New Ventures M?xico Launches Las P?ginas Verdes (“The Green Pages”)
Monday, December 3, 2007
On November 28, New Ventures M?xico celebrated the launch of its sponsorship phase of Las P?ginas Verdes, or The Green Pages, Mexico?s first directory of environmentally and socially sustainable products and services.
Las P?ginas Verdes has quickly become recognized as Mexico?s most valuable green marketing tool because it brings together all sustainable alternatives available for consumers in one convenient place, increasing the ease of making sustainable consumption an every-day reality. Its slogan “Think Sustainable” addresses agents of change, including opinion leaders, concerned consumers, university students, purchasing departments and young professionals.
As of June 2008, the directory will be available to the public free of charge, both in print and online, and it plans to list over 2,000 sustainable companies, divided by sector and product/service category. The directory will also contain sponsor pages, background information, selection criteria and application forms. In order to be included in Las P?ginas Verdes, a product or service must carry a seal from its respective field?s certifying organization.
Last week?s launch of Las P?ginas Verdes was held in Bosque de Chapultepec, a large, beautiful park in the centre of Mexico City. The entire event itself was planned with sustainability objectives in mind. Low-emission space heaters and recycled plastic containers-turned-lanterns enhanced the lounge atmosphere, and attendants were offered organic beverages and shuttle services via bici-taxi. Screens displayed a preview of Las P?ginas Verdes, and a short informational video on the effects of irresponsible consumption and related opportunities was also shown.
Speakers at the event included Rodrigo Villar Esquivel, Director of New Ventures M?xico, Dania Mart?nez-Parente, Coordinator of Las P?ginas Verdes, Manuel Arango, Founder of the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI), Lorenzo Rosenzweig, General Director of the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), and Martha Delgado Peralta, the Mexican Federal District?s Secretary of the Environment. All commented on our shared responsibility of embracing today?s environmental and social challenges and asked everyone in attendance to start by “thinking twice” and making responsible consumption choices.
New Ventures M?xico was founded in 2004 as a joint initiative between the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN) and the World Resources Institute. Its mission is to “promote sustainable economic development by offering strategic services to companies that respond to environmental and social challenges, thus cultivating a culture of entrepreneurs and responsible consumption.” Over the past three years New Ventures M?xico has become the country?s most important sustainable business accelerator and has added business incubation and consulting services.
