soccer stadium will establish a new industry built around professional soccer.
Girls Got Skillz
Committed by: Grassroot Soccer
Summary: Since 2002, Grassroot Soccer has been conducting programs for boys and girls in southern Africa that combine soccer with HIV prevention and a life skills curriculum. Building on this success, GRS now commits to conduct a girl-centered program in six countries. Led by 250 GRS community role models, Skillz Street will provide a safe space for 12,500 girls to play non-competitive soccer, access vital gender-specific conversations about HIV, and take action in their community.
Seeing is Believing – A Renewed Commitment
Commitment by: Standard Chartered Bank
Summary: In 2008, Standard Chartered Bank committed to secure $20 million to fund vision care for 20 million of the urban poor around the world. In addition to reaching this fundraising goal ahead of schedule, the company’s Seeing is Believing Project has already impacted five million lives by providing a range of services from simple eye exams and glasses to specialized surgeries. Standard Chartered now commits to expand its existing program and the range of services it offers by raising an additional $63 million to fund the completion of 35 comprehensive eye care projects in at least 25 countries.
Leadership Matters
Commitment by: Hellenic Republic, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Summary: Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos commits to establish the Angelopoulos International Public Leaders Program to help former public officials use their experience to do good in the world. At the Kennedy School, she is creating the Angelopoulos Fund to create opportunities each year for up to five different public officials to spend time at Harvard after completing their terms of office.
Safeguarding Forests & Biodiversity in Western Ghats
Commitment by: Applied Environmental Research Foundation
Summary: The Applied Environmental Research Foundation commits to protect fragile forests and sacred groves in India by providing agroforestry training to local landowners in exchange for conservation easements, creating an alternative to selling or farming forestland
Naboisho Community Conservancy, Masai Mara, Kenya
Commitment by: Basecamp Foundation
Summary: Through Basecamp’s program in Kenya’s Masai Mara local tribesmen will manage their lands for long-term ecosystem protection, while partnering with the sustainable tourism industry.
Appalachian Ohio Zero Waste Initiative
Commitment by: Rural Action
Summary: Rural Action commits to bring together private, university, and foundation partners to assist entrepreneurs in Central Appalachia in creating a new system for managing and re-purposing waste.
Catalyzing Industry to Rebuild World Fisheries
Commitment by: Darden Restaurants
Summary: Darden Restaurants commits to work with fishermen and buyers to restore overexploited fisheries through data collection and by providing market incentives to encourage fishermen to switch to sustainable practices.
Public-Private Funding Vehicle-Water Efficiency Project
Commitment by: Arison Investments
Summary: Arison Investments commits to creating a public-private equity fund, enabling much-needed financing for water efficiency projects around the world. Every year, more than one-third of the world’s drinking water supply is lost as a result of old infrastructure.
Securing Wetland Carbon Stores for Climate
Commitment by: Wetlands International
Summary: Wetlands International commits to use microcredit help communities protect 2 million acres of peat swamps, which are valuable carbon sinks.
Electrifying Villages and Schools in India
Commitment by: Applied Materials
Summary: Applied Materials commits to provide microcredit opportunities and solar panels to 1,000 homes and 10 schools in rural India. The solar panels will replace kerosene lamps and other carbon-intensive fuels.
Health and Hope Oasis: Support for Children with Cancer
Commitment by: Care With Love
Summary: Care with Love commits to establish a home and health center in Cairo, Egypt where rural children with cancer—and their families—can live while they are in the city for treatment. As part of their housing, these families will be given the nutritious meals, medication, and health education necessary to beat cancer.
Global Smokefree Worksite Challenge
Commitment by: Johnson & Johnson, Mayo Clinic, American Cancer Society, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, GBCHealth
Summary: A group of public and private-sector partners commit to launch the Global Smokefree Worksite Challenge, pledging to make their workplaces around the globe completely smoke-free. Those whose workplaces are already smoke-free will share best practices. For major employers with global supply chains, this is an opportunity to inject progressive tobacco policies in regions where smoking is on the rise. As new partners join the Challenge, this program has the potential to make workplaces healthier for millions of employees.
Global Climate Change Real Estate Fund for C40-Cities
Commitment by: OVG
Summary: In 2007, OVG, a leader in European real estate, committed to invest $1 billion to develop sustainable buildings in the Netherlands. These buildings use 60 percent less energy, and reduce carbon emissions. OVG completed its commitment two years ahead of schedule, and its buildings will reduce carbon emissions by one million tons over the course of their lifetimes. OVG now commits to launch the Global Climate Change Real Estate Fund, which will raise and distribute an additional $1 billion during the next five years, to develop green buildings around the globe, including both new construction projects and energy-efficiency retrofits.
What:
2011 CGI Annual Meeting (www.clintonglobalinitiative.org)
Where:
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When:
September 20-22, 2011
Applying for Credentials: To apply for a press credential to the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, please complete the online form at http://bit.ly/pressreg2011.
Location: Unless otherwise noted, all events will take place at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers located at 811 7th Avenue. Press entrance and registration is on 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Executive Conference Center at the Sheraton.
CGI Media Center and Workspace: The Press Center is located in the Executive Conference Center in the lower lobby of the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. Wired and wireless Internet access will be provided. Phones will not be provided. There will also be video and audio feeds of most events available in the Press Center.
Interview Locations: There will be stand-up camera locations available that broadcast outlets can reserve in advance. In addition, there will be rooms available press can reserve for interviews. To reserve a time, please contact Seth Belaff at seth@tuckerproductions.com.
Wireless Microphones: Please do NOT bring or use wireless microphones on site, as they will interfere with the wireless PA systems.
Plenary sessions and selected press conferences: Plenary sessions will be sent out via fiber, free and unrestricted, on the following loop numbers: Ascent Media Loop #4461 (HD signal) & #4462 (SD signal)
Mult Box: Output specifics are: XLR for audio and BNC connection for video.
Sat Truck Parking: There are a limited amount of satellite and microwave truck parking spaces available. Please email Seth Bellaff at seth@tuckerproduction.com with a request or call at 917-414-5618.
Live Webcast: All CGI sessions open to the press will be webcast at http://bit.ly/cgilive.
Twitter: The event hashtag is #CGI2011.
Photos: Photos from the meeting will be available on CGI’s Flickr account at http://flickr.com/cgiphotos.
Facebook: Highlights, news, and photos from CGI will be shared on the CGI Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
###
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued in excess of $63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20-22 in New York City.
This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
September 21, 2011
Today’s sessions focused on sustainable consumption, change in the Middle East and North Africa, and sports as a tool for good
New commitments announced will develop green buildings worldwide, combat non-communicable diseases, create jobs, and provide programs to end violence against women
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize laureate, peacebuilder, and general secretary of the National League for Democracy via satellite and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chairman of the Elders in a first-time conversation between the two visionary leaders. Suu Kyi spoke about her own struggles for human rights, democratic governance, and ethic reconciliation, while Archbishop Tutu discussed his recent work to end child marriage. The highlight of the conversation was the overwhelming admiration Tutu and Suu Kyi expressed for each other’s efforts to promote world peace and democracy.
