Antioquia’s ‘IDEA” Development Bank Inks Alliance with Animal Bank
The Antioquia departmental government’s Institute for the Development of Antioquia (IDEA) announced April 22 that it just signed an alliance deal with Medellin-based “green” project consultant Animal Bank.
Animal Bank is an initiative created by Medellin’s Portafolio Verde organization (see Medellin Herald 08/26/2019), which helps various commercial or industrial project developers to find novel ways to offset, avoid or minimize environmental impacts.
“IDEA will be a founding ally of Animal Bank, becoming the first public entity to support this initiative,” according to the agency. “The alliance will support the design, structuring and development of projects focused on the conservation of biodiversity.”
Animal Bank allies also include Renting Colombia (subsidiary of Bancolombia), Continental Gold, the Humboldt Institute of Colombia, Vanderbilt University and B Lab. Its board of directors includes environmental sustainability expert Brigitte Baptiste, rector of EAN University.
According to Portafolio Verde executive director Alejandro Zapata Arango, “through the management of partner organizations, the Animal Bank establishes sources of operation and financing that allow it to advance in the fulfillment of its purpose. Along this route, we have identified the importance of having the support of a public-sector company such as IDEA, an entity that shares the principles and meaning of [environmentally conscious] banking and that acts from a commitment to the development of society.”
The alliance between IDEA and Animal Bank “will contribute to the future of the territories and the next generations by creating social awareness with actions aimed at the efficient use of natural resources and carrying out collective work for the conservation of biodiversity,” according to the organization.
