Ficohsa Newsletter

Luis Atala Faraj, VP of Ficohsa Group, addressed a high-level seminar on “The Global Strategic Importance of an Environmental, Social and Governance Metrics Framework” held last month in San Pedro Sula. 

The event was hosted by COHEP (the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.

Mr. Atala was invited to speak about Ficohsa’s business experience and best practices, and was among several distinguished guests from the worlds of academia, business and politics.

In alliance with the UN World Food Program, the Ficohsa Foundation recently provided lunchboxes to kids in 140 pre-school centers located in vulnerable areas throughout Honduras.  This is the third time this year that the Foundation has made such a donation.

For 22 years, the Ficohsa Foundation – in collaboration with clients of La Colonia Supermarket, Lacthosa, Lufussa y Grupo Farinter – has supported more than 150,000 children and their families, donating over 22 million meals.

By providing proper nutrition, the Foundation and its partners hope to support the physical return to school rooms and in turn the positive development of these vulnerable children.

Ficohsa published its 2021 Sustainability Report in July, highlighting our continued success in financial inclusion, ethical banking, and investing in environmentally sustainable projects.

Launching the report, our Executive President, Camilo Atala Faraj, said,

Given Ficohsa’s size, strength, and importance to the economy, we have a responsibility to drive positive change.  I am proud of the progress we have made by investing in our staff, our customers, the natural environment and – through the Ficohsa Foundation – the wider community.

Camilo Atala faraj

Highlights of Ficohsa’s Sustainability Report 2021 include:

• The Banker awarded Ficohsa its Bank of the Year for Financial Inclusion.  And we were honored at the Championing the Female Economy Awards 2021.

• Banco Ficohsa now supports over 21,000 SMEs in Central America, of which over 50% are women-led.  Through loans and technical support, Ficohsa enables these businesses to grow, creating sustainable jobs for thousands of people.

• Our De Mi Tierra program provides access to financing and technical training for agricultural producers in rural areas of Honduras.

• The Ficohsa Foundation for Early Childhood Education has now benefitted 145,000 pre-school children since its inception in 2000.

Ficohsa’s 2021 Sustainability Report is available here.