Last Edited 12 July 2022

Age of Change film spotlights Mexican entrepreneurs conserving nature

Set in the breathtaking landscapes of Mexico’s Oaxaca region, a new film shines a spotlight on two women-led social enterprises working to create better lives for remote rural communities. Blanca, chairperson of Mbis Bin, and Marisol, commercial director of Ilumexico, share how they have been able to level up their business and impact with support from the development programmes co-created by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and our local partners WWF Mexico and New Ventures.

The film is part of the Age of Change: The Business of Survival series, presented by WWF and content partners. Produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, the series uncovers the stories of innovative solutions across the global business community, working to secure a nature-positive future for our planet.

Locally produced bio-fertilisers

Blanca, who participates in the joint development programme by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and WWF, takes us on a tour through her native village in the Copalita river basin. Mbis Bin, a social enterprise gives technical assistance and mentoring to farmers focused on agro-ecology. Blanca explains how the enterprise facilitates the farmers who have started producing their own bio-fertilisers. They can now manage their crops more efficiently and increase their income.

"Our partnership with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship has helped us tackle one of the most fundamental aspects in conservation, to unlock economic opportunities from nature to the local communities that live in highly biodiverse regions and face severe poverty and marginalisation," says Maria Jose Villanueva, Conservation Director, WWF Mexico.

“By strengthening community-led businesses, we assist to improve commercialisation, product design and market access,” she adds.

Solar energy for farmer communities

IKEA is committed to becoming circular and climate positive by 2030. At IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, we contribute to realising this bold ambition together with our partners. This is why we are happy to showcase the stories of supported social entrepreneurs who seamlessly align care for our planet with innovative business solutions.

Ilumexico is another great example. This social enterprise offers affordable energy services to low-income farmer families. It is one of the twenty enterprises in the Mexico accelerator programme co-created with New Ventures. Marisol shows us how she and her team install solar panels in areas with difficult access.

With support from the accelerator Ilumexico has been able to successfully test new strategies to reach more customers. Connecting isolated communities to energy also means opening up access to regional and even national economies.

Pioneering passion and purpose

The Age of Change series demonstrates how in other parts of the world as well, people like Blanca and Marisol are pioneering passion and purpose, finding entrepreneurial solutions to tackle the twin crises of nature loss and climate change.

"It’s been fascinating to work with the team at IKEA Social Entrepreneurship on the film,” recalls Simon Shelley, Vice President of BBC StoryWorks, Programme Partnerships. "We’re privileged to show impactful initiatives around the globe, reaffirming that private corporations play a key and urgent role in sustainable development."

Simon concludes: "We hope the series inspires others to drive change, in what truly has to be the ‘age of change’.”

Visit the Age of Change website now to watch the Copalita Basin film and other inspiring changemaker stories.

Header image: Blanca Sanchez-Reyes, Mbis Bin, at work in her community. Photo from the Age of Change: Social Change film, presented by WWF and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions