José Fernando Gómez Rojas is the new Executive Director of the Regional Center for Responsible Business and Entrepreneurship (CREER), a role he assumed on February 1, 2024.
He is a lawyer from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, holds a Master’s in Development Studies and a Specialization in Human Rights from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Netherlands, as well as a Specialization in Armed Conflict Resolution from Universidad de los Andes.
José Fernando has worked as an advisor and consultant for the public and private sectors, as well as for a range of organizations, in the development of public policies, research projects, and initiatives related to Business and Human Rights, corporate sustainability, transitional justice, access to justice, environmental law, and reparation for corruption-related harm. He also teaches Human Rights Due Diligence at Universidad Javeriana, EAN University, and the Colombian Council for Safety (CCS).
In recent years, he served as Strategy Director at CREER, leading workstreams on just transition, socially inclusive and environmentally responsible supply chains, sustainable oceans, dignity-based built environments, restorative actions, and peacebuilding.
José replaces Luis Fernando de Angulo, who had served as Executive Director since CREER’s founding in 2015. Luis Fernando will now take on the role of Strategic Senior Advisor to the organization, and will also continue as a member of IHRB’s International Advisory Council.
We wish José Fernando great success in this new chapter, where he will continue strengthening CREER’s position as a trusted and recognized leader in the Business and Human Rights agenda, not only in Colombia but across Latin America.
La Primera Conferencia Internacional para la Transición más allá de los Combustibles Fósiles realizada en Santa Marta, dejó una conversación más realista sobre la transición energética.
The First International Conference for a Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia, resulted in a more pragmatic and realistic dialogue regarding the energy transition.
In a context where sustainable finance has primarily advanced along the environmental dimension, at CREER we make a clear call: There is no sustainable transition without human rights at the center of financial decision-making.
Todos los derechos reservados | Desarrollado por CREER 2024 |
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.
