Abstract
This chapter describes the legal framework for the classification of various entities (both commercial and non-commercial) as corporations with social or environmental impact in Mexico. Considering the absence of ad hoc legislation and the widespread incentives for companies to become certified as enterprises with a commitment to social interest, several recommendations are put forward. Specifically, this chapter details how a legal regime could be integrated into the country’s current regulatory environment to increase the number of firms eligible for B Lab certification.
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1 Introduction
Companies that identify a specific social or environmental problem and create a business model to facilitate or develop solutions to said problem from a market perspective are not specifically contemplated in Mexican positive law. This is despite the fact that Mexico has the highest inequality rate among countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and one of the highest rates in the world. At the beginning of 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the OECD’s Secretary General and former Secretary of the Treasury addressed Mexico’s business community and stated that the average income of the richest 20% was 10.3 times higher than that of the poorest 20% and that, according to 2019 data from the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Institute of Social Research, the richest 10% of Mexicans receive 36% of the country’s income, whereas 50% of the population receives 20%.Footnote 1 Therefore, it is critical for Mexico to ensure that businesses, in addition to earning profit, help specific areas of society by operating in ways that have a positive social, environmental, and economic impact.
Some initiatives originating from society’s living forces contemplate the need for Mexico to regulate companies to regulate companies with an important social and environmental impact.Footnote 2 However, this could take some time, as the current public administration, although it claims to prioritize Mexico’s lower-income population, has made few political efforts to eradicate poverty, thereby allowing poor Mexicans to simply remain as a source of political support and campaign votes. Thus, the present chapter highlights the great need for the Mexican government to promote the establishment of a regulatory standard for socially committed companies.
2 Mexico’s Corporate Legal Structure
Although a company is an economic activity, the companies that practice such activity are the product of a legal structure. As pointed out by the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Corporate Law in Africa: “Understood at the legal level, as an organization created for the exploitation of an economic activity and the sharing of the profits which result from it, the company is the theater of the combined application of various categories of legal norms.”Footnote 3
Mexican companies are organized under various structures established in various laws.Footnote 4 All of these laws contemplate entities that are eligible to be certified as B corporations.
2.1 Limited Companies
Most companies in Mexico belong to the public limited company (i.e., sociedad anónima) category; they can take various varieties such as fixed capital or variable capital and incorporated or unincorporated governance structures, regardless of whether they are public entities. The fundamental characteristic of this type of companies is their “impersonal nature,” as “the partner is not interested, but his contribution.”Footnote 5 Many small and medium-sized enterprises as well as large corporations fall into this category, as do financial system entities and enterprises that place their capital or securities on the market.
2.2 Limited Liability Companies
The second most common (albeit by a wide margin), type of companies comprises limited liability companies (i.e., sociedades de responsabilidad limitada). Limited liability companies consist of partnerships in which the meeting of a capital is combined with the importance of the people that compose it (although with a maximum limit to the number of members); however, members’ responsibility is limited by how much they contribute to the company.
2.3 Cooperative Societies
Cooperative societies (i.e., sociedades cooperativas) are governed by their own laws, which define it as a: “social organization made up of individuals based on common interests and the principles of solidarity, self-help and mutual aid, with the purpose of satisfying individual and collective needs through the performance of economic activities of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.”Footnote 6
The purpose of these companies is that the owners of the company are both the clients and users of its services, establishing a closed-circle operation wherein synergies and economies of scale are used to obtain goods and/or services for them, their homes, or their productive activities. Owners work together in the production of goods and/or services, contributing their personal, physical, or intellectual work, attracting resources through money saving deposits from their partners, and providing said partners with credit using the funds raised. According to González Bustamante, “The historical antecedents of this institute go back to the days when the feeling of solidarity or the need for mutual help was born among men.”Footnote 7 However, it seems that social cooperative societies are focused on meeting needs that differ from those contemplated by social enterprises.
2.4 Simplified Stock Companies
Having been only recently adopted within the Mexican legal framework, following the example set by France and Colombia, the simplified stock companies (i.e., sociedades por acciones simplificadas) category has emerged in Mexico, aiming to formalize small businesses, which may comprise only one partner. Simplified stock companies are structures intended for small enterprises, so they could hardly qualify as candidates to allocate part of their income to promote social or environmental causes. Rather, these societies should be seen as an object to be promoted by social enterprises.
