By INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey has presented its Decalogue for the Economic & Business Refounding of Mexico, a guide to key aspects to reactivate the country through a more conscious model of doing business and taking advantage of the opportunities that arise after the contingency of COVID-19.

“In our institution, we are committed to the development of new generations of leaders who transform our societies. The pandemic has shown us the pressing need for better leadership to better deal with the health crisis and future social and economic metastases," said Ignacio de la Vega, dean of EGADE Business School and the Undergraduate Business School at Tec de Monterrey.

Publishing the document, EGADE Business School reinforces its commitment to the Mexican entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial ecosystem and contributes to finding collective solutions to the effects that the health crisis has caused in society.

"With this decalogue, we join the search for collective solutions to the challenges that face us as humanity," added De la Vega.

The ten keys of the decalogue, in summary, are:

1. Develop a more conscious business model. Companies should forget about capitalism that only benefited the shareholder, prioritizing business strategies that incorporate sustainable production, and actively participate in entrepreneurship and social innovation.

2. Build resilient societies and organizations. The shock caused by the pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of most companies and institutions. It is urgent to implement future thinking mechanisms and establish guidelines for a more just and sustainable future for all.

3. Establish the entrepreneurial ecosystem as the core of recovery. The pandemic has created opportunities that many entrepreneurs have been able to capture. It is necessary to consolidate an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation in which companies, universities, and research centers participate as poles of attraction for talent.

4. Leave no one behind: invest in development, education, and opportunity generation. As in previous crises, the most vulnerable populations are suffering the effects of this crisis more acutely. The revival of the economy must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for vulnerable communities populations through public-private investment, and education.

5. Take a closer look at opportunities for a new trade globalization and regionalization scheme. The new reality incorporates a brake regarding globalization and the maintenance of global supply chains, which configures a new map of opportunities that Mexico cannot miss.

6. Embrace digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. COVID-19 has highlighted the urgency of having a national program for the adoption of sales and distribution technologies for proximity commerce, as well as incorporating better e-commerce tools and support mechanisms for proximity logistics.

7. Leverage economic recovery through sustainability and innovation. There is an opportunity to redefine what type of companies and sectors will receive investment, how the economy will be reactivated, directing growth towards a fairer, more inclusive, responsible, sustainable, and competitive model.

8. Drive talent in a connected educational system. Aligning universities and training agents with the new economy and the new technological contexts must be a priority to enhance their impact on the development and competitiveness of the country.

9. Drive global governance and multilateralism. To face the challenges of the future, a multilateral governance system is needed that transcends the needs and capacities of a single institution or interest group, that cares about the common interest, and that incorporates the capacities of diverse groups.

10. Forge collaborative, transparent leadership. We need leaders who can think strategically and communicate effectively, but also who go beyond words and act according to goals and with the decision to face the challenges of an unknown world that must be reinvented and rebuilt.

The full document of the Decalogue for the Economic & Business Refunding of Mexico can be downloaded here.

Since the beginning of the health emergency, the priority of the Tec and EGADE Business School has been the health and safety of its students, professors, and collaborators.

In this way, last March they announced the closure of their campus and headquarters, as well as the implementation of the Digital Flexible Model to ensure and guarantee the academic continuity of their students, demonstrating that, despite adverse conditions, it is possible to maintain the quality standards at a distance and continue to fulfill its purpose: Educating that Transforms Lives.

Recognizing the ability of its community to adapt and be flexible in the face of the uncertainty and diversity of its geographic footprint at the national level, the Tec and EGADE Business School are preparing to start the semester August-December 2020 under HyFlex+, a different and innovative model that will allow students combine face-to-face and remote activities.

DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENT

By José Ángel de la Paz

Accelerating digital transformation is the new norm, assured Desmond Mullarkey, president and CEO of SAP México.

In the webinar “Digital strategy: turning challenges into opportunities”, from the EGADE Future Forum series, the executive explained that organizations with a strong digital core and solid processes will be able not only to beat the pandemic, but also to innovate.

