This document discusses surfing as a metaphor for navigating green business opportunities in Latin America. It summarizes that there are three key elements to surfing the green wave: the ocean (market conditions), the board (business vehicle), and the surfer (business/corporation). Several surveys discussed find that most Latin Americans and business managers are interested in green issues, but private sector companies have been slow to promote their green efforts and most consumers do not believe companies are engaged with sustainability. The document advocates that businesses must adapt to the growing green consumer sentiment in Latin America in order to survive, like a skilled surfer who times their ride and is willing to change with the conditions.

1. SURFiNG the GREEN WAVE A LATINAMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

2. THE OCEAN THE BOARD THE SURFER SURFING THE GREEN WAVE IS ABOUT 3 ELEMENTS : THE OCEAN, THE BOARD, THE SURFER. OCEAN CONDITIONS DEPEND ON WEATHER CONDITIONS BOARD SELECTION DEPEND ON WAVE SIZE, BUDGET AND SURFER SKILLS WHEN U ARE SUFFICIENTLY SKILLED, SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOUR BOARD AS FOR THE SURFER, HE OR SHE MUST OVERCOME THE FEAR BUT RESPECT THE OCEAN. MUST SEE THE PEAK COMING. AND MUST BE DECIDED. FINAL RIDE, A PERFECT TUBE. TOTAL HARMANY BETWEEN THE THREE ELEMENTS. THE OCEAN, METHAPHORICALLY SPEAKING THE MARKET. THE BOARD, AS THE VEHICLE FOR PROFIT OR SATISFACTION. THE SURFER, BEING YOU OR YOUR CORPORATION, OR –BETTER YET- BOTH. IF YOU ARE IN THE OCEAN YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS. EITHER SURF THE GREEN WAVE OR BE WIPED OUT. AND BELIEVE ME, BEING WIPED OUT IS UNCOMFTABLE, RISKY AND –SOMEHOW- ENDLESS.

3. WAVES TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF MILES. IN LATAM THERE IS A SWELL COMING. NOT BECAUSE CORPORATIONS ARE PRESSURING THE MARKET, NOR REQUESTING GREENER BEHAVIOUR FROM THEIR LOCAL OFFICES. NOT BECAUSE GOVERMENTS ARE PRESSURING FRIENDLY GOVERMNETS TO RULE ON BEHALF OF NATURE. NOT EVEN BECAUSE OF COMMODITIES PRICES RAISING, CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT IN OUR GEOGRAPHY NOR BRICS (BRAZIL, RUSSIA, INDIA AND CHINA) GROWTH. BUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL GLOBAL IMPACT OF COMUNICATION THAT BUILDS A COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE THAT CREATES AWARENESS AND/OR CREATES A TRENDY PATH FOR PROFESSIONALS, POLICIES AND PRODUCTS. AT SOME POINT MY VIEW WILL BE BROADER THAN GREEN BECAUSE CSR IS THAT AND MORE. AS DUKE KAHANAMOKU SAID IN 1911: YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY WAVES COMING IN ALL THE TIME, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. JUST TAKE YOUR TIME, WAVE WILL COME. SWELLWATCH.COM

4. BIG WAVE small THE NGO FORUM EMPRESA DEVOLPED A SURVEY IN OUR REGION. THEY ASKED ABOUT THE CSR STATUS IN LATAM. AS PUBLISHED BY FORUM EMPRESA

5. BIG WAVE small 68 % OF PARTICIPANT RESPONDENTS WHERE, SOMEHOW, PART OF CSR MOVEMENT IN THEIR COUNTRIES. AND STILL, GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY AND ENVIROMENT ARE THE LESS DEVELOPED VARIABLE. MOREOVER, ONLY COMMERCE SECTOR COMPANIES WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE ENVIROMENTAL ISSUES (BETWEEN SERVICES, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY). AS A RESULT, GOVERMENTS ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING. CREATING NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS. FORUM EMPRESA REPRESENT 2600 CORPORATIONS WITHIN 18 AFFILIATIONS. AS PUBLISHED BY FORUM EMPRESA

8. 98% ARE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF THE PLANET 81% ARE DOING SOMETHING SOMEHOW THIS ARE YOUR METAPHORICAL SURFBOARDS SURVEY MADE BY CONSULTOR APOYO

9. 67% GREEN STUFF for ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE BUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS STILL ACTING LIKE LAGGARDS. SURVEY MADE BY CONSULTOR APOYO

10. GREEN IS NOT AN ARGUMENT GREEN IS NOT ARGUMENT ENOUGH TO SELL FRIDGES OR CARS OR INSURANCE POLICIES. GREEN PER SE IS NOT A SOLID UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. …BUT. SURVEY MADE BY CONSULTOR APOYO

11. 8% CONSUMERS THAT BELIEVE THERE ARE COMPANIES ENGAGED WITH GREEN ISSUES 71% MANAGERS THAT ALLOCATED FUNDS TO GREEN BUDGETS ONLY 8% OF SURVEYD CONSUMERS BELIEVE THERE ARE COMPANIES CONCERNED, WORKING, ENGAGED WITH GREEN ISSUES, SUSTAINABILITY OR CSR. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SURFER. OUR SURVEY TO 100 GENERAL MANAGERS AND MARKETING MANAGERS DISCOVERED THAT 71% POSITIVELY ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR GREEN PROGRAMS. MOREOVER 30% RESPONDED OUR GREEN BUDGET WAS ALREADY SPENT.

12. AND IT IS NOT ABOUT THE SIZE. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN IN 2005 AT PADANG PADANG. THE SURFER IS JAMES SCOTT PELLEGRINE AND I DOWNLOADED WITHOUT PERMISSION. BUT IT MAKES THE POINT CLEAR. SURFING THE GREEN WAVE IS NOT ABOUT THE SIZE OF YOUR COMPANY BUT ABOUT YOUR SKILLS, YOUR TIMING AND WILLINGNESS OTHER WAY TO PUT IS REMEBERING CHARLES DARWIN. JAMES SCOTT PELLEGRINE. PADANG PADANG. SEP 2005

13. SPECIES OR BRANDS IF YOU MAY, WILL SURVIVE NOT BECAUSE THEY’RE STRONG, NOT BECAUSE THEIR MANAGEMENT IS BRILLIANT, BUT BECAUSE THE DEVOLOPED A SHIFTING MODE. THEY ADAPT. THEY ARE ABLE TO CHANGE. IS NOT ABOUT THE STRONGEST NOR THE MOST INTELLIGENT IS ABOUT ADAPTABILITY CHARLES DARWIN

14. CONSUMERS MOTIVES ACCORDING TO CONSUMERS CONSUMERS MOTIVES ACCORING TO MANAGERS CHECK THE PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONSUMERS AND MANAGERS. LONG LASTING PRODUCTS PERISHABLE PRODUCTS PRICE IS MARKET WISE GREEN IS SOCIAL

15. THIS IS NOT SOLELY ABOUT SAVING THE PLANET IS ABOUT SAVING THE PROFITS

16. andres@actua.ec ACTUA_VERDE