Coastal EcoVenturesHome.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0
 
 

Coastal EcoVentures is a social enterprise that grew out of a Master’s thesis completed by a five graduate students at the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The team conducted extensive research on issues related to responsible property investment, coastal development in emerging markets, and how to influence investor decision-making to support environmentally and socially responsible projects. We developed a scorecard, the EcoValuator, that provides comprehensive and clear information on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance factors to be used by investors to identify and to invest in responsible projects.


For more information on the Group Project process and deliverables, please click here.

EcoValuator        Project Brief       FAQs       Team      Group Project       Related Links   

News:


9/12/10 - Playa Viva, a Coastal EcoVentures client, has secured an investment from a prominent triple bottom line investor. Verde Ventures, an investment fund managed by Conservation International, has announced plans to invest in Playa Viva, a sustainable boutique resort near Ixtapa, Mexico.


Playa Viva is creating a private reserve on their 8 ha property and restoring wetlands of biodiversity importance. Their buildings are 100% solar powered and feature natural construction materials, grey water irrigation, and waste water processing. In addition, Playa Viva supports local businesses, including organic agriculture, sea salt harvesting, and a volunteer sea turtle conservation group.


After evaluating the resort's plans, Coastal EcoVentures introduced the prospective investor, and facilitated the application process. With the investment, Playa Viva is now preparing to pursue its next phase of conservation and development work. To learn more about Playa Viva, please visit www.playaviva.com.

NEXT: EcoValuator

Organization

Background

To bring the EcoValuator to market, we are creating a social enterprise called Coastal EcoVentures to be incorporated in June 2009. We will use the Scorecard as the basis for consulting to investment organizations in order to assist their selection and monitoring of responsible tourism projects. The EcoValuator can also be used by developers to improve their performance and to qualify for low-cost financing from select capital sources. Our long-term goal is to act as a financial intermediary for responsible tourism in areas that are currently unrepresented, namely small- and medium-sized enterprises. That is, we will be an on-the-ground presence with an independent investment committee that raises and manages funding for responsible projects to broaden the reach of our financing partners.


Unlike other highly dispersed social funds, Coastal EcoVentures will focus on one location at a time to enhance community relationships and to make the most of promising opportunities. By building relationships with local developers, community members and government officials, we will help ensure positive long-term, community-wide development impacts.

Organization