“The lives and accomplishments of Aung San Suu Kyi and Archibishop Desmond Tutu are an inspiring testament to the tremendous good than can be achieved by a boundless reserve of courage, humility, and conviction,” said President Clinton. “Suu Kyi and Archibishop Tutu exemplify the positive work of CGI members – who have made 194 new commitments this year, valued at $6.2 billion that will positively impact more than 100 million people.”
President Clinton introduced President Barack Obama, who made remarks regarding job creation in the U.S., including infrastructure building and supporting education. President Obama also thanked CGI members for their commitments to address some of the world’s greatest challenges.
The “Sustainable Consumption: Redefining Business As Usual” panel focused on the role of corporate responsibility in business and was hosted by Gro Harlem Brundtland, former prime minister of the Kingdom of Norway and included heads of major corporations including Bob Diamond, chief executive, Barclays; Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo; and Paul Polman, chief executive officer, Unilever. Panelists discussed how corporations are creating shared value by addressing critical issues around the world, such as food security and global health, which also directly support their core business strategy.
Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal announced new commitments by Care with Love, Johnson and Johnson, Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, GBCHealth, and OVG that will build a home and healthcare facility for rural children with cancer in Egypt, promote and obtain smokefree worksite policies for major companies with global supply chains, and raise and distribute $1 billion during the next five years to develop green buildings around the globe.
General Wesley Clark also announced new commitments by Applied Environmental Research Foundation, Amazon Watch, Basecamp Foundation, Rural Action, Darden Restaurants, Arison Investments, Wetlands International, Applied Materials, Standard Chartered Bank, and Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government that will promote the prosperity and preserve the biodiversity of local landscapes and marshal the talents of the next generation of international leaders.
For descriptions of all the commitments announced today, please see below. A complete list of all CGI commitments is available here: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/commitments.
All open-press sessions – plenaries, breakout sessions, special sessions, and keynotes – can be viewed live at http://live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
On Thursday, CGI will host two press conferences, the first will highlight the important work of CGI members to support the crisis in the Horn of Africa at 11:00 a.m. and the second will convene the U.S. Department of State, MTV, the Body Shop and Julia Ormond to discuss combating human trafficking and slavery at 1:45 p.m.
The following progress reports were announced today:
Environmental Entrepreneurship & Women Waste Pickers (2010)
Commitment by: Stree Mukti Sanghatana
Summary: In 2010, Stree Mukti Sanghatana and its partner agencies committed to provide Mumbai’s women waste-pickers with the training necessary for them to begin dry-waste sorting, composting, and using waste to produce bio-gas. Trainees will earn more income and achieve the dignity they deserve for their labor, while also improving the environment. SMS is involved in ongoing negotiations with the city government of Mumbai to incorporate waste-pickers into the city’s official garbage collection plan.
Expansion of P.A.C.E
Commitment by: Gap Inc.
Summary: In 2009, Gap Inc. committed to expand the “Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement Program,” or P.A.C.E., which it launched in India in 2007 to provide female garment workers with the technical training and life-skills education. More than 7,500 women have received training through the P.A.C.E. program. In 2009, the program expanded to Cambodia, and has since launched in China, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. The program is scheduled to launch in Bangladesh in October 2011 and in Indonesia in April 2012.
Building Constituency for Equality in the Middle East (CGI 2009)
Commitment by: Karama
Summary: In 2009, Karama made a three-year, $3.38-million commitment to provide support to women’s groups in the Middle East and North Africa to end violence against women, and influence policies and political processes. To date, Karama and its partners have implemented 10 action plans in Egypt and Jordan addressing violence against women and its cultural, economic, educational, legal, media, political, and social causes and effects. It also held an emergency regional meeting earlier this year in response to the Arab Spring to make action plans to increase female political participation and influence in the constitutional reform processes.
The following new commitments were announced today:
Reinventing Education Through Technology
Commitment by: Khan Academy
Summary: Khan Academy commits to add curriculum in physics, biology, and chemistry to its successful online courses. The program breaks down these sometimes complex subjects into self-guided lessons that are easy to understand. Courses, which will be translated into ten world languages, can be used to supplement traditional classroom learning or as a stand-alone training program.
Maiyet in Partnership with Nest
Commitment by: Maiyet
Summary: Maiyet and Nest commit to connecting craftspeople in the developing world with buyers of luxury goods based on traditional handicrafts, enabling them to expand their market access. Maiyet and Nest will provide training and critical market access to eighteen traditional craft businesses and 2,600 artisans. Over the next three years, Maiyet will purchase a minimum of $3 million in goods from program participants, setting an example for other companies.
A Billion Acts of Green
Commitment by: Earth Day Network
Summary: The Earth Day Network commits to inform and facilitate an increase in energy efficiency and renewable energy usage. The network will encourage individuals and corporations to purchase renewable energy credits and technology. It will provide governments with information on alternative energy and energy efficiency policy, while also providing tools to calculate and reduce a business or individual’s carbon footprint. Ultimately, the Network will work to prevent one million pounds of new carbon emissions before the United Nations Earth Summit convenes in Rio de Janeiro.
GAIN Future Fortified Campaign
Commitment by: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Summary: The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and its partners will commit to launch Future Fortified, a three-pronged program to fight hunger among women and children. Future Fortified will increase awareness about sustainable solutions to malnutrition and educate communities on ways to maximize micronutrient consumption, and distribute essential nutrients to 50 million people by 2015. As a kickoff to this four-year project, Herbalife and Royal DSM will donate 20 million sachets of micronutrient powder to thousands in the drought-ravaged Horn of Africa.
Improving Africa’s Neglected Food Crops
Commitment by: New Partnership for Africa’s Development
Summary: A consortium of partners, led by Mars, World Wildlife Fund, IBM, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, will work to improve Africa’s ‘orphan’ crops. The consortium will genetically sequence two dozen genomes of neglected food crop species and introduce this information into the public domain. They will also establish a plant breeding academy based in Ghana that will train 750 African scientists and technicians in improving the quality of native crops.
REACH: Rural Entrepreneurs for Agricultural Cooperation in Haiti
Commitment by: Heifer Project International
Summary: Heifer Project International commits to provide livestock, as well as animal husbandry and business training to more than 20,000 households in Haiti. Their five-year program scales up the work they’ve done in Haiti for twelve years. Heifer’s market-based approach to crop and livestock development will focus on improving the agricultural skills of women, engaging youth, preserving environmental resources, and developing natural disaster preparedness.
Restoration of Solar Home Systems in Rural Thailand
Committed by: Border Green Energy Team
Summary: Border Green Energy Team commits to restore solar systems on the Thai-Burmese border. In 2004, the Thai government installed 300,000 solar systems for off-the-grid homes, but the UNDP estimates that 80 percent of these systems have stopped working due to lack of a long-term maintenance plan. BGET will restore 100 of these systems by providing micro-loans to finance repairs, and will train a corps of local technicians who can continue maintenance in the long term.
Improved Water Quality for Vulnerable Families in Tonga
Committed by: Tonga Community Development Trust
Summary: The Tonga Community Development Trust will improve access to safe drinking water by supporting the repair and maintenance of 300 household rainwater-harvesting tanks. In this community-designed program, the Trust will cover the cost of repair materials while participants will provide labor.
