Sofia Santos
Corporate Sustainability and Climate Finance Expert
EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst
PhD on Sustainable Finance from Middlesex University, London
24 years of working experience
Founder of Systemic, a consultancy company focused on sustainable management practices, sustainable finance, climate finance, ESG risk, sustainable investor relations, sustainable value chain analysis and SDGs. Today we are a team of 8 people, working with passion and vision. www.systemic.pt
Began my career in 1997 in the research department of Merrill Lynch Bank in London and returned to Portugal at the end of 1999. In Portugal, I worked in NGOs, the National Statistics Institute, and in 2001, became a staff member of Pulp and Paper Industry Association. In 2004 co-founded a boutique consultancy company Sustentare Lda, and worked with several Portuguese companies in the creation of their first sustainability reports and sustainability strategies, including 4 of the largest Portuguese banks. From 2012 to 2015 I worked on sustainable finance for banks in Cabo Verde and on sustainability strategies in Angola.
From January 2016 until June 2018 I had the great opportunity to be the Secretary General at the Portuguese Business Council for Sustainable Development, in Lisbon.
From July 2018 to October 2018 I worked as a freelance consultant in projects related with circular economy, sustainable energy and climate finance.
From November 2018 until September 2019, I worked as an advisor on sustainable finance, at the Cabinet of the Portuguese Ministry of Environment and Energy Transition, being responsible for the coordination of the “Portuguese Think Tank Group on Sustainable Finance”, led by the Ministry of Environment and in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economics. This group was composed by 17 other financial institutions (including 9 banks) and on the 8th of July 2019 all the members of this group subscribed the “Letter of Commitment for Sustainable Finance in Portugal”, being this the first major step towards sustainable finance in Portugal.
Have published 6 books on sustainability issues 3 of them on sustainable finance.
Have a four-year, undergraduate degree in Economics from ISEG, Portugal (1997); a master’s Degree in economics from London University (1999); and a Doctorate from Middlesex University in England (2012) on how banks can contribute to sustainable development.
Besides doing consultancy around the globe on sustainability issues, I also teach at ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management.
