Breakfast Roundtable and Networking in São Paulo

On November 7th, 2025, the Impact Principles Secretariat convened an Impact Principles Breakfast Roundtable and Networking event in São Paulo, Brazil, hosted by Zurich Insurance and cosponsored by IDB Invest, Vinci Compass, and Lightrock.

Centered on the theme of Local Contexts, Global Standards, and taking place ahead of COP30 and on the heels of PRI in Person, the event brought together a diverse mix of regional and global Signatories, asset owners, and ecosystem partners. Together, we explored regional dynamics in IMM and how global standards like the Impact Principles can support the continued development of the Brazilian and Latin American impact investing markets.

The conversations surfaced a few key takeaways:

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: There was shared optimism around the increasing breadth and depth of impact opportunities across Brazil and Latin America, matched by a desire to advance the sophistication of IMM practices throughout the market.
C𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Especially in emerging markets, global frameworks and standards are most effective when adapted to local contexts, with impact strategies and IMM approaches tailored to business realities, LP priorities, local regulations, and relevant tools and metrics that balance rigor with practicality.
𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: Local knowledge, credibility, and relationships are critical for investors seeking deep and sustained impact outcomes that address real challenges. This can be achieved through local staffing and intentional ecosystem engagement and collaboration.
𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: As Latin America’s impact market matures, education, technical assistance and other capacity building efforts can support making rigorous IMM the norm. Regional investors can benefit from aligning with global industry standards and broadening their ecosystem engagement beyond local markets. At the same time, emerging market actors are developing new insights and innovations that can and should contribute to global thinking about IMM.

A warm thank you to our host, sponsors and speakers: Danielle Brassel (Zurich Insurance, Convener of the Impact Principles Advisory Board), Joohee Rand (Impact Principles), Juan Parodi (IDB Invest), Cezar Augusto Aragão (Vinci Compass), David Smith (Aqua Capital), Tatiana Freire Sasson (Lightrock), Jocelyne Ozdoba (Blue like an Orange Sustainable Capital), and Sean Gilbert (The Global Impact Investing Network).

We are grateful to all our participants and look forward to continuing this important conversation on the intersection of local contexts and global standards for impact investing, particularly in emerging markets.