SEMS Contest

The LAAD Sustainability Award was created to recognize and make visible the environmental and social impact of our clients. The first edition took place in Colombia in 2024, and the second edition will be held in Mexico in 2025. The winner will receive a USD$10,000 prize and a trip to Quito, Ecuador, to present their project at the LAAD Annual Board Meeting. Projects must align with at least one of the following axes:
– Environmental Axis: regenerative agriculture, climate-smart practices, renewable energy, efficient resource use, carbon footprint reduction.
– Social Axis: improved labor conditions, community support, inclusion, education, health, or infrastructure.
The 2024 winner, Macarena S.A.S., was selected due to their initiative “Sembrando Futuro,” which promotes inclusion and sustainability in rural areas through ancestral agricultural knowledge, intergenerational learning, and community engagement. The project has benefited approximately 120 people, including 25 children and their families, and 17 workers.
This initiative serves to further strengthen LAAD’s vision & mission of creating a positive impact in rural communities, as well as to promote social development in the region

Scholarships

LAAD is fully aware that its clients operate in rural areas that have many needs over and beyond financing for agricultural activities. These areas lack essentials such as health services, electricity, running water and in some cases, even personal security. Recognizing that one company cannot help everyone in all locations, LAAD has opted to focus its support on education.
LAAD believes with accessible education, new generations of small, traditional farmers may return to their unpaved towns and begin to formulate new and better ways to reach, work and develop within their community, improving life conditions for generations to come.
This journey began in 2008 with the launch of the “Oscar M. Alvarez” Scholarship Program at Escuela Agricola Panamericana Zamorano in Honduras. Since then, we have expanded our support and now proudly offer four scholarship programs. These programs include Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, Universidad Ciencias Aplicadas in Peru, and Faculdade La Salle in Lucas do Rio Verde, Brazil.
Our programs are dedicated to supporting talented students from rural areas who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievements but lack the financial resources to pursue higher education. Through these scholarships, we aim to empower these bright individuals to achieve their educational goals and contribute to the development of their communities.
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