Santander has advised FIRA (Trust Funds for Rural Development) on the launch of its ESG Portal, which pools all the Mexican state-owned company's sustainability policies, and on the forthcoming launch of the first Gender Social Bond in Mexico, which aims to foster the economic independence of women in the country's agricultural sector. 

Thanks to its global experience in ESG practices, Santander was chosen by FIRA to advise it on the development of its strategic sustainability framework, which will help the institution to project itself more effectively in the investment policies market geared towards responsible practices and establish a milestone in the Mexican public sector's adoption of sustainability objectives.

FIRA's ESG Portal will be the first port of call for comprehensive information on the institution's environmental, social and corporate governance activities in the Mexican agricultural sector including its work to foster equality, which has been recognised and certified by several institutions.

"As an institution responsible for the development of the agri-food sector, FIRA has a steadfast commitment to socially responsible investment. With the launch of this portal, and by focusing on the participation of women in the agriculture and fishing sector, FIRA puts itself in the vanguard in the application of environmental, social and corporate governance criteria that the market demands today", said Jesús Alan Elizondo Flores, director general of the institution.

FIRA will also shortly issue the first Gender Social Bond in Mexico which, in accordance with the principles of international best practices, will enable financial resources to be obtained to empower women in the Mexican agriculture and fishing sector in three categories: financial inclusion, employment and production initiative, and entrepreneurship. This issue will involve five of the country's financial institutions.

"At Banco Santander we have a steadfast commitment to sustainability best practices. We were the first bank to launch an ESG equity fund, and this is why we were able to contribute our global and local experience to support FIRA in this achievement. We are sure that FIRA will provide an example to emulate, stimulating the appetite of the markets, which are including an ever-larger weighting of socially responsible investments in their portfolios", said the country head of Santander Mexico, Héctor Grisi Checa.