2.5 Others
As with cooperative societies and simplified stock companies, the same thing can be said of the corporate structures in agrarian law. Although these structures are destined to an activity worthy of being promoted, they typically serve more as objects, rather than actors, of the social drive.
2.6 Corporate Governance
An important reflection on Mexico’s business sector is that the principles of corporate governance, as enunciated and promoted by the OECD,Footnote 8 have been accepted in Mexican business practice, following the Code of Principles and Best Practices of Corporate Governance,Footnote 9 which is not a legally binding set of rules but rather a set of recommendations (i.e., soft laws).Footnote 10 However, in certain sectors, these principles have become mandatory standards; such is the case of the entities that make up the financial system, as all of them are required by law to implement corporate governance principles and standards.Footnote 11 The presence of these increasingly widespread principles and structures in Mexico’s commercial environment makes the country a fertile ground for social enterprises.
3 Other Non-Business Corporate Structures
Since Mexico is a federal republic, some issues have been preserved for legal regulation by the states that make up the federation. Such is the case of what happens with three activities that must be considered to promote activities with social value: entrepreneurship, social welfare, environmental care as do the certified B-corporations. Those three activitiesFootnote 12 are: private assistance; social, sports, cultural or artistic activities; performance of liberal professions.
3.1 Assistance Institutions
Assistance institutions can be defined as: “legal persons of public interest that, with assets irrevocably assigned to them by individuals, permanently carry out humanitarian acts and pursue purposes of assistance, non-profit purposes and without individually designating the beneficiaries.”Footnote 13
Assistance institutions comprise groups that are ordinarily subject to regulation and supervision by the government, which monitors their actions and performance to prevent them from being used for commercial purposes, as well as to promote and support their goals. Specific laws have been issued for their regulation, such as the Social Assistance Law (a federal law) and pieces of legislation issued by each state’s government (Mexico is a federation with 32 independent entities).Footnote 14 In the country’s capital, Mexico City, there are 506 private assistance institutions.Footnote 15
Assistance institutions’ economic resources are usually obtained from individual donations, foundations created either by living persons or mortis causa in wills, and organizations dedicated to making these types of contributions. A great example of such institutions is the Nacional Monte de Piedad, a non-profit private assistance institution (originally established as a financial institution) that has operated uninterruptedly for 244 years; its main aim is to help people in need. It provides social aid mainly by offering pledge loans and other financial services at the lowest interest rates in the market, fair appraisals, and coverage throughout the entire Mexican Republic. With the operational remnants of the pledge loan and financial services, social investments are made in projects of health, education, housing, gender equality, food security, community, and economic development through 600 private assistance or charitable institutions and other programs.Footnote 16
3.2 Civil Associations (Asociaciones civiles)
Regulated by each state’s civil codes, civil associations are non-profit legal entities that are created through a contract through which the associates agree to pursue a common goal that is not prohibited by law and not predominantly financial in nature.
This legal structure is widely used for the realization of educational, cultural, sports or mutual aid activities. “The civic association is a contract that is frequently observed by persons who join their efforts for purposes other than commercial gain.”Footnote 17
Although these associations are restricted from dedicating themselves to a predominantly economic activity, they manage resources from associates or donors’ contributions, which allows them to carry out their activities. If during these activities they obtain profits, these must be reinvested in their activities. Further, these associations will never be able to distribute profit, interest, or dividends to the associates.
3.3 Civil Partnerships (Sociedades civiles)
As with civil associations, civil partnerships are formed through a contract between partners for the purpose of conducting activities that are primarily economic and for-profit in nature but should not be classified as commercial in nature. “Civil societies are private law businesses that primarily pursue economic goals through the provision of goods or personal labor, but without suggesting commercial activity.”Footnote 18 A classic illustration of this organization is the group of professionals who conduct their professional activities in these firms, such as lawyers, public accountants, physicians, and architects.
3.4 Trusts
Trusts have become more common in Mexico. A trust consists of an affectation that one or more people make of certain assets to an institution, regularly a bank, to be destined for a specific purpose, without establishing it as a legal entity but rather as an autonomous entity. This purpose can be the temporary or permanent performance of certain activities. Further, this purpose may be cultural, social, ecological, promotional, or related to a certified B corporation’s activities.
As it can be seen from the description of these legal structures, although they are not commercial entities, they can be used and qualified within the purposes of the so-called Certified B Corporations or entities for social or environmental impulse.Footnote 19
4 Ecological Legislation in Mexico
In Mexico, companies’ environmental impact is strictly regulated; companies have a series of obligations to preserve the environment. These norms are established in the country’s Constitution, which states that “Everyone has the right to an adequate environment for their development and well-being.”Footnote 20 These laws include the following:
-
General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection
-
General Law of Sustainable Forestry Development
-
General Law of Climate Change
Further, we must also consider laws and regulations in each of Mexico’s 32 states, as well as the different international Agreements and Treaties to which Mexico is a party. All these rules and regulations focus on environmental risk-related issues such as:
-
Land use
-
Proximity of companies to population centers
-
Supervision of high-risk activities
-
Disposal and management of hazardous materials and waste
-
Nuclear energy, noise, vibrations, thermal and light energy, odors, and visual contamination
This indicates that the protection of the environment and the purposes pursued by a company with social and environmental impact (i.e., a certified B corporation) are covered. Subsequently, we will explore how a company is regulated as a promoter of ecological well-being.
5 Fiscal Legislation
There is a tax regime in Mexico that authorizes any taxpayer, as a natural or legal person, to deduct from their income the amounts contributed or donated to charitable entities and activities, after they have received the authorization to do so. Mexican tax lawFootnote 21 exempts from income tax the following non-profit legal entities: assistance or charitable institutions; civil societies or associations; organized non-profit and authorized to receive donations; as well as associations, civil societies, and trusts that are dedicated to activities considered worthy of being promoted, including those conducted in pursuit of the objectives of certified B corporations. These activities include the following:Footnote 22
-
Promotion and dissemination of the arts
-
Educational and research activities
-
Protection of the nation’s cultural heritage
-
Libraries and museums
-
Promotion of citizen security
-
Defense of human rights
-
Participation in matters of public interest
-
Promotion of gender equality
-
Protection of natural resources and the environment
-
Civil protection
-
Advocacy
-
Consumer protection
-
Agricultural or artisan products projects
-
Granting of scholarships
This means that the country already has a legal framework that provides significant incentives for the development and promotion of social and environmental activities.
6 Certified B Corporations in Mexico
In Mexico, there are 64 companies certified by B Lab as B-corporations. Some were created in Mexico and are currently operating under Mexican law, while others are foreign companies that have a legal presence in the country.Footnote 23 These companies are listed in the Appendix. To obtain such certification, Mexican companies must include in their statutes the following conditions:
-
1.
That the corporate purpose of the company includes the mention of seeking a positive material impact on society and the environment.
-
2.
That the company’s administrative body takes into account any decision or action that influences (i) the shareholders; (ii) its workforce, subsidiaries, and suppliers; (iii) its clients and consumers; (iv) the community; (v) the local and global environment; (vi) its long-term and long-term performance; and (vii) its ability to fulfill its corporate purpose. However, none of this implies the creation of special rights for third parties, as the company’s by-laws determine the rights and obligations of the shareholders and the company’s legal representatives, as well as their actions toward third parties. Nevertheless, this does not allow third parties to enforce these laws (thereby affecting the company’s shareholders or legal representatives) beyond what is established by law.Footnote 24 In Mexico, a Board of Directors of the Global Movement and Initiative of B Corporations was established in 2012, joining the global B movement in 2014.Footnote 25
On the creation of an ad hoc legal framework for these companies, it should be noted that there is a plurality of opinions:
The legal figure that most of them start out as is that of a civil association. From my experience, most of them start out like that and eventually begin to operate under hybrid models or become a SAPI (Sociedad Anónima Promotora de Inversión), for example, when they want to raise investment.Footnote 26
For some, this issue must be exclusively fiscal because the incentives must come from the allocation of a tax prebend. Some ideas of how this issue can be addressed in legislation are displayed in the following section.