“A lot depends on the organization’s maturity. The ones that lack these factors won’t survive,” said Mullarkey, who commented that his company has managed to migrate 100% of its projects to remote-service models, prioritizing employee and customer health and safety, owing to COVID-19.

Likewise, María Pía Aqueveque, founder and CEO of Deep Tech CODE, observed that the contingency has made organizations more aware of the importance of data-driven decision-making.

“During these months, we have realized that there are numerous process-enhancing technologies or solutions available that we had never used before, such as Zoom. In addition, deep tech, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data, among others, through a combination of cryptography, traceability, georeferentiation, facial recognition, 3D visualizations, temperature taking and data analytics, allow us to carry out, in a more efficient manner, critical infrastructure maintenance, and monitoring remotely, thereby reducing our collaborators’ exposure,” added the Chilean economist and entrepreneur.

The webinar was moderated by Gilberto Olavarrieta, director of Digital Programs at EGADE Business School, who commented that the School will shortly be launching the new Specialization in Digital Strategy.

WATCH THE WEBINAR:

By José Ángel de la Paz

Christiane Molina, research professor in the Department of Strategy and Leadership at EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey, coauthored the book México 10 emprendedores sociales (Mexico 10 Social Entrepreneurs) recently published by LID Editorial, in collaboration with CEMEX, the CEMEX-Tec Prize and Disruptivo.tv.

The work documents the success stories of Mexican social enterprises that are remarkable not only for their business models, but also for the impact they have had on the communities in which they operate.

Molina’s contribution presents the story, challenges and achievements of Iluméxico, a Mexican social enterprise founded in 2009 to distribute isolated solar systems in the country’s rural communities, where more than 500,000 families have no access to electricity and rely on candles, diesel and other lighting sources that are inefficient, expensive, harmful to health and hazardous to the environment.

“The essence of its business model could be said to lie in the critical step of service delivery. Going where neither other companies nor public services go, and knowing how to do so, has been key to the consolidation of Iluméxico. Very often, customers can only be reached by using pack animals, barges and other means of transportation. Of the communities the company serves, 25% can only be reached on foot. The platform for accessing the communities together with market knowledge allow Iluméxico, which today takes solar energy to homes, to aspire to reaching even further in the future. In short, the last mile is their specialty,” Molina said.

At present, Iluméxico is led by the entrepreneur Manuel Wiechers Banuet and its impact translates into more than 23,000 installed systems, which represent a total installed capacity of 3.7 MW and in excess of 17,000 accumulated tons of displaced CO2, as well as over 103,000 users distributed among almost 2,000 communities.

En 2010 instalamos el primer equipo solar autónomo de 10[W] en Los Tuxtlas,Veracruz. Hoy contamos con 23,100 instalaciones en 27 estados de la República Mexicana, 9,210 de ellas son equipos de 325[W]. Gracias por ser parte de la historia y por tu confianza en iluméxico. pic.twitter.com/I5Qc4lTPZv

— iluméxico (@ilumexico) April 29, 2020

Other Tec de Monterrey professors participated on México 10 emprendedores sociales, addressing the cases Blooders, Échale a tu casa, Grupo Murlota, Hipocampus Centros de Aprendizaje, Isla Urbana, Pixza, Promesa, Someone Somewhere and Tierra de Monte, whose stories seek to inspire more people to implement a project that will generate positive change in the country and worldwide.

The documented social companies were selected by the book’s coordinators, Juan Del Cerro, founder and CEO of Disruptivo.tv, and Joshua Hammerschlag, professor at Tec de Monterrey, with the support of representatives from the social entrepreneur ecosystem in Mexico and Latin America (Ande, Ashoka, Impact Hub, Make Sense, New Ventures, Possible, Promotora Social México, Sistema B, SVX, Unreasonable Institute México e yCo.).

