What does it really take to build an ecosystem where social impact thrives? In this heartfelt and insightful episode of The Invisible Experts Podcast, we’re joined by Jessica Oyarbide, co-founder of Ekhos, a platform dedicated to strengthening social impact ecosystems across Latin America and Europe.

From November 18th to 22nd, People and Planet First Week was celebrated, a global week that seeks to highlight initiatives and companies that put the planet and people first. This organization seeks to create a global badge that quickly identifies organizations that adhere to these principles.

How often do we feel outraged when we see trash dumped in our city's natural spaces? If we're able to enjoy a mate by the lake or play with our children in the squares, why aren't we able to take away or properly dispose of the waste we generate?

The existence of companies seeking to generate a positive impact on society and the environment is nothing new. Their emergence, growth, and expansion around the world are thanks to impact ecosystems that create fertile ground for these organizations to thrive.

The business world is evolving. The focus is no longer solely on increasing profitability, but on caring for and regenerating the planet, reducing inequality, and improving people's well-being.

When people in Argentina think of India, they generally associate images of the country with small, dirty streets crowded with low-income people. But that's just one facet of India. This vast and diverse country also boasts innovative solutions, cutting-edge technology, a rising middle class, and strategies that lift millions out of poverty each year.

In a region as diverse and vast as Latin America, social and environmental challenges tend to be complex and similar across the continent. Therefore, the search for joint solutions becomes both a necessity and an opportunity.

The opportunities between Latin America, India, and the United Kingdom are much broader than meets the eye. In each of these regions, social and environmental challenges are being addressed by Social and Impact Enterprises, supported by the ecosystems that drive them.

When thinking about Scotland from Argentina, images of medieval castles and towns, cliffs, and people playing bagpipes are probably the most common, but the enormous development of this country in the United Kingdom regarding Social and Impact Enterprises is unknown.

In the United Kingdom, there's a concept called Social Enterprise Cities, which seeks to identify and promote local social enterprises created to solve or mitigate social and/or environmental problems through business models. Is this a utopia or a possibility for Argentine cities?

For Social and Impact Enterprises to emerge and grow, it's not enough to have people who believe they can transform realities; they need an ecosystem that supports and guides them. The Tandil Impact Taskforce was created to foster the development of the local Impact Ecosystem.

Around 80% of people with disabilities are unable to access decent employment appropriate to their abilities. Social and Impact Enterprises demonstrate, once again, that businesses can be created with a strong focus on social integration. Three Argentine examples and one from the United Kingdom exemplify how to effectively generate social inclusion.

From June 10th to 15th, a trade mission of Latin American companies took place in the United Kingdom, which included participation in London Tech Week, one of the world's largest technology industry fairs. Among the Argentine companies that formed part of the delegation and participated in the activities were two companies with a presence in Tandil: Marcas que Marcan and Bee Real.

Have you ever wondered how the food you eat every day is produced? Under what conditions do the people who grow it work? Or how the land is managed? Sustainable gastronomy not only answers these questions, but also offers paths in harmony with nature.

Caring for the environment when doing business should no longer be optional. The consumption of natural resources is far more intensive than the Earth can regenerate on its own, and the extractive development model is causing great harm to both the planet and its people. However, there is another way to do business, and we find examples of this in Tandil.

There is a way to trade more sustainably, fairly, and equitably. During Fair Trade Month, three examples of businesses that generate a positive impact on the planet and people.

Have you ever wondered who made the clothes you wear? Who grew and harvested the food you eat? Under what conditions was the yerba mate or coffee you drink every day produced? Fair Trade is a movement that emerged from the recognition of the enormous injustices that exist in traditional commerce and proposed a commercial and productive alternative centered on respect, equity, and justice.

Impact Companies not only seek economic benefits, but are also committed to creating a positive impact on society and the environment while carrying out their activities. Key tools to identify companies that adhere to these principles are certifications and verifications.

There's a different way to do business: focused on generating a positive impact on people and the planet. Learn about three cases of Social Enterprises in Argentina that are changing the game.

People change, and so do businesses. There is another way of doing business, one that doesn't consider economic success as its primary indicator of progress, but rather integrates the well-being of people and the planet into its business model.