Questions
Frequently asked
What is Sustainable Initiatives S.A.S.? +
It is a company in Quito, Ecuador, that builds technology initiatives with social and environmental impact. Its three initiatives are Tiendas HUB, a direct-trade marketplace between producers and buyers; Up-Materiales, a circular-economy marketplace for recycled materials; and Digitaliza, which brings digitalization to small businesses.
How does Tiendas HUB benefit producers? +
On the traditional path a product passes through collectors, wholesalers, distributors and shops before it reaches the buyer, and each one keeps a margin. Tiendas HUB connects the producer directly with the end buyer, in large cities and even abroad, so a larger share of the price stays with the person who produces.
Which materials are traded on Up-Materiales? +
Up-Materiales organizes materials into five categories: secondary materials (such as PET, paper, cardboard, glass, aluminium, copper, textiles, wood or electronic waste), recycled raw materials (such as PET pellets and sheets or wood chips), surplus products, circular products, and redesigned and repaired products.
What is a grassroots waste picker and why do they matter? +
A grassroots waste picker (reciclador de base) recovers recyclable materials from waste, in the streets or at landfills. They are the backbone of recycling in Ecuador, but usually sell to intermediaries at the lowest price in the chain. Up-Materiales lets them sell directly to industry and earn more for their work.
What does Digitaliza do? +
Digitaliza brings digitalization to small businesses and ventures that had no access to it. With a plugin based on artificial intelligence it builds complete websites, optimized for search engines (SEO) and for AI answer engines (AEO). It also builds online shops, apps and digital marketing.
What are SEO and AEO, and why do they matter to a small business? +
SEO is the work of making a site appear in search engines such as Google. AEO is the work of making sure AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude can read the site and cite it in their answers. More and more customers search with these assistants, so a small business needs both.
Where does Sustainable Initiatives work? +
We are based in Quito, Ecuador. We work with producers, waste pickers, businesses and partners across Ecuador and Latin America, in Spanish and English.
How can I take part or propose an initiative? +
Write to contact@sustainable-initiatives.com and tell us who you are and what interests you: selling as a producer, recovering materials, bringing your business online, or building a new initiative with us.