Professors Christian Salazar, Jairo Ruiz, Yoshiko Sakai, Romain Pouzou, Christiane Molina, Hilda Ortiz, Luis Alonso Castellanos, Isaac Lucatero, Joshua Hammerschlag and Verónica Tena researched and wrote the 10 cases.

The new book was launched on June 24 in a virtual presentation given by the coordinators, some of the authors, and guests, including Martha Herrera, global director of Responsible Business and Shared Value at CEMEX, and director of the CEMEX-Tec Center.

By José Ángel de la Paz

As the leading business school in Latin America recognized worldwide for its commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey constantly strives to build extraordinary experiences for its community, in any circumstance.

In March, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and in compliance with institutional provisions to safeguard the health and safety of its community, EGADE Business School announced its migration of all the face-to-face classes to an online format.

Another implication of this transformation was the transfer of the School’s diverse activities and events to a virtual format through platforms such as Zoom and Webex, also in compliance with the social distancing recommendations of the health authorities.

Using VirBELA immersive technology, EGADE Business School has innovated the way in which it holds meetings, conferences, bootcamps, and briefings, enabling hundreds of students, alumni, and prospects to interact through avatars in virtual 3D spaces.

This platform has hosted: the Dean’s Welcome, a student welcome event at the start of the Abril-June 2020 trimester, led by Ignacio de la Vega, dean of EGADE Business School; the conference “Disrupt the Disruption” for students and alumni; the Virtual UX Bootcamp for EGADE MBA students; the MBM Student Chat, a panel with Master in Business Management alumni for the program’s candidates, among other events.

¡Desde la bienvenida virtual con nuestro decano, @Ignaveg! Estamos seguros de que este periodo académico estará lleno de retos y aprendizaje que los ayudarán a desarrollar más habilidades y competencias para un mundo global en los negocios. #EGADELiFE pic.twitter.com/c7vN6bYBpF

— EGADEBusinessSchool (@egade) May 4, 2020

Moreover, some of the Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Master in Business Management sessions have been held on the VirBELA virtual campus.

“We needed an improved virtual experience where, instead of being passive listeners, our students could be active players and game-changers. With VirBELA, they can now create their avatars, explore our virtual campus and even dance Zumba, all while receiving a cutting-edge education. This gamification educational approach has driven the EGADE virtual experience in every sense,” commented Julien Depauw, director of Academic Innovation at EGADE Business School.

During the contingency, and to continue to consolidate digital competencies, EGADE Business School has also encouraged students and alumni to participate in activities such as EXATEC EGADE Virtual Talks, EFMD Virtual Career Fair Series by Highered, Peeptrade Tradier Challenge, Speed Networking Week and virtual mentoring programs.

In addition, EGADE Business School graduation candidates have enjoyed the virtual celebrations Celebrate the Class of 2020 and Tec Forever, two unique experiences prior to their face-to-face graduation ceremony, which will be held as soon as health circumstances permit.

For the business community, EGADE Business School has launched, during the contingency, two webinar series: A la altura del desafío: liderazgo en el contexto de COVID-19, which has already finished, and the new EGADE Future Forum, presenting faculty and academic and business leaders who will contribute knowledge to address the challenges and capitalize the opportunities of the “new normal”.

As a precedent to the fresh impetus EGADE Business School has given to virtual and immersive experiences, last year the School inaugurated a virtual reality room to allow its community to explore its trends and applications in business and research.

By José Ángel de la Paz

For the first time ever, six EGADE Business School Ph.D. in Administrative Science students completed their studies and defended their theses in their respective exit exams remotely, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the new doctors celebrated this achievement in the virtual ceremony Tec Forever, together with another 5 thousand undergraduate and graduate students from Tecnológico de Monterrey’s diverse schools and campuses.

José Ernesto Amorós, national director of Doctoral Programs at EGADE Business School and leader of the Strategic Focus Research Group in Innovation, commented:

“At EGADE Business School and Tec we have made enormous progress in our flexible education models, and the current situation has forced us to accelerate the digital transformation of all our educational processes. The doctoral programs are not exempt from this transformation. What is most relevant is that for the knowledge generation, today more than ever, there are no borders to prevent us from contributing with our research to the organizational world.”