7 Ideas to Develop a Legal Regime for Social Impact Companies in Mexico
This section discusses the development of a legal regime for companies eligible for inclusion in the B-certification program. It also explores the goals for which certified B corporations have been formed by the movement led by B Lab, which states its purpose as follows: “Building on our standards and certification process, our network leads economic systems change to support our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.”Footnote 27
7.1 Entity Rating
Muhammad Yunus defined social enterprises as organizations formed with the primary goal of resolving a social, environmental, health-related, or similar problem and the secondary goal of generating sufficient revenue to be sustainable over time.Footnote 28 Further, as Ortega mentioned at a recent symposium held at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, “[…] social businesses […contribute] to the creation of social value through productive activities that generate revenue for social benefit activities […].”Footnote 29
One way to achieve that is by establishing a new type of corporate structure that adheres to the principles espoused by socially responsible enterprises. “The objective of such a commercial society would not be purely economic, but would encompass a much broader purpose. Initially, this approach was limited to the directors’ strategic decisions, but it is now reflected in the organization’s governance structures (articles of incorporation or shareholders’ agreements).”Footnote 30
A way to address the issue in Mexican legislation and practice could be to qualify a corporate structure for those that already operate within the country with under the category that has been suggested: social and environmental impact entities (entidades de impacto social y ambiental). This could prove more beneficial than creating a new category of corporate enterprises. The global economic crisis currently prevalent makes it difficult to launch an initiative of such size to develop such companies exclusively for the purpose of promoting social and/or environmental well-being.
However, it may be possible to motivate extant companies to dedicate a part of their energy and profits to this purpose, especially if they are granted appropriate fiscal incentives. Such a transition for currently existing businesses is made possible by their legal structure. Valderrama et al. noted the following: “this demonstrates that the company must be lucrative in order to continue. Economic duty is at the base of the pyramid; legal concerns necessary for the company’s well-being are at the second level; ethical responsibility is a layer above the previous two; and philanthropic obligation is at the top of the pyramid.”Footnote 31
The study described above21 reached the same conclusion when analyzing the feasibility of creating a new legal structure for social enterprises in Mexico. In other words, given the country’s current political circumstances, it would be preferable to use the existing legal structures while adding certain provisions.
To this end, the study states: “However, we believe that the political environment is unfavorable, given the legislator’s current priorities with regard to the regulation of the extant types of businesses; in particular, cooperatives, which the legislator could classify them alongside SEs due to their mission containing a social and solidarity economy component.”Footnote 32
7.2 Requirements
To accomplish the integration of social enterprises into the existing legal framework, it is necessary to define what constitutes entities of social and environmental impact. Such entities would be required to:
-
(a)
Be constituted for profit purposes, which is a typical characteristic of commercial entities. An exception to this requirement could provide for non-commercial entities such as private assistance institutions, civil associations, civil societies, cooperative societies, etc. that could be subject to obtaining the qualification provided they meet the other requirements listed below.
-
(b)
Dedicate a part of their profits or income to social and environmental projects.
-
a.
At the discretion of each company according to its statutes
-
b.
According to a catalog of activities that the authorities define as suitable because they are those that the State considers that it should encourage according to its social and economic policies.
Typically, such activities could be:
-
i.
Paying attention to basic health and wellness requirements.
-
ii.
Providing access to basic public services.
-
iii.
Supporting the defense and promotion of human rights.
-
iv.
Promoting social inclusion and mitigation of inequality.
-
v.
Promoting cultural activities.
-
vi.
Promoting economic actions and support the economic development of social entrepreneurship.
-
vii.
Innovating and developing a sustainable infrastructure.
-
viii.
Preserving and improving the environment.
-
i.
-
a.
-
(c)
They can do it directly or through a subsidiary of the same corporate group. In this case (which illustrates the integration of a corporate group), it is possible that a non-profit entity (e.g., a civil association) may become part of it.
-
(d)
The way to do so may consist of a direct economic investment, a reinvestment of profits, or the integration of reserves that are later redirected for such purposes.
-
(e)
Have a corporate governance structure that establishes a board committee that deals with social and or environmental projects.
-
(f)
Include in their annual report what has been done in the social or environmental field (vis-à-vis sports, entrepreneurship, education, health, education, culture, housing, and environment-related activities).
-
(g)
Comply with ecological regulations and economic competitiveness-related industry standards in their specific sectors (e.g., healthcare, finance, communications, etc.).
