AED BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Country:

Costa Rica

Sector:

Non-Governmental Org.

Size:

national

The Business Association for Development (AED) is a non-profit organization that seeks the country’s sustainability and competitiveness by promoting responsible business models among companies.

The Business Association for Development (AED) is a non-profit organization that seeks the country’s sustainability and competitiveness by promoting responsible business models among companies. AED guides the productive sector to consider social responsibility principles as part of its management, reducing negative impacts and maximizing positive impacts on society, the environment and the economy. The organization leads practical guidance actions in sustainability, capacity building, exchange of good practices and the formation of alliances on priority issues for the country’s Competitiveness and Sustainable Development.

It is made up of more than 120 companies that work in coordination with civil society and the State through public-private partnerships, which, together with good business practices in the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental), allows the productive sector to gain greater competitiveness and contribute positively to the country’s development.

Since its founding in 1997, thanks to the vision of businessman Walter Kissling Gam, AED has established itself as the benchmark organization in Costa Rica on issues of social responsibility and sustainability, and as the gateway to a new way of doing business for companies that wish to have a positive impact on the stakeholders with whom they interact.

AED’s purpose:

To promote a prosperous, inclusive, dignified society in harmony with the environment, through a conscious, coordinated and committed business sector.

AED is the Costa Rican chapter of United Way and belongs to international organizations such as Forum Empresa, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Global Compact and the Central American Integration for CSR (SumaCA).