The names of the doctoral students who graduated and their respective dissertations are as follows:

• Ana Beatriz Salas Valdés, “The Adoption of International Labor Standards by Suppliers Operating in Latin American Emerging Economies” (outstanding thesis).
• Nancy Berenice Ortiz Alvarado, “The Role of Emotions and Mindsets on Well-Being and its Relationship with Consumer Behavior”.
• Andrea Mendoza Silva, “The value of intra-organizational social capital in fostering knowledge sharing and innovation capability” (outstanding thesis).
• David Capistrán Wah, “Recognition of Human Dignity through Organizations: its applicability and actions towards it”.
• Javier de Jesús Liñán González, “How is healthy food conceptualized and what are the determinants of healthy food choices?”
• José Anselmo Pérez Reyes, “El constructo de la estructura de capital para la industria de la construcción de infraestructura en México. Un nuevo enfoque hacia el estudio de las finanzas conductuales corporativas” (“The Construct of the Structure of Capital for the Infrastructure Construction Industry in Mexico. A New Approach to the Study of Corporate Behavioral Finance”).

Of the six students, Andrea Mendoza Silva was the first to take her exit exam remotely, on May 28th, and Nancy Berenice Ortiz Alvarado, the last, on June 12th.

After migrating all its face-to-face classes to an online format on March 17th, owing to the contingency, EGADE Business School is now getting ready to initiate the next academic period in August with a hybrid system.

By José Ángel de la Paz

Two hundred and nineteen EGADE Business School graduates celebrated the culmination of their studies during the virtual ceremony Tec Forever, together with more than five thousand undergraduate and graduate students from the diverse schools and campuses of Tecnológico de Monterrey.

The EGADE class of 2020, made up of 6 doctors, 212 masters, and one specialist, enjoyed a unique experience prior to their face-to-face graduation, in live transmission with the participation of directors and faculty.

By program, there were 6 graduates from the Ph.D. in Administrative Science, 121 from the EGADE MBA, 30 from EGADE - CENTRUM MBA, 13 from EGADE - UNC Charlotte MBA in Global Business & Strategy, 16 from Global OneMBA, 31 from the Master in Finance, 1 from the Master in Business Management and 1 from the Specialization in Energy Management, belonging to the Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey sites, as well as the fly-in program in Querétaro, and Lima, Peru.

Con orgullo felicitamos a nuestros alumnos de la generación #2020 que obtuvieron menciones honoríficas de excelencia. #TecForever ?? pic.twitter.com/XDzeTgysoE

— EGADEBusinessSchool (@egade) June 24, 2020

The event started with the Deans of the Tec National Schools sharing messages with the new graduates.

“On this very special day for you, with these historical circumstances we are experiencing, I would like to send you my best wishes for your careers, for your lives. Our world is in need of many leaders like you. Congratulations and I wish you every success,” said Ignacio de la Vega, Dean of EGADE Business School and the School of Business.

Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and presidential candidate of the United States, served as the guest speaker and, in her message, advised that keeping people safe and healthy and rebuilding the global economy will require new skills, knowledge, creativity, and a spirit of entrepreneurship.

“I say, not only congratulations to you, but I also say I am really counting on you. I can’t wait to see how you make your mark on the world. So graduates, go forth and Godspeed,” commented the also former Secretary of State in Barack Obama’s administration.

@HillaryClinton participando como Orador Huésped en la magnífica ceremonia de Graduación de la Clase 2020 de @TecdeMonterrey y de @egade . Felicidades a todos los graduados , necesitamos lideres cono ustedes para transformar este mundo tan complejo . #TecForever #NegociosTEC pic.twitter.com/yADnjvb8bF

— Ignacio de la Vega (@Ignaveg) June 24, 2020

In his last message as President of Tec after 8 years and just a few days before leaving office, Salvador Alva urged this generation to put into practice their leadership and competencies for lifelong learning.

