INCAE ON SUSTAINABILITY

Draft Recommendations for the
Business Environment in Nicaragua
Partner: ILO
Year: 2015
Impact: Nicaragua
Recommendations were developed to improve the
business environment in Nicaragua, based on a context
diagnosis that was the product of a survey conducted
by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the
Nicaraguan Superior Council for Private Enterprises
(COSEP). The recommendations emphasize strategic
issues related to competitiveness, formalization,
innovation, human capital and production chains.
In addition, validation workshops were held with
business representatives.
Octavio Martínez, PhD.
Assistant Professor
octavio.martinez@incae.edu
Beatriz Slooten
Researcher at the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development
beatriz.slooten@incae.edu
Analysis of the Housing Sector in
Central America
Partner: Habitat for Humanity
Years: 2015-2016
Impact: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica and Panamá
Along with Habitat for Humanity, CLACDS carried out
an estimation process of the housing deficit in six
Central American countries, particularly in low-income
sectors. This process aimed to enrich the formulation
of regional public policies and provide effective
alternatives for overcoming this problem.
Víctor Umaña
Director of the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development
victor.umana@incae.edu
Ronald Arce
Researcher at the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development
ronald.arce@incae.edu
PRINCIPLE 4: PUBLICATIONS
Social Progress Index (SPI)
Partner: Social Progress Imperative
Year: 2015
Impact: Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
The Social Progress Index offers a holistic, cutting-edge approach to societal health—both independent and
complementary to economic measurements. Measuring social progress offers citizens and leaders a more complete
picture on how a country develops.
The Business Alliance for Sustainability in Central America (led by Walmart and other large retailers) was trained
to use the SPI as a platform for measuring, planning and communicating the Alliance’s sustainability actions in the
region.
Ongoing projects include the following:
Cooperative SPI. Start year: 2015. Impact: Costa Rica. Twelve
cooperative communities were measured in partnership with
CENECOOP R.L and INFOCOOP.
Cantonal SPI. Start year: 2015. Impact: Costa Rica. Showed the
regional differences between Costa Rica’s 81 cantons (districts).
Bio-communities SPI. Start year: 2015. Impact: Panama.
A mapping of 14 rural communities.
Víctor Umaña
Director of the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development
victor.umana@incae.edu
Jaime García
Researcher at the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development
jaime.garcia@incae.edu
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