Sustainable development practitioner with 20 years of international experience linking corporate strategy, governance, and ethics. After designing its strategy and governance structure, she now advises Responsible Investment for Patria Investments (USD 43bn AUM). Carolina previously served as Head of Corporate Responsibility at Ecopetrol, Colombia’s national oil, gas, and energy company. Her career spans roles across industries including agroindustry, banking, food and beverages, mining, and energy. She has advised boards, C-Level, and committees on strategies addressing climate, human rights, supply chain management, and stakeholder engagement, among other key sustainability issues. Carolina has also served as Chairwoman and board member in health, education, and non-profit organizations with budgets of up to USD 50 million. She is currently part of the Advisory Board of a talent management firm in Colombia. She has taught executive education on sustainability and responsible investment in Latin America and the US. Carolina holds degrees in Psychology and Philosophy (UMass Boston), an MBA and Master of Management (Icesi/Tulane), and an MPA in Development Practice (Columbia University). Carolina is a vegetarian with a dedicated spiritual practice that includes meditation, yoga, exercise, and periodic retreats.
Julia is a human rights expert with over 15 years of experience in research, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and management of projects and teams in the areas of international labor standards and labor migration. Julia established IHRB’s presence in Southeast Asia and, since 2019, has led IHRB’s work on labor rights, including its engagement in the Gulf region.
In her current role, Julia manages IHRB’s strategic planning and execution and oversees the monitoring and evaluation of its programs. She works closely with the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer on the day-to-day management of the organization and the strategic development of its subsidiaries and partner entities. She also supports the Migrant Workers Programme and oversees IHRB’s emerging work in the Gulf region.
Before joining IHRB, Julia worked with the International Labour Organization in Southeast Asia and Geneva on forced labor and labor migration programs. Originally from Brazil, Julia is a qualified lawyer and holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice and a postgraduate diploma in International Law from the University of Florence.
Experienced economist and engineer with graduate-level training, combining expertise in financial inclusion, corporate governance, and economic development. Former advisor to Colombia’s Minister of Finance and board member at DISPAC and the National Guarantee Fund, with strong experience in debt management, blended finance, and investment portfolios. University professor and researcher at Los Andes, UCL-IIPP, and Columbia University, focused on financial inclusion, credit risk, and public value creation. Recognized for integrating technical rigor and strategic vision to drive impact across public, private, and multilateral sectors. He lives in Bogota, Colombia.
Margaret is an international lawyer and policy advisor with extensive experience linking key international developments and standards on human rights, human development, good governance, extractive industries, the environment, and climate change to the work of international organizations and the private sector.
As a Senior Researcher, Margaret serves as the focal point for IHRB’s work in East Africa and leads research efforts with the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business.
Margaret began her career as Legal Advisor at the Danish Institute for Human Rights. After practicing law at a commercial firm with a focus on environmental and corporate responsibility issues, she joined the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, where she worked on the environmental and social dimensions of project finance transactions and later served as the IFC’s Lead Advisor on Human Rights. More recently, Margaret was Senior Policy Advisor at UNICEF, working on a wide range of child rights issues.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wellesley College, a JD and an LLM in international and comparative law from Duke University School of Law, and a PhD in law from the University of Copenhagen.
She leads regenerative sustainability processes that connect purpose, strategy, and action. With over 17 years of experience in corporate sustainability, communications, and multi-stakeholder engagement across Latin America, she has worked alongside companies (AngloGold Ashanti and CEMEX), foundations, and territories to design ESG strategies that create real impact -not just reportable outcomes. She brings together strategic vision, human-centered thinking, and deep field experience. Currently, she leads the R2A Platform at The Nature Conservancy in Latin America, fostering public–private alliances in Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru to transform food systems through regenerative agriculture and livestock practices. As Co-Founder of In Pacta Consulting, she supports organizations that seek to go beyond traditional sustainability. She designs action roadmaps aligned with each organization’s goals, culture, and context integrating ethics, regeneration and conscious leadership. Mariana holds degrees in Communications and Journalism.
She is a company builder and global change maker who has founded and scaled banks, fintechs, communities, and educational programs from the ground up. She is part of the founding team of Lulo Bank, the first 100% digital bank in Colombia; recognized by KPMG as one of the 10 most innovative startups in the country. Winners of 3 Rankia Awards, 2 iF Design Awards, and 3 Lápiz de Acero for digital innovation; Co-founder & former CEO of Lulo X, a blockchain spin-off recognized as an AWS Customer Success Story. Shortlisted for the 11FS Fintech for Good Awards (Lulo Impacto, 2023); Named among the Top 200 Women in Finance & Web3 (Favikon 2025); Ranked Top 2 Fintech & Crypto Voices in Colombia (Favikon – Latam Fintech Hub 2025); Named one of the Top 20 CIOs of the Year in Colombia – Forbes 2024; Winner of the STEM Inspiration Award – LITA 2024; Selected among the Top 10 Women CEOs in Colombia – Global Woman Leader 2024; TEDx Bogotá Speaker on creativity, innovation, and exponential transformation. She holds an Executive MBA (Westfield, Cum Laude) and Master in Exponential Transformation (EIG, Cum Laude).
Distinguished human rights expert with over two decades of experience in research, education, and advocacy for women, LGBTQ individuals, Afro-descendant and Indigenous peoples. She served as the first-ever Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights (REDESCA) for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights from 2017 to 2023, where she advanced regional agendas on business and human rights and the climate emergency. Previously, she directed the South America Office of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and coordinated efforts that led to Argentina’s ratification of CEDAW’s Optional Protocol. She has also served as the Robert F. Drinan Chair at Georgetown Law, teaching and mentoring on ESCE rights. Her career spans the UN, OAS, and European systems, where she is recognized as a leading voice for historically marginalized communities and the indivisibility of human rights. She holds a DEA in International Human Rights Law from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. She currently lives in Madrid, Spain.
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Report from the meeting with workers and trade unions
Testimony from workers and trade unions
The rapid expansion of critical minerals for the energy transition and other strategic industries (agriculture, defense, technology) presents us with a paradox: the decarbonization of the planet depends on an intensification of mining activity. For CREER, this rapid expansion carries critical risks regarding human rights, local economic dynamics, and ecosystem balance. Our work focuses on analyzing these dilemmas through the lens of a just transition, promoting governance frameworks that mitigate negative impacts and ensure that the mining of “minerals for the future” is carried out under rigorous standards of sustainability, equity, and respect for fundamental rights, through dialogue among different stakeholders.
We analyze the governance and sustainability challenges that arise in the implementation of decentralized generation models. Our work focuses on researching how local associative structures interact with regulatory frameworks and human rights standards. Through applied research, we assess the risks of rent capture, internal decision-making conflicts, and the conditions necessary for these self-management schemes to guarantee equitable and transparent participation in the territory.
With a focus on responsible land management and respect for local livelihoods, at CREER we apply our technical expertise in the photovoltaic sector to promote a solar transition with social integrity. Through the analysis of rural environments, the strengthening of local governance, and the design of participation mechanisms, we seek to ensure that large-scale deployment in Latin America not only contributes to the energy mix, but also strengthens the social fabric. Our purpose is to lead due diligence models that ensure solar infrastructure coexists with food security, strategic ecosystems, and the productive vocations of each community.