MaxWest Technology: Reducing Need for Landfills in US and China
Commitment by: MaxWest Environmental Systems
Summary: MaxWest commits to construct two facilities that process biosolids by sustainable gasification in Plymouth, Maine and Guangdong Province, China. This treatment method will capture and recycle energy, reducing the need for fossil fuels. MaxWest will recycle the water in biosolids waste to yield a phosphate-rich fertilizer additive. This technology will reduce landfilling by 100,000 tons per year.
Tunisian and Egyptian Scholarships
Committed by: The Mohamad S. Farsi Foundation
Summary: The Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation, Middle East commits to provide scholarships in the next five years to two university students from Egypt and Tunisia to attend the Washington Semester Program at American University in Washington, D.C during their junior year. Students will participate in seminars with working professionals, internships, and academic courses, such as “American Politics,” “Islam and World Affairs,” and “Peace and Conflict Resolution.”
Promoting Self-Employment Among Youth in Tunisia
Committed by: Enda Inter-Arabe
Summary: Enda Inter-Arabe commits to launch an entrepreneurship program in Tunisia to train at least 40,000 youth and finance 20,000 new ventures, for which it will provide case studies, business training, mentorship, and capital. Enda has been a leader in microfinance in Tunisia for 17 years and currently serves 170,000 low-income micro-entrepreneurs.
Employment Through Youth Entrepreneurship in MENA
Committed by: The Prince of Wales Youth Business International; The Centennial Fund
Summary: The Prince of Wales Youth Business International currently offers underserved young people in thirty-four Middle Eastern and North African countries training, seed money, and mentoring to start their own businesses. Over the next three years, Youth Business International will partner with The Centennial Fund to extend programming to six new countries in the region to train 28,000 young people, launch 7,000 businesses, and create 22,800 jobs.
Construction of Professional Soccer Stadium in Haiti
Committed by: Delos Living; Fondation L’Athletique D’Haiti
Summary: In partnership with Fondation L’Athletique D’Haiti (FLADH), Delos Living commits to co-develop, construct, and manage Haiti’s first-ever professional soccer stadium in Cite Soleil. FLADH has a long record in Haiti, having trained and provided a safe haven to more than 6,000 adolescents through their after-school athletic program. The construction of this soccer stadium will establish a new industry built around professional soccer.
Girls Got Skillz
Committed by: Grassroot Soccer
Summary: Since 2002, Grassroot Soccer has been conducting programs for boys and girls in southern Africa that combine soccer with HIV prevention and a life skills curriculum. Building on this success, GRS now commits to conduct a girl-centered program in six countries. Led by 250 GRS community role models, Skillz Street will provide a safe space for 12,500 girls to play non-competitive soccer, access vital gender-specific conversations about HIV, and take action in their community.
Seeing is Believing – A Renewed Commitment
Commitment by: Standard Chartered Bank
Summary: In 2008, Standard Chartered Bank committed to secure $20 million to fund vision care for 20 million of the urban poor around the world. In addition to reaching this fundraising goal ahead of schedule, the company’s Seeing is Believing Project has already impacted five million lives by providing a range of services from simple eye exams and glasses to specialized surgeries. Standard Chartered now commits to expand its existing program and the range of services it offers by raising an additional $63 million to fund the completion of 35 comprehensive eye care projects in at least 25 countries.
Leadership Matters
Commitment by: Hellenic Republic, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Summary: Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos commits to establish the Angelopoulos International Public Leaders Program to help former public officials use their experience to do good in the world. At the Kennedy School, she is creating the Angelopoulos Fund to create opportunities each year for up to five different public officials to spend time at Harvard after completing their terms of office.
Safeguarding Forests & Biodiversity in Western Ghats
Commitment by: Applied Environmental Research Foundation
Summary: The Applied Environmental Research Foundation commits to protect fragile forests and sacred groves in India by providing agroforestry training to local landowners in exchange for conservation easements, creating an alternative to selling or farming forestland
Naboisho Community Conservancy, Masai Mara, Kenya
Commitment by: Basecamp Foundation
Summary: Through Basecamp’s program in Kenya’s Masai Mara local tribesmen will manage their lands for long-term ecosystem protection, while partnering with the sustainable tourism industry.
Appalachian Ohio Zero Waste Initiative
Commitment by: Rural Action
Summary: Rural Action commits to bring together private, university, and foundation partners to assist entrepreneurs in Central Appalachia in creating a new system for managing and re-purposing waste.
Catalyzing Industry to Rebuild World Fisheries
Commitment by: Darden Restaurants
Summary: Darden Restaurants commits to work with fishermen and buyers to restore overexploited fisheries through data collection and by providing market incentives to encourage fishermen to switch to sustainable practices.
Public-Private Funding Vehicle-Water Efficiency Project
Commitment by: Arison Investments
Summary: Arison Investments commits to creating a public-private equity fund, enabling much-needed financing for water efficiency projects around the world. Every year, more than one-third of the world’s drinking water supply is lost as a result of old infrastructure.
Securing Wetland Carbon Stores for Climate
Commitment by: Wetlands International
Summary: Wetlands International commits to use microcredit help communities protect 2 million acres of peat swamps, which are valuable carbon sinks.
Electrifying Villages and Schools in India
Commitment by: Applied Materials
Summary: Applied Materials commits to provide microcredit opportunities and solar panels to 1,000 homes and 10 schools in rural India. The solar panels will replace kerosene lamps and other carbon-intensive fuels.
Health and Hope Oasis: Support for Children with Cancer
Commitment by: Care With Love
Summary: Care with Love commits to establish a home and health center in Cairo, Egypt where rural children with cancer—and their families—can live while they are in the city for treatment. As part of their housing, these families will be given the nutritious meals, medication, and health education necessary to beat cancer.
Global Smokefree Worksite Challenge
Commitment by: Johnson & Johnson, Mayo Clinic, American Cancer Society, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, GBCHealth
Summary: A group of public and private-sector partners commit to launch the Global Smokefree Worksite Challenge, pledging to make their workplaces around the globe completely smoke-free. Those whose workplaces are already smoke-free will share best practices. For major employers with global supply chains, this is an opportunity to inject progressive tobacco policies in regions where smoking is on the rise. As new partners join the Challenge, this program has the potential to make workplaces healthier for millions of employees.
Global Climate Change Real Estate Fund for C40-Cities
Commitment by: OVG
Summary: In 2007, OVG, a leader in European real estate, committed to invest $1 billion to develop sustainable buildings in the Netherlands. These buildings use 60 percent less energy, and reduce carbon emissions. OVG completed its commitment two years ahead of schedule, and its buildings will reduce carbon emissions by one million tons over the course of their lifetimes. OVG now commits to launch the Global Climate Change Real Estate Fund, which will raise and distribute an additional $1 billion during the next five years, to develop green buildings around the globe, including both new construction projects and energy-efficiency retrofits.
What:
2011 CGI Annual Meeting (www.clintonglobalinitiative.org)
Where:
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When:
September 20-22, 2011
Applying for Credentials: To apply for a press credential to the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, please complete the online form at http://bit.ly/pressreg2011.
