IMEF

Why IMEF initiative? 

"Peace Building with Impact Investing and Resource Efficient Mining techniques for neglected Indigenous Peoples living in mineral rich land"

"Mining building a better and peaceful world using capital markets for Social and Environmental purpose" 

"Restoring Dignity, Reconciliation, Solidarity and Protecting the environment in accordance to God's plan for an inclusive financial system and mineral resources that benefit all Humans (Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church)"

Integrating Indigenous Peoples in the global Capital and Commodity markets. 

The Problem

There is an inequity between Indigenous Peoples and mineral wealth. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2014) estimates that there are more than 370 million Indigenous Peoples living in 70 Countries (Developing & Industrialized). Most live in poverty on land rich in mineral deposits. Some 13 million engage in informal mining. Informal mining causes social unrest and damages the environment. The negative impacts of mining are disproportionally concentrated on Indigenous Peoples while non-indigenous stakeholders benefit economically from the mineral deposits on Indigenous ancestral land. It is the time to enable Indigenous Peoples benefit economically from the mineral wealth of their land and coexist in peace with non-indigenous mineral extractive stakeholders.

The History of IMEF

IMEF (Indigenous Mining Equity Foundation) is a non-profit foundation initiative that started in Zürich, Switzerland by César de la Cruz Curril, M.A.S. Finance in 2014. IMEF started as an academic Thesis research in finance at the University of Zürich Faculty of Economics. The research was motivated by the necessity to reduce the tensions of indigenous peoples living in mineral rich land through integration in the capital and commodity markets. Therefore, building peace for Indigenous Peoples. The research consisted in an empirical analysis to reduce the inequity between Indigenous Peoples and mineral wealth by using three new capital markets innovations: Impact Investing, Shared Value and Grass Roots Innovations Movements. The results of the research demonstrated a strong willingness from investors and Indigenous Peoples to use the new capital market innovations in the form of Indigenous Mining Equity. Indigenous Mining Equity has the potential to reduce the poverty of indigenous peoples living in mineral rich land, generate moral and financial returns for investors and can contribute to the reduction of informal mining.

In 2015, Angélica M. Lopez-Gladko M.A.S Environmental Science joined IMEF. Angélica's extensive experience in environmental science and international cooperation projects brings the environmental friendly component that IMEF requires. The key values that Angelica provides are environmental compensation to mining territories, circular economy methodologies and agriculture compensation to mining initiatives. 

IMEF envisions to become a non-profit Foundation with altruistic purposes dedicated to foster peace with Impact Investing Solutions for Indigenous Peoples living in mineral rich land.  

Since 2017, there are three new chapters in IMEF:

1. "Impact Investing and the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church".

2. "IMEF For Corporate Social Responsibility"

3. "IMEF - Mining for Indigenous Woman". 

Memberships