With the goal of inspiring about the present and future with relevant cases and promoting connections in the region, the event had the participation of 90 people, including business leaders, public sector representatives, academia, and the third sector.
It was organized by Sistema B Argentina and the three B Companies from San Juan – Conexxión, Broker Andino, and DAMS – with the support of Banco San Juan.
Additionally, they announced an agreement to promote a financial system that will benefit triple impact companies in the country.
The opening was conducted by Marina Arias, Executive Director of Sistema B Argentina, who highlighted the role of companies as social agents.
“Today we are talking about ‘building futures,’ and the only way to do it is sustainably; otherwise, there is no development or future. San Juan has many opportunities, and the role of companies is key at this moment in history. How they will develop their business will be crucial in building the society we want to be part of.”
### Business Leaders from the Province
Sistema B is an organization that works to build an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system. It promotes companies as the main agents of change, using the power of the market to contribute to the common good.
B Companies are certified companies that meet high standards of social, environmental performance, and transparency. In Argentina, there are 270 B Companies, and globally they exceed 10,000.
” It is essential to rethink ourselves so that the way we impact comes from the heart of the business; that is the way to guarantee the growth of the impact and to ensure that sustainability is not a cost,” explained the organization’s leader.
Later, Fernando González, Corporate Manager of Wholesale Banking, and Marcelo Parada, Corporate Manager of Branding and Sponsorship of Grupo Petersen, the company that owns Banco San Juan, Banco Santa Cruz, Banco Santa Fe, and Banco Entre Ríos, took the floor.
### Triple Impact Alliance among Business Leaders in Argentina
Together with Marina, they announced an alliance between the organizations to promote the promotion and growth of triple impact companies in Argentina, creating conditions for business leaders that facilitate access to responsible and sustainable financial solutions.
“This alliance with Grupo Petersen and its four banks, which are major players in the market and understand where businesses should be heading, is very important. Their support and future support will be key for the years to come, and that’s why I celebrate it,” highlighted Marina Arias.
“Our purpose is to accelerate growth for regional development,” said Marcelo Parada. “We are convinced that the potential of San Juan is enormous. We do not want to be just a financial agent; we want to support all actors and business leaders who seek sustainable growth.”
“We want to be strategic allies, understand where our clients stand, support this process, and be the facilitator that enables that differential leap,” added Fernando González. “The Argentine business community does wonders, and as service providers, we must seek the levers that make their work easier.”
### Announcement of the Camino+B Edition
In this regard, a face-to-face edition of Camino+B was announced in the city. It is a support program for San Juan companies interested in achieving B Company Certification.
The implementation will be led by the B Company Conexxión, a local consultancy specialized in triple impact and organizational transformation.
During three meetings, participating companies will acquire methodologies and tools through the B Impact Assessment to measure the social and environmental impact of their operations in communities and plan concrete actions to improve it.
Companies and business leaders demonstrating high standards of social and environmental performance will receive support from B Consultants and Sistema B Argentina to implement the necessary actions to apply for B Company Certification this year, as the new B Lab standards come into effect in 2026, raising the bar for all B Companies worldwide.
### Support from Banco San Juan
Banco San Juan will cover 100% of the participation costs for 10 triple impact companies in the province interested in participating in the program.
Additionally, it will provide financial support in the implementation of improvements needed to meet certification requirements and in the application costs.
The program starts on August 26, and those interested can access more information and pre-register at [https://bit.ly/CaminoB_SanJuan2025](https://bit.ly/CaminoB_SanJuan2025).
“We invite companies in need of financing to knock on our doors. We want to support SMEs in transitioning to this new economy we are seeking. That’s why from the group of business leaders, we want to support San Juan companies interested in taking the Camino+B and increasing the Community of B Companies in the region,” said Leonardo Picardi, Leader of Financing and Sustainable Alliances for Wholesale Banking at Grupo Petersen.
During the event, participants also heard the panel “Competitiveness for the businesses of the future,” moderated by María José Almerich, Partner at Conexxión. In it, Mercedes Álvarez, Sustainability Manager at Trivento (B Company), highlighted the importance of having this perspective to reach new markets: “We are a winery with an export profile, we have customers who give us preferential space for demonstrating our sustainable practices. Today, you can hardly enter certain markets if you don’t do this.”
### The Talent of B Companies
Regarding the B Company Certification, she also emphasized its importance in attracting talent: “It is a really positive point and appeals a lot, especially to young generations who decide to work in a company that, in addition to an impact on business, has an impact on the environment and people. The B Impact Assessment allows you to broaden your perspective while maintaining focus and improving on all indicators; it forces you to measure yourself, and you can’t improve what you don’t measure,” she explained.
Miguel Ippólito, Management Director of Grupo Mitre (B Company), stated that he belongs to a family company in the construction sector founded by his father 40 years ago, which incorporated a recycling and circular economy model.
“In each proposal, we tell clients what will happen with the waste from their works, that we will try to revalue them and reintroduce them into the market,” he said. Miguel also highlighted the value of the B Impact Assessment: “We discovered a lot of impacts we had, especially related to our employees. The path opened many doors and wonderful conversations for us, and today we have increasingly demanding goals.”
“One can think creatively from an SME on ways to be sustainable. The world needs that; companies are a social agent and a training space. People spend a lot of time in our companies, and what we do generates changes in their lives and families,” concluded the Grupo Mitre leader.
Mario Hernández, Sustainability Manager at Los Azules, spoke about designing a mining project with the lowest possible water and carbon footprint.
“Within our impacts, we have to look closely at the social impact and the generation of resources. We are all in a business that needs to make money, but also generate value and distribute it equitably,” he said, adding, “I celebrate this meeting, that we are all looking at what we can do better and sharing productive and technological experiences.”
“We aim for carbon neutrality by 2038 and then carbon positivity. The planet is one, we have to work differently. That will lead us to produce green copper from 2038, as we will use renewable energies. San Juan has the most important role of all in this new industry.”
Mariano Carmona, Executive Director of San Juan Bureau of Events and Conventions, highlighted the value of “intermediate associations.” “I fully agree on the value of the Argentine business community, but we have a lot to work on in the development of intermediate associations that generate policies that set the rules and spaces for debate, exchange, and truly be places of containment where different companies dare to think about sustainability,” he said.
The meeting concluded, under the slogan “Valuable Conversations,” with a debate among the 90 participants. The leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of San Juan and how businesses can contribute to it, exchanging experiences and best practices of articulation between the private sector, the government, and civil society organizations.