Location: Unless otherwise noted, all events will take place at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers located at 811 7th Avenue. Press entrance and registration is on 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Executive Conference Center at the Sheraton.
CGI Media Center and Workspace: The Press Center is located in the Executive Conference Center in the lower lobby of the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. Wired and wireless Internet access will be provided. Phones will not be provided. There will also be video and audio feeds of most events available in the Press Center.
Interview Locations: There will be stand-up camera locations available that broadcast outlets can reserve in advance. In addition, there will be rooms available press can reserve for interviews. To reserve a time, please contact Seth Belaff at seth@tuckerproductions.com.
Wireless Microphones: Please do NOT bring or use wireless microphones on site, as they will interfere with the wireless PA systems.
Plenary sessions and selected press conferences: Plenary sessions will be sent out via fiber, free and unrestricted, on the following loop numbers: Ascent Media Loop #4461 (HD signal) & #4462 (SD signal)
Mult Box: Output specifics are: XLR for audio and BNC connection for video.
Sat Truck Parking: There are a limited amount of satellite and microwave truck parking spaces available. Please email Seth Bellaff at seth@tuckerproduction.com with a request or call at 917-414-5618.
Live Webcast: All CGI sessions open to the press will be webcast at http://bit.ly/cgilive.
Twitter: The event hashtag is #CGI2011.
Photos: Photos from the meeting will be available on CGI’s Flickr account at http://flickr.com/cgiphotos.
Facebook: Highlights, news, and photos from CGI will be shared on the CGI Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
###
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued in excess of $63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20-22 in New York City.
This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
President Bill Clinton Opens the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting with a Focus on Generating Jobs for the 21st Century, Sustainable Consumption for our Planet, “What Works” for Girls and Women, and Progress of Member Commitments
President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón; President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma; Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg; President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Prime Minister of Mali, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé; President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk; Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas; and Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina participated in a global climate change panel, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Yang Jeichi, was featured in the “Megacities, Mega Challenges” panel
194 new CGI members commitments, valued at $6.2 billion to positively impact more than 100 million people, announced
New York, NY – President Bill Clinton opened the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) with a session on climate change, convened by President Felipe Calderón of Mexico and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. This ground-breaking session brought together nine distinguished Heads of State, including Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg; President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Prime Minister of Mali, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé; President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk; Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas; and Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina to highlight opportunities for collaboration and share effective strategies to address the global climate challenge.
“I am so grateful to President Calderón and President Zuma for engaging CGI members on the important issue of climate change by convening the Leaders Dialogue on Climate Change at our Annual Meeting,” said President Clinton. “Now more than ever, it is essential that governments, businesses, civil society, and the media work together to take action to generate more sustainable and equitable growth while preserving our global sustainability. For seven years, CGI members have done just that. Their work has improved the lives of more than 300 million people around the world in substantive, measurable ways, and has reversed the cycles of environmental degradation and economic downturn.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China, Yang Jeichi participated in the “Megacities, Mega Challenges” panel along with Carlos Slim Helú, founder, Fundación Carlos Slim; James N. Mwangi, managing director and CEO, Equity Bank Limited; Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, the State of California; Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation; and Luis A. Ubiñas, president, the Ford Foundation, where they explored the challenges faced by global megacities and highlighted innovative strategies.
President Clinton announced that this year CGI members have made 194 commitments, valued at $6.2 billion, which will impact more than 100 million people when they are fully funded, and presented several progress reports on past commitments, emphasizing the impact of CGI members work, including the “Investment and Training for American Infrastructure” commitment, first launched by the AFL-CIO and the American Federations of Teachers (AFT) at the June 2011 CGI America Meeting in Chicago.
New commitments by Deutsche Bank, New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, Greenprint Foundation, Microsoft, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Resources Defense Council, and Johnson Controls will streamline retrofits of commercial spaces, improve the energy efficiency of New York City’s built environment, and provide one million low-income students with access to high-speed broadband were among those announced today.
For descriptions of all the commitments announced, please see below.
More than 1,200 members attended the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, including more than 50 Heads of State, 500 business leaders, and 450 leaders from NGOs and philanthropic organizations. During the course of the meeting, CGI members will engage in meaningful discussion and explore creative ways to address climate change and dramatic population growth, generating jobs, promoting sustainable lifestyles, and empowering girls and women around the world. Sessions will include insights from CGI members on commitment successes and small group discussions that lead directly to the development of innovative Commitments to Action.
For a complete list of all CGI commitments, please visit: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/commitments.
All open-press sessions – plenaries, breakout sessions, special sessions, and keynotes – can be viewed live or recorded at http://live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
On Wednesday, Leaders from Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Partners in Health, Mayo Clinic, and the American Cancer Society will announce initiatives to combat non-communicable diseases at an 11:00 a.m. press conference.
The following progress reports were announced today:
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty (CGI 2009)
Commitment by: Pro Mujer
Summary: In 2009, Pro Mujer committed to provide an integrated package of loans, savings, business training, health care, and preventive health education over three years to 350,000 women. Since then, Pro Mujer has increased its client base by 18 percent from 178,000 to 230,000, opened 25 community centers, disbursed 360 million dollars in small loans, and helped its clients save $20.6 million in loans.
Innovative College Funding for 10,000 Students (CGI 2010)
Commitment by: Lumni, Inc.
Summary: In 2010, Lumni committed to provide 10,000 students access to financing for higher education through their innovative financing model over five years. To date, Lumni has financed 840 students and raised $2.9 million through partnerships with individuals and institutions, including Inter-American Development Bank and Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. It also launched two funds to support students in Chile and the United States, and an online Lumni Academy to provide academic and career services.
Investment and Training for American Infrastructure (CGI America 2011)
Commitment by: The AFL-CIO and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Summary: In June 2011, at CGI America, the AFL-CIO and AFT committed to work with pension fund managers to encourage infrastructure investments. They committed to work with fund managers to re-invest up to $10 billion in pension assets of working families into energy efficient, job-creating infrastructure improvements, and to train 140,000 apprentice and mid-career construction workers in high-demand green construction skills. They have made substantial progress: In California, two of the nation’s largest public pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTERS, have allocated more than $1.1 billion to this effort. The AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust deployed $134 million for an energy efficiency project in the Penn South Mutual Cooperative in New York City, and will developing a pipeline for $79 million in further investment.
joinFITE Campaign (CGI 2010)
Commitment by: Dermalogica
Summary: In 2010, Dermalogica made a pledge to help women around the world achieve Financial Independence through Entrepreneurship – or “FITE.” In partnership with Kiva.org, joinFITE began providing small microloans to women to start or grow businesses. To date, joinFITE has funded loans to almost 5,000 women, and engaged more than 36 million consumers in meaningful dialogue.
North Star Foundation Initiative (CGI 2005)
Commitment by: North Star Foundation
Through a 2005 Commitment to Action, the global express mailing company TNT and the UN World Food Programme, major transporters in Africa, launched the North Star Foundation to address the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. North Star has established a network of roadside wellness centers serving truck drivers and other patients. To date, the clinics have provided free counseling and health services to 110,000 men and 60,000 women. By the end of this year, the alliance will have 42 clinics operating in 19 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa. On average, each clinic provides medical care to 25 patients each day. The partnership continues to expand, and includes the government of Malawi, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and UN AIDS.