“Today, you would all have been here with me in this hall. I can feel your physical absence. Nevertheless, this place is filled with your energy, your projects, your dreams, your ambitions.

"This will be the time to demonstrate the usefulness and value of your education at Tec. I have great confidence that the world will be a better place. It will be in the hands of the new generations, in your hands. If we view the world through your eyes, it will be a world brimming with opportunities,” Alva stated.

Somos lo que elegimos ser, sé que podrán alcanzar todos sus sueños y metas, si tienen el coraje de luchar y construirlos día con día. ¡Piensen en grande!

Les comparto mi mensaje para la generación junio 2020 del @TecdeMonterrey #TecForever https://t.co/0liup3c8TI

— Salvador Alva (@Salvador) June 24, 2020

In addition, José Antonio Fernández, chairman of the Tec Board, and David Garza, rector and future president of the institution as of July, addressed a few words to the new graduates.

"You must think responsibly for our country’s communities. Always seek success as well as the wellbeing of other people. In particular, let’s think of the least privileged or those who will not have the same opportunities as you have had,” Fernández said.

Garza expressed his pride in the exemplary way in which young people have faced up to this situation they have had to go through.

"As of today, you are Tecnológico de Monterrey alumni and alumnae. Always feel proud of Tec, because Tec is very, very proud of you, and remember that it will always be your home,” he indicated.

Diverse personalities sent congratulatory messages to the new graduates.

¡Felicidades a la generación 2020! @TecdeMonterrey @egade ? pic.twitter.com/4j23nYZ4VI

— Cristina Ferral (@cristinaferral) June 24, 2020

During Tec Forever, which was held virtually in keeping with the social distancing measures in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, the new graduates received their digital certificates with blockchain technology, which facilitates verification of its authenticity worldwide.

Tec Forever does not replace the face-to-face graduation ceremony, which will be held as soon as health circumstances permit.

With information from CONECTA.

By José Ángel de la Paz

Students from nine Global Network for Advanced Management member business schools participated in the EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey “Social Innovation” module, within the June 2020 Global Network Week for EMBA Students. 

Unlike previous occasions, this year’s program was offered in an online format owing to the global COVID-19 contingency, connecting 24 students, of 15 different nationalities, from ESMT Berlin (Germany), IE Business School (Spain), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile School of Business (Chile), Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO (Russia), Saïd Business School (UK), Strathmore Business School (Kenya), Yale School of Management (USA), UNSW Business School (Australia) and EGADE Business School. 

Participants had the opportunity to meet and work with other students from the Global Network to explore the worldwide development of social innovation, with a special focus on Mexico and Latin America. 

Guided by professors Ezequiel Reficco and Francisco Layrisse, they learned about the different concepts (hybrid organizations, B corporations – B systems, systemic thinking), tools, and attitudes needed to lead a social innovation.

Networked learning is here! We're pleased to welcome 24 students from the Global Network for @advancedmgmt who will be attending this week's virtual Global Network Week
? ? #GNW2020 pic.twitter.com/A1t26kT4C9

— EGADEBusinessSchool (@egade) June 8, 2020

They also conversed with social entrepreneurs and guest speakers from Inditex, World Wildlife Fund, Ashoka, and Smart Impact, and went on virtual tours of the Impact MX center for collaborative innovation and the Fablab social innovation laboratory.

They also enjoyed cultural interactions directed by Professor Valeria Sánchez, including a tasting of Mexican candy, delivered at their homes beforehand by courier, and talks on tacos, Day of the Dead, and mariachis, among other traditional Mexican topics. 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE

Students from other schools commented on the EGADE Business School program:

"I truly appreciate the entire team from the bottom of my heart. Valeria Sánchez made me feel like I was literally in Mexico. She’s extremely good and very passionate. Ezequiel Reficco, on the other hand, made me feel like I’m ready to be a social entrepreneur, he had a great knowledge of the subject. 'Pancho' Layrisse was a great moderator and facilitator. His input on the hybrid organizations enlightened me a lot. The experience was amazing. I hope to travel to Mexico in the coming days and to meet the team physically," said Washingtone Koech, a Kenyan student at Strathmore Business School. 

