Sambazon, the pioneer of açaí and organic Amazon Superfoods™, announced CEO and cofounder Ryan Black will speak at the Clinton Global Initiative Latin America meeting Dec. 8 to 10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Black will participate in a working session, titled “Developing Commodities, Sustaining Communities,” which will explore Latin America’s growing commodities industry and how sustainable business practices can help protect public health while responsibly extending economic gains.

“I’m truly humbled to accept the invitation from President Clinton to participate in the first Clinton Global Initiative Latin America meeting,” said Black. “At Sambazon, we’ve always believed that sustainable management of the Brazilian Amazon can positively affect the local communities as well as American consumers and businesses at the same time. For more than 10 years, we’ve worked to build a market driven conservation model with international NGOs, the Brazilian government, forest cooperatives and small family farmers to create a certified organic and fair trade açaí supply chain. It’s an honor to share our experience with global and regional leaders, and in turn hopefully develop additional opportunities for further action in the future.”

Black, along with cofounders Jeremy Black and Edmund Nichols, created Sambazon based on a Triple Bottom Line philosophy, which measures success not only economically but socially and environmentally. The company’s sustainable practices currently support 10,000 family farmers and 2 million acres of Amazon Rainforest in the region, while aiming to improve the lives of local residents through projects such as the construction of new schools and community centers.

“Developing Commodities, Sustaining Communities” will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 10. According to the Clinton Global Initiative, the working session will discuss how commodity exploration has led to accelerated deforestation across the region, including increased air, water and soil pollution, and how supporting businesses in their adoption of sustainable practices and programs can help to mitigate these adverse consequences and ensure that the commodities industry can facilitate, rather than hinder, the region’s long-term economic and social development.

Black will be speaking alongside Federative Republic of Brazil’s minister of the environment, Izabella Teixiera, as well as Banco de la República codirector Carlos Gustavo Cano. For more information about the Clinton Global Initiative Latin American, visit cgilatinamerica.org. To learn more about Sambazon and its complete line of Amazon superfoods, please visit sambazon.com.