7.3 Regulatory Authority
Some of the countries that have legislated the issue of the B corporation have designated a governmental department (according to their own legal and organizational structure) to supervise companies’ registration, regulate the activities that companies must undertake to be promoted, supervise the fulfillment of the objectives such entities, approve the projects in which the resources are invested, and authorize the provision of incentives. In Mexico, the Ministry of Economy or some decentralized body could take on such responsibilities.
The existence of one such authority and the powers granted to it must be measured according to how much state intervention is determined to be appropriate. Particularly, it may preferable that the legal regime only has a basic definition, and that state intervention remains as limited as possible. This is because B certification is about promoting social and environmental benefits instead of weighing companies down with bureaucratic responsibilities. Self-regulatory entities that make up the entities themselves tend to be a good answer.
This authority could exist independently from the B Lab network. Footnote 33
7.4 Incentives
Fiscal stimuli are often used to promote state-related activity effectively. Limiting fiscal voracity in the sake of identifying certain behaviors among the governed is an objective that governments must pursue, as fostering new and more active businesses will result in increased collection. According to Calvo Nicolau, “there are times when the designer of the norm seeks to promote behaviors between individuals through the law; to accomplish this, they arrange for the awarding of incentives or rewards to those who adapt their behavior to the promoted behavior.”Footnote 34
Legislation must preserve the deductibility treatment of donations received to be invested in such activities. Likewise, it will be convenient to consider giving a favorable tax treatment to the certified entity. Those incentives could range from paying taxes at a reduced rate; being able to deduct what was invested in social or environmental activities; having access to other types of deductions; alleviating bureaucratic requirements for filing applications; as well as obtaining permits and authorizations, frequent periodic declarations, and secondary tax obligations. Tax incentives should also be addressed to the entity’s shareholders or partners in regard to dividends or participations received or in the case of the sale of shares or social stock.
8 Conclusion
The purpose of certified B corporations is highly noble and worthy of being promoted. Although Mexico does not have a special legal regime for the creation of this specific type of entities, it does have structures in its legislation and practices that can be used for this purpose. Therefore, there is a system in place that can be used to supervise the registration and certification of social and environmental impact entities. It is possible to build a suggestive regime that invites enterprises to adhere to the program and philosophy of the project.
Notes
- 1.
Gurría Treviño (2020).
- 2.
Pérez (2020).
- 3.
Kalunga and Mortier (2020), p. 9. Own translation from the original French.
- 4.
Ley General de Sociedades Mercantiles, Ley de Sociedades Cooperativas, Ley de Sociedades de Solidaridad social. Ley del Mercado de Valores, Ley de Fondos de Inversión, Ley de Asociaciones Público Privadas, leyes del sector agropecuario y las leyes del sistema financiero, por citar las más significativas. http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/index.htm.
- 5.
León Tovar (2016), p. 28.
- 6.
Article 2 of the General Law of Cooperative Societies (Ley General de Sociedades Cooperativas).
- 7.
González Bustamante (1988), p. 2947.
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas (2009).
- 11.
Méjan (2008), p. 136.
- 12.
Law of Social Assistance. http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/index.htm.
- 13.
Sánchez Medal (1998), p. 391.
- 14.
For instance, in Mexico City, there is the Law of Private Assistance Institutions. http://www.aldf.gob.mx/archivo-956917130e21b29d90acb247ab5df8d5.pdf.
- 15.
- 16.
- 17.
Rico and Garza (2008), p. 333.
- 18.
Rojina (1962), p. 297.
- 19.
A more extensive explanation of Mexico’s legislation governing the formation of legal persons may be found in the book Las Empresas con Propósito y la Regulación del Cuarto Sector en Iberoamérica. Informe Jurisdiccional de México [Companies with a Purpose and the Regulation of the Fourth Sector in Ibero-America]. Secretaría General Iberoamericana, Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo, International Development Research Centre (1st ed.). Madrid 2021.
- 20.
Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos [Political Constitution of the Mexican United States]. Article 4. http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/index.htm.
- 21.
Article 82 of the Law on Rent Tax. http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/index.htm.
- 22.
Articles 79 and 151 of the Law on Rent Tax. http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/index.htm.
- 23.
- 24.
- 25.
Further information on the appearance and operation of B companies in Mexico can be found in: Sistema B y las Empresas B en América Latina: Un Movimiento Social que Cambia el Sentido del Éxito Empresarial. Edición del Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina. ISBN: 978-980-422-146-0. Colombia 2019.