"I chose this course as someone making a large career transition with the hope of gaining an understanding of ways to make an impact and gained so much more. You’re all very inspirational and I’m grateful to have been part of this experience with you all. Also, I can’t wait to visit Mexico, what an amazing place," said Jodie Beattie, an Australian student at UNSW Business School.

Students participating in Global Network Week learn about our culture and traditions! ? ?? ?
Such an honor to have you! #GNW2020 @AdvancedMgmt pic.twitter.com/moXgcJPpPK

— EGADEBusinessSchool (@egade) June 11, 2020

"What touched me the most was how truly passionate and helpful everyone is, from professors 'Pancho' Layrisse to Ezequiel Reficco to Armida Lozano to the rest of the EGADE team to the speakers to the entrepreneurs... I can feel their fire even through Zoom! I hope this fire continues to burn in every one of us, and whatever we do in the future, think social, think hybrid, think systems, think SDGs, and about all that we have experienced. I don’t know when I will start my social entrepreneur journey, but today I will start spreading the word! Last but not least, Valeria Sánchez showed us her true love for her beautiful country and its colorful culture. The gesture of sending us sweets was very touching," Bosco Lai, a Canadian student at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. 

"To the EGADE team, I just want to thank you all for making this experience as authentic as possible given the constraints of virtual learning. I’ve gained such a great perspective about social innovation and México! I'm truly grateful for this course, and I do wish this was part of all courses and not a separate course. Perhaps that’s a social innovation question we all need to think about! Thank you for the resources 'Pancho' Layrisse and Ezequiel Reficco. I truly enjoyed the learning experience, and my daughter did too when she would sneak into class. I’ll recommend this course to everyone in my cohort at Oxford," said Masego Mbaakanyi, a Botswanan student at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. 

EGADE STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OTHER PROGRAMS 

A total of 53 EGADE Busines School students, from the EGADE MBA, Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Global OneMBA, and Master in Finance programs, participated in 12 modules delivered online within the June 2020 edition of the Global Network Week for EMBA Students. 

Some of these modules were: “Behavioral Science”, Yale School of Management; “COVID-19, Sustainability, and the Future of Business”, UBC Sauder School of Business; “Digital Transformation”, IE Business School; “Gender Equity and Leadership in the 21st Century”, Berkeley Haas School of Business; “Innovative China: Towards Sustainable Growth”, Fudan School of Management; “Negotiating in a Global Environment”, UNSW Business School; and “The Start-Up Challenge: an innovation sprint to launch your first business”, ESMT Berlin, among others. 

By José Ángel de la Paz

Students from EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey were honored with two 2020 Flourish Prizes for the positive business innovations stories they wrote about the companies Pixza, from Mexico, and Mamut, from Bolivia. 

Their works, “Pizzeria Making Social Change One Slice at a Time” and “A TIREless Effort for a Brighter Future” stand out this year among the honorees of the 17 Flourish Prizes, selected by a jury of business leaders and academics from the 824 stories published by students on the AIM2Flourish platform during 2019.

The annual international competition gives an award for each of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals, to celebrate the role of companies in achieving each of the global goals for 2030. 

Congratulations to all of our 2020 Flourish Prize honorees! We are proud to be able to celebrate so many amazing organizations and the students and professors behind the AIM2Flourish stories written about them. https://t.co/wBo9awRMaT#FlourishPrizes2020#GlobalGoals pic.twitter.com/OVkIyMcuD7

— AIM2Flourish (@AIM2Flourish) June 12, 2020

The stories of the 17 honorees of the 2020 edition come from 13 business schools and universities in seven countries. The preliminary stage included 11 finalists from EGADE Business School, within a group of 76. 

