About Us
Our Purpose:
Empower people and organizations to take the lead on climate action.
Green Initiative is part of a new generation businesses that are driving a disruptive change for a climate and nature positive planet. We believe that this transformation has no turning back. The challenges to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement / Net Zero emissions by 2050, calls for a fundamental shift in business and economic models, combining short-term growth, with long-termshared prosperity.
Our Vision:
A Climate & Nature Positive Planet.
The moral case for climate action is clear – failing to prevent biodiversity extinction and climate change at scale would increase pandemics and push hundreds of millions of people into poverty, with devastating social and economic consequences globally. Moreover, Nature Based Solutions and Green Economy investments provide the opportunity to revert the biodiversity and climate crisis. We understand that infrastructures, energy, trade and financial services, should all seek nature positive impact on the planet. Avoiding and compensating externalities, is just not enough. Green Initiative is committed to support businesses, governments and communities to introduce climate action at the core of their activities.
Our Mission:
We boost the transition to net-zero emissions.
Green Initiative advises and certifies organizations seeking to achieve a new climate action standard. We do this by providing creative solutions to address climate change risks, market challenges and innovate opportunities, adding value to your offer and connecting you with the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We design creative solutions for your organization to address climate change, provide certification and advisory services that help our clients to understand the global trends and to identify and implement climate actions that provide consistent and long-lasting positive impacts.
Our Team:
TOGETHER WE CREATED GREEN INITIATIVE TO HELP YOU CONNECT WITH CLIMATE ACTION.
Luciana Visnevski
Head of Global Operations
Luciana is the head of global operations and responsible for coordinating our carbon certification solutions for SME’s. Luciana is passionate about promoting the overcoming of poverty, gender equity and the development of new business models that have a positive contribution to biodiversity and the climate.
Tatiana Visnevski
Head of Forest Friends and Country Director in France
Tatiana is the Global Head of ForestFriends and the Country Director of the Green Initiative in France. Tatiana is a passionate leader committed to reverting the tendency of climate risk while contributing to biodiversity recovery and long-term social prosperity.
Alfonso Cordova
Head of Carbon Management
Alfonso is an expert in climate action, being one of UNFCCC endorsed experts worldwide. Alfonso is a high-level professional with a proven record of working with national and subnational government institutions and the private sector. He is Green Initiative Head of Carbon Management.
Marcia
Regis
Country Director – Switzerland
Márcia is the Country Director of the Green Initiative in Switzerland and is responsible for coordinating relations between our organization and the United Nations, as well as being the coordinator of the Carbon Neutral Tourism and Climate Action initiatives in ESG Funds. Her experience has shown her that success is measured through the positive impact that is generated for the benefit of the planet.
Claudia Teixeira
Country Director – Brazil
Claudia is the Country Director of the Green Initiative in Brazil and responsible for coordinating relations with Private Guilds and Civil Society Organizations. Enterprising and pragmatic, she found in the foundations of the Green Initiative a way to make a positive impact on reducing, sequestering and neutralizing carbon emissions around the world.
Alberto Urteaga
Latin America Relationship Director
Alberto is the Latin America Relationship Director and responsible for supervising Green Initiative’s climate certification cycle. Alberto is passionate about promoting the overcoming of poverty, gender equity and the development of new business models that have a positive contribution to biodiversity and the climate.
Yves van
Hemelryck
CMO
Yves is responsible for marketing communications, web development, ecommerce, social and digital media. He has built and managed a few of the biggest ISPs and Content Portals in Brazil, as well as countless internet projects for service and retail organizations of all sizes.
Matheus Mendes
Portfolio Manager
Matheus leads all external and internal monitoring and client performance evaluation processes. Matheus is a goal-getter and passionate engineer with a solid and sustainable business development drive.
Renzo
Paino
Senior Advisor – Carbon Management
Renzo supports all certification cycle processes assuring compliance with international standards and protocols. Renzo is an experience engineer, with an international track record conducting certification processes in public and private organizations.
Carlos A.
Neto
Advisor – Institutional Development
Carlos is a well-versed advisor with experience in both public and private sectors. He has held significant positions in the Brazilian government and the Committee for Innovation and Technology in Salvador, Bahia. With a degree in Political Science and International Relations, he specializes in social inclusion, institutional development, and governance. Carlos drives Green Initiative’s institutional growth according to global standards supporting our Americas project portfolio.
Jorge
Ruiz
Advisor – IT Solutions
Jorge is responsible for ITS development for climate impact monitoring and reporting, which supports Green Initiative certification cycle implementation worldwide. Jorge develops tailored made solutions which provide a unique experience to our clients.
Erika
Rumiche
Advisor – Carbon Management
Erika supports all certification cycle processes assuring compliance with international standards and protocols. Erika is an environmental engineer with a solid technical background conducting certification processes in public and private organizations.