- 26.
Zaraí (2010).
- 27.
B Corporation. About B Lab. https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/movement.
- 28.
Responsabilidad Social Empresarial y Sustentabilidad [Business-related Social Responsibility and Sustainability], https://www.responsabilidadsocial.net/empresa-social-que-es-definicion-caracteristicas-tipos-y-ejemplos/.
- 29.
Ortega (2019), p. 6.
- 30.
Connolly C., Mujica, J., and Noel, S. Movimiento legislativo de sociedades de beneficio e interés colectivo (B.I.C.) [Legislative Movement of Collective Interest and Benefit], p. 7.
- 31.
Valderrama et al. (2007), pp. 125–134. Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.
- 32.
Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SEGIB) Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Las Empresas con Propósito y la regulación del Cuarto Sector en Iberoamárica. Informe jurisdiccional de México. Primera edición: Madrid, mayo de 2021 pp. 44, 45.
- 33.
B Lab became known for certifying B corporations, which are companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency, https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/movement/about-b-lab.
- 34.
Calvo Nicolau (2013), p. 84.
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Appendix
Appendix
There are 128 B Lab-certified companies working in Mexico. Of these, 56 companies are based in other countries, while 72 originated and are based in Mexico. Some of them operate in other jurisdictions (as of February 10, 2022; source: https://www.sistemab.org/).
B Lab-certified Mexican corporations
Enterprise | Summary | Product or service | Industry |
---|---|---|---|
Aguagente S.A.P.I. | Purified water in your home for a small monthly cost, in a simple, effective, and unique way. | Service | Water, Food |
Altia Health | Private medical consultations—either face-to-face or through telemedicine. | Service | Health |
Amor & Rosas | Ethical fashion brand bringing together modern designs with Mexican handmade embroidery and eco-friendly fabrics. Their pieces showcase the unique and authentic look of Mexican culture in a modern and trendy way, with high quality as a top priority. | Product | eCommerce |
Asesores para la Iinvestment Social, S. C. | Company aiming to link key actors to promote sustainable development in the social, economic, and environmental fields in Mexico. | Service | Consultancy and Advisory, Support for Entrepreneurship, Employability |
Blanco Carrillo | Expert legal advice for Mexico’s business sector. | Service | Consultancy and Advisory |
Bodega Cero | Food, personal hygiene products, cleaning, and home care, made with natural, local ingredients and free of disposable packaging. | Product | Food |
Botica de Jabón S.A. de C.V. | Manufacture of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and handmade detergent. | Product | Beauty |
BUNA | Find, toast, and share rich coffee. Espresso machines. | Product | Food |
Carla Fernández | Fashion label inspired by the geometrics and textile richness of Mexico. | Product | Textile, Clothing, and Accessories |
CIHUAH | Company offering responsible clothing and accessories with contemporary design. | Product | Art and Culture |
Cielo Hamacas | Preservation and innovation of ancient Mayan hammock weaving tradition. | Product | Art and Culture |
Cirklo | Company offering consultancy services for: innovation management, human productivity, strategic alignment, impact strategies, product and service development, development of impact projects in the fields of education, productive value chains, and sustainable cities. | Service | Consultancy, and Advisory |
CO_ Capital | Company investing in early-stage and early-growth enterprises in Latin America across different sectors: (i) education, workforce, and economic development; (ii) access to healthcare; (iii) access to basic sustainable infrastructure; and (iv) the nexus between agriculture, food systems and regeneration. | Service | Financing |
Comsustenta | Retails company selling compressed natural gas for vehicular use in Mexico. | Product | Energy, Financing, Investment, and Transportation |
Coperva | Telemarketing, customer service, and collection. | Service | Communication and Marketing |
Deep_Dive | Consultancy services and development of AI and machine-learning solutions. | Product and Service | Technology and Computing |
DEV.F | Course, Professional, and Master in software development, data science/AI, UX/UI design, and digital marketing. | Product | Education |
Disruptivo | DISRUPTIVO is a company that seeks to empower people to become agents of change through social entrepreneurship through three axes of work: inspire, train, and promote. | Service | Communication and Marketing |
Donadora | Crowdfunding platform through which you can raise funds to support personal or social projects such as health campaigns, emergencies, community and environmental projects, volunteering, educational models, etc. | Service | Education, Financing and Investment, Health |
