Market-Driven Restoration
About the Webinar
Guayakí Sustainable Rainforest Products, Inc is a company designed to leverage market demand to help restore South American rainforest and create living wage jobs. By creating consumer demand for energizing and nourishing rainforest -grown yerba mate in the U.S., Guayakí provides a sustainable and scalable economic alternative to the destructive practices that plague the rainforest. On this call, Chris discusses the successes and challenges of running a triple bottom line company and how Guayaki's progressive business model is helping change the paradigm from sustainability to restoration.
Chris Mann is the CEO and Chairman of the Gourd of Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products. Guayakí is the US-based importer and marketer of Guayaki Yerba Mate. Guayaki grows its products sustainably within South America’s Atlantic Rainforest and currently sustains and/or restores nearly 25,000 acres of rainforest, 34 indigenous families, dozens of family farmers and over 300 bird and mammal species. Chris earned a BA in Economics from Harvard University but quickly realized that economics conveniently forgot about sustaining the environment and protecting people. Through his nearly 15 years with Guayaki and previously with Natural Flavors, Chris is finding that by recognizing common purpose, seemingly disparate groups can integrate social justice, environmental restoration and economic success.