Virna
Chávez
Advisor – Mitigation Solutions
Virna is a member of the technical unit and supports the certification cycle process by helping to measure the carbon footprint and carbon capture of our clients. She is also in charge of developing the Green Initiative Mitigation Solutions unit. Virna has a great passion for innovation and has a background in Environmental Engineering.
Musye
Lucen
Advisor – Carbon Management
Musye is responsible for the systematization of processes and best practices that provide Green Initiative with a competitive edge. Based on her solid carbon footprint assessment and mitigation expertise, she plays a key role in supporting public and private organizations to set goals and monitor their climate performance through science-based targets. Musye is a multi-task executive who stands out for her quality advisory services.
Marc
Tristant
Advisor – Ecosystem Restoration
Marc is responsible for the management of Green Initiative’s ecosystem restoration practices and ensuring consistency in our science-based approaches. Marc also leads Green Initiative’s institutional relations with our local ecosystem restoration partners. He has a background in Science and has countless experience with conservation assessments.
Scientific and Technical Advisory Council (STAC)
THROUGH THEIR GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL GUIDES US towards ACHIEVEving OUR MISSION.
At Green Initiative, we believe in the power of collaboration and the vital role played by science in shaping our organization’s direction and initiatives. To ensure a diverse range of perspectives and expertise, with a particular focus on the Global South’s development and key constraints for climate and nature positive action, we have established a Scientific and Technical Advisory Council (STAC) that brings into our vision these fundamental expertise to drive inclusive and long-term development.
The STAC is dedicated to providing scientific and technical advice for Green Initiative tools, projects and resources, helping our organization to perform in the frontier of climate and nature positive action knowledge.
As a visitor to our website, we invite you to explore the role of our Scientific and Technical Advisory Council (STAC). We value your input and insights, and we believe that by working together, we can create a sustainable future, driving positive change and achieving new climate action standards. If you would like to get involved, or contribute to our initiatives, please reach out to us at contact@greeninitiative.eco.
meet our
Scientific and Technical Advisory Council
General Policies and Definitions
To ensure transparency and clarity, we have established and adapted general policies and definitions that guide our organization’s operations. These policies set out our core values, objectives, and the standards we uphold. They provide a framework for Green Initiative to function effectively, complying with relevant laws and regulations, and ethical standards.
Specific Policies related to Governance and Executive Functions
In addition to our general policies, we have specific policies in place that direct our governance and executive functions. These policies outline the processes and guidelines for decision-making, accountability, and consistency in the Management Board. They ensure that our engagement with stakeholders is fair, the decision-making process is impartial, and enhance the ability of our board members to effectively fulfill their duties and contribute to the company’s success.
Anibal Furugem
Is a senior specialist in derivatives, options, foreign exchange, and carbon offset markets, with a substantial record of accomplishments in the Brazilian financial services sector.
Sebastian Winkler
Is a social entrepreneur based in Switzerland, from where he has promoted important transformative initiatives that have promoted sustainable development globally. Among his extensive experience in politics and international development, he stands out his work as an advisor to the presidency of the European Union (Spain), Vice President of the Global Footprint Network, Senior Executive of IUCN, among others.
Sebastián Suito
Is a specialist in strategic communication and environmental management. Sebastián has more than 15 years of work experience in the public, private and civil society sectors, holding prominent positions as Member of the Environmental Control Tribunal (OEFA) and President of the Peruvian Institute of Sports.
Javier Díaz Cassou
He is an international development specialist, currently a senior economist at the World Bank with fifteen years of experience at the IDB, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Spain, and academia. Javier has numerous publications on international financial architecture reform, Latin American economic development, and other issues. He is convinced of the need to decarbonize our economies to move towards a more sustainable future.
Frederic Perron-Welch
He has participated in international biodiversity negotiations since 2009, representing intergovernmental, private sector, and civil society organisations. He serves on the board of International Law Association (ILA)-Canada, engaged in the ILA Committee on the Role of International Law in Sustainable Natural Resources Management for Development from 2015-2020, and is a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law.
Emiliano Cáceres
Is a lawyer with an important track record in disseminating good corporate governance in Peru. He has held leadership positions in institutions of the financial sector, investment funds, a society of stockbrokers, and trade unions. His experience includes the General Legal Management of Financiera CredInka and Diviso Grupo Financiero.
Allies:
WE ARE PROUD TO COLLABORATE AND EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS.
Green Initiative is recognized by the United Nations to provide advisory services that lead to Carbon Neutral Certification.
Green Initiative its a member of the Science Task Force supporting the development of global principles for ecosystesm restoration.
Green Initiative is partnering with the UNWTO, actively supporting the Glasgow Declaration Capacity Building Working Group.
Green Initiative supports the GCOM providing technical assistance and advisory services for cities to connect with Climate Action.