Échale | Company aiming to restructure community social networking and rectify the flaws inherent in the self-building process through four pillars: organization and social inclusion, financial education and access to social finance trust, training and technology appropriation, and program replication through social impact franchise. | Products and Services | Construction and Real Estate |
Ecolana | Interactive digital platform that allows each citizen to find the right place for their waste. 1. Where to recycle? 2. Recyclability analysis 3. Contact with inclusive recycling chain. | Service | Consultancy and Advisory |
Ejido Verde | Sustainable producer of pine resin with the objective of generating prosperity through the establishment and use of resinforest plantations. | Product | Farming |
EOSIS | Energy efficiency consultancy agency, aiming to achieve building comfort through passive design consultancy and architectural devices, especially in dry/warm climates. | Service | Consultancy and Advisory |
Extensio | Service móvil de manejo de riesgos climáticos, de plagas y calidad para Productres y cadenas agro Provides farmers and actors of the farming value chains with timely information for decision-making: weather and pest forecast and management, production risk mapping, best farming practices, and market trends. | Service | Farming, Cattle-raising, Agroindustry, Food, Technology, and Computing |
FINAE | Company offering student loans to support Mexican students who do not have enough financial resources to pay for their undergraduate tuitions. | Service | Education, Financing, and Investment |
Fitzer | Fitzer Agua Mineral Brava is a Mexican hard seltzer. A new refreshing combination of mineral water, alcohol, and a touch of flavor. The alcohol is created from our 100% natural cane sugar fermentation process. The very nature of its ingredients and production process. | Product | Food |
FONDELA | Company aiming to strengthen institutions by facilitating their access to public and private resources that boost their productivity. Committing ourselves to support projects of vulnerable groups and fostering entrepreneurship. They provide tools, innovative and quality services for searching and obtaining resources, with leadership and excellent customer service | Service | Support to Entrepreneurs |
Fondify | Fundraising company and platform that links companies, people with CSOs using different collection channels inspired by the theory of donor behavior. | Service | E-commerce, Financing and Investment, Community Management |
Grameen de la Frontera | Microfinancing agency. Works to achieve participatory and self-sufficient communities. | Service | Financing and Investment |
Green Tank Ideas para la Sustentabilidad | Company offering consulting and strategy in sustainability. | Service | Consultancy and Advisory, Financing and Investment |
GRUNER | GRUNER is a sustainability solutions firm that specializes on consulting services for carbon management as well as renewable energy and waste valorization project development. | Service | Environmental |
Grupo AXIUS | Company fostering sustainable growth for companies and people. It has 3 areas of expertise: leadership, planning, and positioning. | Product | Consultancy and Advisory, Human Resources |
Grupo SAD | Graphic arts. | Service | Charts and Impressions |
Handen Consultancy | Consulting company offering tips and tools to help businesses and organizations tackle social and environmental problems. | Service | |
HEALTHIC | Company offering sterilization of surgical instruments. | Service | Health |
Hexagon Data | Data strategy. | Service | Environmental |
Hipocampus Centros de Aprendizaje | Provides community-driven high-quality care and education services for early childhood at an affordable price for most of the population. | Service | Education |
Iluméxico | Provides electricity to rural communities in Mexico by offering solar-powered home systems to families without access to the electric grid. | Product | Energy |
Impact Hub Ciudad de México | Consultancy and working spaces. | Service | Agency |
Integradora de Franquicias PKT1, S.A. P.I. de C.V. | Messenger service offering a personalized “zero carbon dioxide” service focused on satisfying customer needs through a documentation service and on-site collection of packages or envelopes. | Service | Messenger Service |
IntegraRSE | Transformation of traditional companies into companies that solve socio-environmental problems. | Service | Environmental |
Kaya Impacto | Kaya specializes in capital advisory services for social entrepreneurs looking to raise capital to grow and scale their business. | Service | Financing and Investment |
Kubo Financiero | Online community for financial services: savings, investments, and loans on a peer-to-peer lending platform. | Service | E-commerce, Financing |
LECOMF | As a brand of sustainable, innovative, and radically optimistic ready-to-wear, the LECOMF universe becomes a source of freedom, happiness and, above all, uniqueness. | Product | Textile |