The following new commitments were announced today:
BoP HUB, Designing Business to End Poverty
Commitment by: World Toilet Organization
Summary: The World Toilet Organization commits to build the “Base of the Pyramid Hub,” which will serve as a gateway for business ventures, technologists, and manufacturers to access the “base of the pyramid” markets. The BoP Hub will bundle and weave products with distribution, logistics, economies of scale, public policy, design, and technology, and complete the supply chain to create a faster, less expensive ways of delivering goods and services.
Cholera Outbreak Preparedness
Committed by: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; AmeriCares Foundation
Summary: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh will partner with AmeriCares’ worldwide network and share resources to respond to global cholera epidemics, while also scaling up its work in Bangladesh. Together, they will create a cholera kit with supplies, equipment, and medicines to treat cholera and will distribute enough kits to treat 15,000 people, enabling quick responses to outbreaks in resource-poor areas.
Creating Economic Opportunity through Social Innovation
Commitment by: eBay, Inc.
Summary: eBay, Inc. commits to launch the Opportunity Project to partner with organizations that have effective market-based approaches to providing economic opportunity in vulnerable communities. The project will help groups scale by providing financial resources, business expertise, and a skills-based employee engagement effort.
Educating Youth in Social Entrepreneurship
Commitment Maker: Institute for Development Studies and Practices—Pakistan.
Summary: Pakistan’s unemployment rate is over 15 percent, and one-quarter of its population lives below the poverty line. The Institute for Development Studies and Practices-Pakistan commits to provide 200 Pakistani youths with literacy, life skills, civics, and leadership training, over four years, preparing them to start their own social enterprises.
Education & Opportunity through Mobile Apps
Committed by: The AppBridge
Summary: The AppBridge will create and distribute free mobile applications that facilitate education, employment, and economic opportunity. In partnership with app developers and mobile phone companies, the AppBridge will launch 50 apps in five countries reaching 250,000 individuals. The project will also develop a programming language for apps to work across a spectrum of mobile devices in multiple languages.
Enrolling 10,000 Out-of-School Children in Pakistan
Commitment by: The Citizens Foundation of Pakistan
Summary: The Citizens Foundation, which currently enrolls more than 100,000 children, at 730 schools in some of the rural and urban slums of Pakistan, now commits to enroll an additional 10,000 out-of-school children, including 5,000 girls. The project will also award 500 scholarships to girls for secondary education, provide literacy training to 4,000 mothers and other female relatives, and create 600 new jobs for women through its all-female faculty.
Girls and Women Tech Training
Commitment by: CA Technologies and Feminist Approach to Technology
Summary: CA Technologies and Feminist Approach to Technology each commit to help women advance in the fields of science and technology. CA Technologies will partner with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to encourage pre-teen girls to explore technology by linking them with mentors from among its own staff, and by providing a series of fun, hands-on workshops in five cities across the United States. Feminist Approach to Technology will support women who have entered the technology field, creating job opportunities for women in India by providing free training and placement support with businesses ready to hire.
Intertribal Council on Utility Policy Green Jobs Initiative
Commitment Maker: The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy.
Summary: The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy commits to launch an extensive green jobs program, working with higher education institutions to develop training and employment opportunities for member tribes in three states. The five-year commitment will create at least 320 green jobs, ranging from administration to construction, for veterans, and unemployed or under-employed women and youth and will address the local need for affordable housing and clean energy through construction of energy efficient straw-bale housing and renewable energy installations.
Investing in Clean Energy Innovation
Commitment by: Inerjys Ventures
Summary: Inerjys Ventures commits to invest $1 billion in renewable energy innovation over the next seven years to help portfolio companies successfully sell their innovations globally. This investment will target technologies with the potential to be game-changers in clean energy production and distribution. Inerjys will also use their state-of-the-art lab facility in Montreal as a business incubator, providing training, lab access, and office space to six new energy start-ups.
Investment in a Portfolio of Renewable Energy Assets
Commitment Maker: Dundee Realty Corporation
Summary: In 2007, Dundee Realty Corporation committed to invest $300 million in a combination of wind, solar, and hydropower projects to generate 150 megawatts of power for the Ontario grid and reduce the region’s dependence on carbon fuels. Today, Dundee and Firelight are now doubling their commitment to $600 million; the goal is to have the full $600 million funded by 2016.
New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation
Commitment by: New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, Greenprint Foundation, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Summary: Deutsche Bank and their partners commit to help NYCEEC—the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation—work with financial, foundation, and real estate communities to make the city agency self-sustaining. By providing information, marketing services, and financing tools to the real estate community, NYCEEC will increase New York’s energy efficiency and spur construction job growth. NYCEEC’s efforts will enable a pipeline of projects that can be developed in the next 12 to 18 months.
PACT’s Community Health Workforce Initiative
Commitment by: Partners in Health
Summary: Partners in Health/PACT commits to integrate 25 community health workers into primary care teams across the nation. The community health workers will serve as extensions of clinics, bringing high-quality care and support into the homes of patients who are marginalized and disengaged from the healthcare system. Over three years, this workforce will impact 2,500 patients, ultimately reducing avoidable costs to the healthcare system while creating the means to innovatively improve health outcomes.
Scaling Demand for Commercial Tenant Green Buildouts
Commitment by: Natural Resources Defense Council and Johnson Controls Inc.
Summary: The Natural Resources Defense Council will bring together partners to design and implement retrofits in commercial tenant spaces. Johnson Controls will provide technical analysis to track performance and generate energy improvements. The project will begin with build-outs at a Jones Lang LaSalle space on Madison Avenue, the Bloomberg LP office space, and the Linked-In office in the Empire State Building.
Shape the Future – Economic Growth through Education
Commitment by: Microsoft Corporation and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Summary: Microsoft commits to help one million students from low-income households and 100,000 educators in the United States access high-speed broadband. In partnership with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and the Federal Communications Commission, Microsoft will provide home PCs, operating systems, educational software, skills training, and broadband service, for free or at a significantly reduced cost and will use its new assessment software to help local governments determine the economic impact of digital exclusion. The three year initiative will reduce the number of U.S. households without internet by 10 percent
Technical Training Center in Rural Indonesia
Commitment by: YUM
Summary: YUM commits to establish a new vocational-technical training center in rural Indonesia to provide workers with in-demand trade skills. This four-year commitment will train 600 people, align training with the needs of local businesses, link participants with employers, and provide micro-loans to 300 participants for the purpose of launching their own business.
WakaWaka – Home & Personal Solar Light & Power Source
Committed by: Business Creation Investments AG
Summary: Business Creation Investments AG commits to distribute one million solar LED lamps in eight developing countries in five years. With more than 20 percent of the world’s population not connected to the utility grid, the lamps will provide an affordable and safe alternative. The lamps, called WakaWakas, use new technology that provides more and longer light, as well as a faster charge, than any currently-available solar lamps.
What:
2011 CGI Annual Meeting (www.clintonglobalinitiative.org)
Where:
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When:
September 20-22, 2011
Applying for Credentials: To apply for a press credential to the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, please complete the online form at http://bit.ly/pressreg2011.
