TozziniFreire's ESG, Sustainable and Impact Investing gathers professionals passionate about sustainable investments, businesses, and projects capable of generating positive socio-environmental and climate impacts, through innovative structures and blended finance.
Among the cases advised by the firm, we highlight the first public offering of social debentures (social bonds) in Brazil, related to the Vivenda Program. This trailblazing initiative was fully assisted on a pro bono basis by TozziniFreire. The funds raised through social bonds aim to finance families in low-income communities where the program operates. The expectation is that this initiative will positively impact the lives of more than 32 thousand people, over five years. This transaction was awarded as an inspiring practice in the contest “La Vivienda en el Centro de la Nueva Agenda Urbana”, organized by UN-HABITAT. Likewise, TozziniFreire assisted Brazil's first public offering of sustainable debentures (sustainable bonds) for Faro Energy.
Furthermore, TozziniFreire assisted Sitawi in the first online platform for investment in businesses with social and environmental impact in Brazil, being awarded with the “Environmental Finance Impact Initiative of the Year (Latin America and Caribbean) Awards 2020”. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided legal assistance to (i) Sistema B in the structuring of CoVida20, a lending program that offers lower interest rates and more flexible payment terms to small companies engaged with impact businesses and committed to maintaining employment, and (ii) “Retomada Credit Program”, a lending program that offers lower interest rates to support small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), through Fintechs and a Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC), which was conceived by Sebrae-SP.
In 2022, TozziniFreire advised one of Brazil's most innovative blended finance transactions, CRI SOMA, a revolutionary initiative in the real estate market. The SOMA Project – Organized System of Accessible Housing will offer investors the possibility of combining profitability with social impact. Conceived by Grupo Gaia, Din4mo, and Incorporadora MagikJC, with the technical support of IFC, the new development will give access to decent housing in downtown São Paulo to lower-income families, generating a positive impact not only for residents but also for the occupation of the downtown area and urban mobility throughout the city. Dexco (formerly Duratex), Gerdau, Movida, P4 Engenharia, and Votorantim Cimentos are investing in SOMA.