Luken Design | This company designs products and furniture manufactured with HDPE plastic and 100% recycled polyaluminium. | Product | Dseco and Home Furniture |
Luxelare | An agro-tech/insurtech company offering small-to-medium-sized farmers an integrated solution combing precision agriculture and the CAPTUM software platform, as well as digital crop insurance products. | Products and Services | Technology, Computing, Farming |
Matcha Kaori | Products made with Japanese green tea and accessories related to its consumption. | Product | Food |
Natura Medio Ambiente | Agency offering environmental consulting and engineering advice. Also conducts studies related to the environment, construction safety, health, and social impact. | Service | Agency |
Pixza | Pizzeria offering pizzas made from 100% Mexican blue corn. | Product | Food |
PKT1 | Local and foreign courier and parcel services without carbon dioxide emissions. | Service | Exports |
PUJOL | Contemporary Mexican cuisine restaurant. | Service | Food |
Rayito de Luna | Develops personal care products made with the finest natural ingredients free of synthetic chemicals. | Product | Beauty |
Revitaliza Consultores | LEED® certification, green buildings, training, and corporate sustainability. | Service | Construction |
RTDs de México | Alcoholic drinks. | Product | Water |
Rutopía | Company offering customized, private trips with a quality and safety guarantee for remote destinations throughout Mexico, fostering immersion in nature and genuine connection with local hosts. | Product | Entertainment |
Rutopía | Travel agency. | Product | Tourism and Hospitality |
Sarape Films | Film and content producer with socio-environmental impact. | Service | Art and Culture |
Sarape Social | Design, management, and communication of projects based on creative and transformative ideas from a humanitarian perspective using marketing tools for social transformation. | Service | Communication and Marketing |
Semillero de Empresas Rurales, S.A. de C.V. | Artisanal and biodiverse products company that works as a platform to allow access to a competitive market for rural Mayan social enterprises of the Yucatan peninsula under the brands Taller Maya and Traspatio Maya. | Product | Decor and home furniture |
Sistema Biobolsa | Waste and resource management system that is both economically accessible and technologically advanced. | Product | Farming |
SM Ediciones | SM es una empresa que desarrolla soluciones educativos, formativos y culturales | Products and Services | Education |
SmartFish | Una AC incuba las cooperativas de pesca artesanal que les permite producir mariscos de alta calidad validados bajo los estándares de sostenibilidad e higiene y una Comercializadora de Products del mar de origen sustentable | Product | Food |
Solardec | Solardec is an industry leader in the renewable energies sector In Mexico. The company designs, develops, and maintains solar energy projects (photovoltaics) for the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. | Products and Services | Energy |
Someone Somewhere | Someone Somewhere designs clothing products showcasing artisanal work from various regions In Mexico. Its items are assembled in specialized workshops in the cities. | Product | Textile, Dress & Accessories |
Suministros Analogico Digitales | Dedicated to prepress and digital printing using cutting edge technology. Seeks to boost economic and social development and to protect the environment. | Product | Technology |
Sustainable Harvest | Sustainable Harvest is a specialty coffee importer whose mission is to improve the livelihoods of coffee-farming families around the globe through its Relationship Coffee model. | ||
SVX México | Consulting firm that aims to increase the volume and efficiency of impact investments in Mexico and Latin America | Service | Financing |
TAMOA | Abasto responsable de alimentos regionales, preservados por generaciones de agricultores de México. | Products and Services | Farming |
Tierra de Monte | This company develops biological inputs based on more than 10 years of research to counteract the damage that erosion and intensive agriculture have left behind. | Service | Farming |
Todo Accesible | Company creating accessible spaces for people with disabilities. | Products and Services | Consultancy and Advisory |
Unboxed | Company developing projects that promote a balance between profitability and social and environmental impact within companies and organizations. | Service | Consultancy |
Yema | Comestibles, Products de perfumería, Products de belleza, artículos para el hogar y artículos deportivos. | Product | Food |
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Méjan, L.M.C. (2023). Certified B Corps in Mexico. In: Peter, H., Vargas Vasserot, C., Alcalde Silva, J. (eds) The International Handbook of Social Enterprise Law . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14216-1_34
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