Location: Unless otherwise noted, all events will take place at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers located at 811 7th Avenue. Press entrance and registration is on 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Executive Conference Center at the Sheraton.
CGI Media Center and Workspace: The Press Center is located in the Executive Conference Center in the lower lobby of the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. Wired and wireless Internet access will be provided. Phones will not be provided. There will also be video and audio feeds of most events available in the Press Center.
Interview Locations: There will be stand-up camera locations available that broadcast outlets can reserve in advance. In addition, there will be rooms available press can reserve for interviews. To reserve a time, please contact Seth Belaff at seth@tuckerproductions.com.
Wireless Microphones: Please do NOT bring or use wireless microphones on site, as they will interfere with the wireless PA systems.
Plenary sessions and selected press conferences: Plenary sessions will be sent out via fiber, free and unrestricted, on the following loop numbers: Ascent Media Loop #4461 (HD signal) & #4462 (SD signal)
Mult Box: Output specifics are: XLR for audio and BNC connection for video.
Sat Truck Parking: There are a limited amount of satellite and microwave truck parking spaces available. Please email Seth Bellaff at seth@tuckerproduction.com with a request or call at 917-414-5618.
Live Webcast: All CGI sessions open to the press will be webcast at http://bit.ly/cgilive.
Twitter: The event hashtag is #CGI2011.
Photos: Photos from the meeting will be available on CGI’s Flickr account at http://flickr.com/cgiphotos.
Facebook: Highlights, news, and photos from CGI will be shared on the CGI Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued in excess of $63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20-22 in New York City.
This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón; President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma; Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg; President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Prime Minister of Mali, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé; President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk; Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas; and Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina participated in a global climate change panel, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Yang Jeichi, was featured in the “Megacities, Mega Challenges” panel
194 new CGI members commitments, valued at $6.2 billion to positively impact more than 100 million people, announced
New York, NY – President Bill Clinton opened the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) with a session on climate change, convened by President Felipe Calderón of Mexico and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. This ground-breaking session brought together nine distinguished Heads of State, including Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg; President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Prime Minister of Mali, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé; President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk; Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas; and Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina to highlight opportunities for collaboration and share effective strategies to address the global climate challenge.
“I am so grateful to President Calderón and President Zuma for engaging CGI members on the important issue of climate change by convening the Leaders Dialogue on Climate Change at our Annual Meeting,” said President Clinton. “Now more than ever, it is essential that governments, businesses, civil society, and the media work together to take action to generate more sustainable and equitable growth while preserving our global sustainability. For seven years, CGI members have done just that. Their work has improved the lives of more than 300 million people around the world in substantive, measurable ways, and has reversed the cycles of environmental degradation and economic downturn.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China, Yang Jeichi participated in the “Megacities, Mega Challenges” panel along with Carlos Slim Helú, founder, Fundación Carlos Slim; James N. Mwangi, managing director and CEO, Equity Bank Limited; Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, the State of California; Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation; and Luis A. Ubiñas, president, the Ford Foundation, where they explored the challenges faced by global megacities and highlighted innovative strategies.
President Clinton announced that this year CGI members have made 194 commitments, valued at $6.2 billion, which will impact more than 100 million people when they are fully funded, and presented several progress reports on past commitments, emphasizing the impact of CGI members work, including the “Investment and Training for American Infrastructure” commitment, first launched by the AFL-CIO and the American Federations of Teachers (AFT) at the June 2011 CGI America Meeting in Chicago.
New commitments by Deutsche Bank, New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, Greenprint Foundation, Microsoft, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Resources Defense Council, and Johnson Controls will streamline retrofits of commercial spaces, improve the energy efficiency of New York City’s built environment, and provide one million low-income students with access to high-speed broadband were among those announced today.
For descriptions of all the commitments announced, please see below.
More than 1,200 members attended the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, including more than 50 Heads of State, 500 business leaders, and 450 leaders from NGOs and philanthropic organizations. During the course of the meeting, CGI members will engage in meaningful discussion and explore creative ways to address climate change and dramatic population growth, generating jobs, promoting sustainable lifestyles, and empowering girls and women around the world. Sessions will include insights from CGI members on commitment successes and small group discussions that lead directly to the development of innovative Commitments to Action.
For a complete list of all CGI commitments, please visit: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/commitments.
All open-press sessions – plenaries, breakout sessions, special sessions, and keynotes – can be viewed live or recorded at http://live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
On Wednesday, Leaders from Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Partners in Health, Mayo Clinic, and the American Cancer Society will announce initiatives to combat non-communicable diseases at an 11:00 a.m. press conference.
The following progress reports were announced today:
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty (CGI 2009)
Commitment by: Pro Mujer
Summary: In 2009, Pro Mujer committed to provide an integrated package of loans, savings, business training, health care, and preventive health education over three years to 350,000 women. Since then, Pro Mujer has increased its client base by 18 percent from 178,000 to 230,000, opened 25 community centers, disbursed 360 million dollars in small loans, and helped its clients save $20.6 million in loans.
Innovative College Funding for 10,000 Students (CGI 2010)
Commitment by: Lumni, Inc.
Summary: In 2010, Lumni committed to provide 10,000 students access to financing for higher education through their innovative financing model over five years. To date, Lumni has financed 840 students and raised $2.9 million through partnerships with individuals and institutions, including Inter-American Development Bank and Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. It also launched two funds to support students in Chile and the United States, and an online Lumni Academy to provide academic and career services.
Investment and Training for American Infrastructure (CGI America 2011)
Commitment by: The AFL-CIO and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Summary: In June 2011, at CGI America, the AFL-CIO and AFT committed to work with pension fund managers to encourage infrastructure investments. They committed to work with fund managers to re-invest up to $10 billion in pension assets of working families into energy efficient, job-creating infrastructure improvements, and to train 140,000 apprentice and mid-career construction workers in high-demand green construction skills. They have made substantial progress: In California, two of the nation’s largest public pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTERS, have allocated more than $1.1 billion to this effort. The AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust deployed $134 million for an energy efficiency project in the Penn South Mutual Cooperative in New York City, and will developing a pipeline for $79 million in further investment.
joinFITE Campaign (CGI 2010)
Commitment by: Dermalogica
Summary: In 2010, Dermalogica made a pledge to help women around the world achieve Financial Independence through Entrepreneurship – or “FITE.” In partnership with Kiva.org, joinFITE began providing small microloans to women to start or grow businesses. To date, joinFITE has funded loans to almost 5,000 women, and engaged more than 36 million consumers in meaningful dialogue.
North Star Foundation Initiative (CGI 2005)
Commitment by: North Star Foundation
Through a 2005 Commitment to Action, the global express mailing company TNT and the UN World Food Programme, major transporters in Africa, launched the North Star Foundation to address the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. North Star has established a network of roadside wellness centers serving truck drivers and other patients. To date, the clinics have provided free counseling and health services to 110,000 men and 60,000 women. By the end of this year, the alliance will have 42 clinics operating in 19 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa. On average, each clinic provides medical care to 25 patients each day. The partnership continues to expand, and includes the government of Malawi, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and UN AIDS.