The call for the Flourish Prizes is published on the AIM2Flourish platform, at the initiative of the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit and the Weatherhead School of Management - Case Western Reserve University. 

PIXZA: A SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT PLATFORM DISGUISED AS A PIZZERIA

“It is possible to be for-profit and for-impact”, assures Alejandro Souza, founder of Pixza, the protagonist of the work “Pizzeria Making Social Change One Slice at a Time”, the honoree in the category Global Goal #10: Reduced inequalities.

Its story was told by students Sandra Moreno Almaguer, Alicia Fernández Martínez and Mirelia Ríos Barreras, from the EGADE MBA, and Tanya Ramírez Guzmán, from the EGADE - UNC Charlotte MBA in Global Business & Strategy, under the direction of professor Consuelo García de la Torre. 

The 2020 Flourish Prize for Global Goal #10 honors @pixzamx and the story by Sandra Moreno, Tanya Ramirez Guzman, Alicia Fernández and Mirelia Rios from @egade under the direction of Consuelo Garcia-De-La-Torre. #FlourishPrizes2020 https://t.co/HnWwkGppzQ pic.twitter.com/d2PF4sXB1H

— AIM2Flourish (@AIM2Flourish) June 10, 2020

Pixza offers in its restaurants, located in Mexico City, the first and only blue corn pizza in the world made with 100 percent Mexican ingredients, and also operates a multidimensional social empowerment platform that targets young people aged 17 to 27 with a social abandonment profile, to help them hold a formal job, develop socio-emotional skills, and establish and implement a personal and professional life plan.

“With four years of operating and three restaurants, Pixza’s social empowerment platform has graduated 60 young adults whose lives have changed. Alejandro’s ultimate aim is for Pixza and its platform to exist anywhere in the world,” the students commented. 

MAMUT: BUILDING SUSTAINABLE CITIES BY TRANSFORMING WASTE TIRES INTO RUBBER FLOORING

"We don’t actually sell a product. We build sustainable cities and want to be a leader in Latin America selling and manufacturing products for sustainable construction,” said Antonio Laredo, about the inspiration that gave rise to his company Mamut, in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Antonio and his brother Manuel saw the opportunity to achieve this by using waste tires as a key input in the production of rubber flooring for parks or sports and recreational spaces.

This is the story of “A TIREless Effort for a Brighter Future”, honoree in the category Global Goal #11: Sustainable cities and communities, written by students Joseline Galindo Delgado, Manuel Morales Ancira, Mauricio Rubio Martínez and Lucía García Garza, from the EGADE MBA, under the direction of professor Ezequiel Reficco.

The 2020 Flourish Prize for Global Goal #11 honors @PisosMamut in Bolivia and the story written by Joseline Galindo, Manuel Morales, Mauricio Rubio and Lucía García from @egade under the direction of Ezequiel Reficco. #GlobalGoals #FlourishPrizes2020https://t.co/r9pnQUj33q pic.twitter.com/ijmo4GqqpX

— AIM2Flourish (@AIM2Flourish) June 11, 2020

"I found the story of Mamut highly inspiring. These entrepreneurs, based in Bolivia, decided to make a difference against all odds. When faced with an environmental problem, they did not look the other way and decided instead to turn that challenge into a source of joy for youngsters. Their country lacked the required technology, so they simply created one. I commend this team of students for selecting this initiative. It shows that each of us can make a difference, if only we make that choice!," said professor Reficco.

Mamut has a wide-ranging impact: it reduces landfills; creates safe, inclusive spaces, such as parks and sports fields; strengthens the circular economy; foments a new wave of sustainable, innovative ideas in developing countries; and, also, reduces breeding grounds for mosquitos that spread zika, dengue, and other diseases. 

“To date, Mamut has reclaimed more than one thousand tons of rubber and has set itself the goal of increasing this amount by 26 percent in 2019, compared to the previous year. This figure represents over 172 thousand reused tires in the three countries in which Mamut operates,” the students explained.