Together since 2015 developing standards for conducting ecological footprint studies worldwide.
Since 2018, we have designed creative ecosystems restoration approaches to contribute to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystems Restoration.
Working together to introduce Climate Action into Tourism, leading to the Glasgow Declaration and other achievements.
Green Initiative and Saimiri Foundation work together to monitor the impact of ecosystems restoration in some of the most significant biodiversity hotspots in Costa Rica.
We Answer Your Questions
At Green Initiative we help our clients mobilize resources for climate financing, in addition to complying with climate regulations for international trade, improving the efficiency of their operations, reducing costs and adding value to their products and services, connecting them with the París Climate Agreement, and with the United Nations Sustainable Goals.
At the Green Initiative we have the necessary know-how to enable our clients to lead this transformation through actions that generate positive impacts for their organizations, as well as for the planet.
- we support your business full cycle of climate action, going beyond.
- science-based methodologies and tools.
- experience in various industries and countries.
- we are accredited as a support resource for United Nations Climate Change, GCOM, CDP, OnePlanet, Global Footprint Network, and UN Decade for Ecosystems Restoration.
- we provide a cost effective value proposition.
A Climate Certification is a formal endorsement of your organization’s work in progress and commitment to shift towards a low carbon emissions economy achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or before.
Green Initiative Climate Certifications offer direct benefits to increase your business competitiveness and sustainability performance, among which the following stand out:
- climate leadership
- climate action at the core of the business
- mobilize climate financing (loans and grants)
- compliance with international climate trade standards
- support innovation through climate-friendly products and services.
- aligns your business to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Green Initiative Carbon Neutral Certification A carbon neutral certification demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to decarbonisation, and the neutralisation of remaining impact through the support of environmental projects.
- Carbon Neutral Certified demonstrates that your business is committed to decarbonisation through clear science based mitigation targets, and has conducted the off-setting of remaining impact purchasing carbon credits that reduce and capture greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere (such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and forest conservation projects).
- Climate Positive Certified means that your business climate action has gone beyond neutrality, actually creating environmental and climate benefits by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through actions to protect, sustainably manage, and/or restore ecosystems.
We kneet the right sock for your shoe. In the travel industry, Green Initiative provides solutions for tourism operators offering carbon-neutral services as part of their post COVID recovery strategy.
Companies such as My Costa Rica and Inkaterra offset emissions with certified compensation projects and sponsor forest recovery.
Machu Picchu, the first CarbonNeutral Certified wonder of the world, is engaging tourists to offset their carbon footprint.
Adidas is sponsoring ecosystem restoration in a land the size of one football field in the Amazon; they are planting trees as part of their carbon mitigation goals.
REVERT is offsetting remaining emissions supporting climate solutions, and sponsoring climate positive action.
At Green Initiative, we provide funding for two complementary types of climate change mitigation solutions: one is planting native trees for ecosystems restoration, and the other is supporting natural and technology driven solutions through carbon credits.
Recently planted trees need to be nurtured and protected for years to provide environmental services such as carbon sinking. Planting a tree is a matter of having empathy with life on earth. Today, more than ever, we need to connect with global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, and planting trees, under the scope of ecosystem restoration, provides a fundamental tool for reverting the natural climate crisis we are facing.
To conduct the carbon off-setting of your business the most consist approach to do so is through carbon credits.
Certificate for Emission Reduction, Certified Carbon Offset, or simply Carbon Credit is a certificate generated by an accountable body that represents reducing or removing one ton of CO2 from the atmosphere.
These certificates aim to monetize the climate benefits embedded in specific projects and provide them with an additional revenue stream.
A Carbon Credit enables you to offset your business’s unavoidable carbon emissions by funding projects worldwide that avoid, reduce or capture greenhouse gases. A Carbon Credit is a part of an international mechanism endorsed by the United Nations that allows your business to claim carbon neutrality.
There are different levels for climate change mitigation results. Within your business, you should prove impact by monitoring your Key Climate Performance Indicators. You should be able to do so simply by conducting your carbon footprint assessment annually using Green Initiative Carbon Management Tool.
From a carbon footprint offsetting perspective, your business will prove to have compensated its carbon emissions through the provision of a Carbon Compensation Certificate. This certificate provides complete detailed information of the source (VERRA, Gold Standard, or CDM), type of credits (carbon reduction, avoidance, siking, or removal), and the specific market ID number of the credits used by your business to claim carbon neutrality.
Monitoring tree planting for ecosystems restoration is done by combining on the ground supervision with high-precision satellite images. Green Initiative provides one of the complete monitoring services available, effectively comparing the baseline situation with restoration performance.
We only work with tree-planting partners who plant trees responsibly. In addition, our partners are regularly audited by third parties, and publish internal reports for us with updates and data from our planting sites. Check out this performance monitoring report for our Costa Rica tree planting project.