The following new commitments were announced today:
BoP HUB, Designing Business to End Poverty
Commitment by: World Toilet Organization
Summary: The World Toilet Organization commits to build the “Base of the Pyramid Hub,” which will serve as a gateway for business ventures, technologists, and manufacturers to access the “base of the pyramid” markets. The BoP Hub will bundle and weave products with distribution, logistics, economies of scale, public policy, design, and technology, and complete the supply chain to create a faster, less expensive ways of delivering goods and services.
Cholera Outbreak Preparedness
Committed by: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; AmeriCares Foundation
Summary: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh will partner with AmeriCares’ worldwide network and share resources to respond to global cholera epidemics, while also scaling up its work in Bangladesh. Together, they will create a cholera kit with supplies, equipment, and medicines to treat cholera and will distribute enough kits to treat 15,000 people, enabling quick responses to outbreaks in resource-poor areas.
Creating Economic Opportunity through Social Innovation
Commitment by: eBay, Inc.
Summary: eBay, Inc. commits to launch the Opportunity Project to partner with organizations that have effective market-based approaches to providing economic opportunity in vulnerable communities. The project will help groups scale by providing financial resources, business expertise, and a skills-based employee engagement effort.
Educating Youth in Social Entrepreneurship
Commitment Maker: Institute for Development Studies and Practices—Pakistan.
Summary: Pakistan’s unemployment rate is over 15 percent, and one-quarter of its population lives below the poverty line. The Institute for Development Studies and Practices-Pakistan commits to provide 200 Pakistani youths with literacy, life skills, civics, and leadership training, over four years, preparing them to start their own social enterprises.
Education & Opportunity through Mobile Apps
Committed by: The AppBridge
Summary: The AppBridge will create and distribute free mobile applications that facilitate education, employment, and economic opportunity. In partnership with app developers and mobile phone companies, the AppBridge will launch 50 apps in five countries reaching 250,000 individuals. The project will also develop a programming language for apps to work across a spectrum of mobile devices in multiple languages.
Enrolling 10,000 Out-of-School Children in Pakistan
Commitment by: The Citizens Foundation of Pakistan
Summary: The Citizens Foundation, which currently enrolls more than 100,000 children, at 730 schools in some of the rural and urban slums of Pakistan, now commits to enroll an additional 10,000 out-of-school children, including 5,000 girls. The project will also award 500 scholarships to girls for secondary education, provide literacy training to 4,000 mothers and other female relatives, and create 600 new jobs for women through its all-female faculty.
Girls and Women Tech Training
Commitment by: CA Technologies and Feminist Approach to Technology
Summary: CA Technologies and Feminist Approach to Technology each commit to help women advance in the fields of science and technology. CA Technologies will partner with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to encourage pre-teen girls to explore technology by linking them with mentors from among its own staff, and by providing a series of fun, hands-on workshops in five cities across the United States. Feminist Approach to Technology will support women who have entered the technology field, creating job opportunities for women in India by providing free training and placement support with businesses ready to hire.
Intertribal Council on Utility Policy Green Jobs Initiative
Commitment Maker: The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy.
Summary: The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy commits to launch an extensive green jobs program, working with higher education institutions to develop training and employment opportunities for member tribes in three states. The five-year commitment will create at least 320 green jobs, ranging from administration to construction, for veterans, and unemployed or under-employed women and youth and will address the local need for affordable housing and clean energy through construction of energy efficient straw-bale housing and renewable energy installations.
Investing in Clean Energy Innovation
Commitment by: Inerjys Ventures
Summary: Inerjys Ventures commits to invest $1 billion in renewable energy innovation over the next seven years to help portfolio companies successfully sell their innovations globally. This investment will target technologies with the potential to be game-changers in clean energy production and distribution. Inerjys will also use their state-of-the-art lab facility in Montreal as a business incubator, providing training, lab access, and office space to six new energy start-ups.
Investment in a Portfolio of Renewable Energy Assets
Commitment Maker: Dundee Realty Corporation
Summary: In 2007, Dundee Realty Corporation committed to invest $300 million in a combination of wind, solar, and hydropower projects to generate 150 megawatts of power for the Ontario grid and reduce the region’s dependence on carbon fuels. Today, Dundee and Firelight are now doubling their commitment to $600 million; the goal is to have the full $600 million funded by 2016.
New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation
Commitment by: New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, Greenprint Foundation, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Summary: Deutsche Bank and their partners commit to help NYCEEC—the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation—work with financial, foundation, and real estate communities to make the city agency self-sustaining. By providing information, marketing services, and financing tools to the real estate community, NYCEEC will increase New York’s energy efficiency and spur construction job growth. NYCEEC’s efforts will enable a pipeline of projects that can be developed in the next 12 to 18 months.
PACT’s Community Health Workforce Initiative
Commitment by: Partners in Health
Summary: Partners in Health/PACT commits to integrate 25 community health workers into primary care teams across the nation. The community health workers will serve as extensions of clinics, bringing high-quality care and support into the homes of patients who are marginalized and disengaged from the healthcare system. Over three years, this workforce will impact 2,500 patients, ultimately reducing avoidable costs to the healthcare system while creating the means to innovatively improve health outcomes.
Scaling Demand for Commercial Tenant Green Buildouts
Commitment by: Natural Resources Defense Council and Johnson Controls Inc.
Summary: The Natural Resources Defense Council will bring together partners to design and implement retrofits in commercial tenant spaces. Johnson Controls will provide technical analysis to track performance and generate energy improvements. The project will begin with build-outs at a Jones Lang LaSalle space on Madison Avenue, the Bloomberg LP office space, and the Linked-In office in the Empire State Building.
Shape the Future – Economic Growth through Education
Commitment by: Microsoft Corporation and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Summary: Microsoft commits to help one million students from low-income households and 100,000 educators in the United States access high-speed broadband. In partnership with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and the Federal Communications Commission, Microsoft will provide home PCs, operating systems, educational software, skills training, and broadband service, for free or at a significantly reduced cost and will use its new assessment software to help local governments determine the economic impact of digital exclusion. The three year initiative will reduce the number of U.S. households without internet by 10 percent
Technical Training Center in Rural Indonesia
Commitment by: YUM
Summary: YUM commits to establish a new vocational-technical training center in rural Indonesia to provide workers with in-demand trade skills. This four-year commitment will train 600 people, align training with the needs of local businesses, link participants with employers, and provide micro-loans to 300 participants for the purpose of launching their own business.
WakaWaka – Home & Personal Solar Light & Power Source
Committed by: Business Creation Investments AG
Summary: Business Creation Investments AG commits to distribute one million solar LED lamps in eight developing countries in five years. With more than 20 percent of the world’s population not connected to the utility grid, the lamps will provide an affordable and safe alternative. The lamps, called WakaWakas, use new technology that provides more and longer light, as well as a faster charge, than any currently-available solar lamps.
What:
2011 CGI Annual Meeting (www.clintonglobalinitiative.org)
Where:
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When:
September 20-22, 2011
Applying for Credentials: To apply for a press credential to the 2011 CGI Annual Meeting, please complete the online form at http://bit.ly/pressreg2011.
Location: Unless otherwise noted, all events will take place at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers located at 811 7th Avenue. Press entrance and registration is on 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Executive Conference Center at the Sheraton.
CGI Media Center and Workspace: The Press Center is located in the Executive Conference Center in the lower lobby of the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. Wired and wireless Internet access will be provided. Phones will not be provided. There will also be video and audio feeds of most events available in the Press Center.
Interview Locations: There will be stand-up camera locations available that broadcast outlets can reserve in advance. In addition, there will be rooms available press can reserve for interviews. To reserve a time, please contact Seth Belaff at seth@tuckerproductions.com.
Wireless Microphones: Please do NOT bring or use wireless microphones on site, as they will interfere with the wireless PA systems.
Plenary sessions and selected press conferences: Plenary sessions will be sent out via fiber, free and unrestricted, on the following loop numbers: Ascent Media Loop #4461 (HD signal) & #4462 (SD signal)
Mult Box: Output specifics are: XLR for audio and BNC connection for video.
Sat Truck Parking: There are a limited amount of satellite and microwave truck parking spaces available. Please email Seth Bellaff at seth@tuckerproduction.com with a request or call at 917-414-5618.
Live Webcast: All CGI sessions open to the press will be webcast at http://bit.ly/cgilive.
Twitter: The event hashtag is #CGI2011.
Photos: Photos from the meeting will be available on CGI’s Flickr account at http://flickr.com/cgiphotos.
Facebook: Highlights, news, and photos from CGI will be shared on the CGI Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued in excess of $63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20-22 in New York City.
This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Fondo Acceso SAS Announces First Investment in Colombia
The Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Investment Fund formed by philanthropist Frank Giustra and the Fundacion Carlos Slim, in association with the William J. Clinton Foundation, makes a US $1.35 million investment in Alimentos SAS, a promising Bogota-based fruit by-products manufacturer
Investment to result in the creation of 277 new manufacturing and farm jobs in Colombia
New York, NY, September 15, 2011-- Fondo Acceso S.A.S. (Acceso) announced today that it will invest US$ 1.35 million in Alimentos SAS (Alimentos), a 28-year-old Bogota-based manufacturer that produces several lines of fruit by-products including natural fruit juices and pulp for distribution in supermarkets as well as to institutional consumers. The investment (a combination of debt and equity) will facilitate Alimentos’ implementation of plant improvements enabling them to secure industry certifications and to introduce innovative shelf-stable technology allowing expansion into new markets. The investment in Alimentos will be made directly by Fondo Acceso SAS, a Colombian enity and subsidiary of Acceso Fund LLC.
Acceso was incorporated in 2010 by Fundacion Carlos Slim, A.C. and the William J. Clinton Foundation in association with Frank Giustra. Through this partnership and President Clinton’s focus on the issue, Acceso addresses the limited financing opportunities for the small-and-medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) sector in Colombia – a sector that is underserved by traditional capital markets. Acceso uses market-based approaches to make disciplined investments in the form of loans or equity, not grants. Acceso measures both social and financial returns, with social returns sought in the form of job creation. Over the next five years, the investment in Alimentos is expected to generate 277 new jobs -- 100 in manufacturing and 177 in agriculture from the Colombia farm community that supplies fruit to Alimentos.
“By providing SMEs access to capital and assuring they seek the technical assistance needed to grow responsibly, we believe that they are well-positioned to expand. Through innovative funds such as Acceso, NGOs can be a catalyst for stimulating private financial market support of SMEs”, said Carolina Botero, Manager, Fondo Acceso.
About Fondo Acceso SAS
Fondo Acceso S.A.S. (Acceso) was incorporated in 2010 by Fundacion Carlos Slim, A.C. and the William J. Clinton Foundation as part of the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative. Small-and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) employ 30 percent of the Colombian labor force, but face challenges in accessing the financing that would enable them to expand. Acceso works to provide emerging SMEs in Colombia equity financing alternatives along with capacity-building assistance. To learn more about Acceso, please visit: www.fondoacceso.com
About Alimentos SAS, SA
Alimentos SAS has a 28 year history working in Colombia’s processed food market. In 2005, the company was acquired by Mr. Daniel Gaviria and Mr. Luis Trujillo, former executives in Colombia’s dairy industry. The combined vision of Mr. Gaviria and Mr. Trujillo is to apply the extended shelf-life and conservation processes common in the dairy industry to the fruit juice and fruit puree markets. To learn more about Alimentos, please visit www.pulpas-de-frutas.com
The Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Investment Fund formed by philanthropist Frank Giustra and the Fundacion Carlos Slim, in association with the William J. Clinton Foundation, makes a US $1.35 million investment in Alimentos SAS, a promising Bogota-based fruit by-products manufacturer
Investment to result in the creation of 277 new manufacturing and farm jobs in Colombia
New York, NY, September 15, 2011-- Fondo Acceso S.A.S. (Acceso) announced today that it will invest US$ 1.35 million in Alimentos SAS (Alimentos), a 28-year-old Bogota-based manufacturer that produces several lines of fruit by-products including natural fruit juices and pulp for distribution in supermarkets as well as to institutional consumers. The investment (a combination of debt and equity) will facilitate Alimentos’ implementation of plant improvements enabling them to secure industry certifications and to introduce innovative shelf-stable technology allowing expansion into new markets. The investment in Alimentos will be made directly by Fondo Acceso SAS, a Colombian enity and subsidiary of Acceso Fund LLC.
Acceso was incorporated in 2010 by Fundacion Carlos Slim, A.C. and the William J. Clinton Foundation in association with Frank Giustra. Through this partnership and President Clinton’s focus on the issue, Acceso addresses the limited financing opportunities for the small-and-medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) sector in Colombia – a sector that is underserved by traditional capital markets. Acceso uses market-based approaches to make disciplined investments in the form of loans or equity, not grants. Acceso measures both social and financial returns, with social returns sought in the form of job creation. Over the next five years, the investment in Alimentos is expected to generate 277 new jobs -- 100 in manufacturing and 177 in agriculture from the Colombia farm community that supplies fruit to Alimentos.
“By providing SMEs access to capital and assuring they seek the technical assistance needed to grow responsibly, we believe that they are well-positioned to expand. Through innovative funds such as Acceso, NGOs can be a catalyst for stimulating private financial market support of SMEs”, said Carolina Botero, Manager, Fondo Acceso.
About Fondo Acceso SAS
Fondo Acceso S.A.S. (Acceso) was incorporated in 2010 by Fundacion Carlos Slim, A.C. and the William J. Clinton Foundation as part of the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative. Small-and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) employ 30 percent of the Colombian labor force, but face challenges in accessing the financing that would enable them to expand. Acceso works to provide emerging SMEs in Colombia equity financing alternatives along with capacity-building assistance. To learn more about Acceso, please visit: www.fondoacceso.com
About Alimentos SAS, SA
Alimentos SAS has a 28 year history working in Colombia’s processed food market. In 2005, the company was acquired by Mr. Daniel Gaviria and Mr. Luis Trujillo, former executives in Colombia’s dairy industry. The combined vision of Mr. Gaviria and Mr. Trujillo is to apply the extended shelf-life and conservation processes common in the dairy industry to the fruit juice and fruit puree markets. To learn more about Alimentos, please visit www.pulpas-de-frutas.com
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