The Role of Women in ESG Standards and Sustainable Finance in Latin America

Abstract

The article analyzes how international investments —particularly those from China in the mining and energy sectors of Peru and Ecuador— shape the region’s energy transition and the adoption of ESG criteria in Latin America. It places particular emphasis on the role of the financial sector as an enabler of sustainable finance and on how corporate strategies respond to sustainability challenges in extractive contexts. The article develops a critical analysis of women’s leadership in corporate governance and sustainable value creation, showing that women’s participation on boards is associated with stronger ESG performance, more robust risk management and better alignment of investments with equity and climate-resilience goals. In this regard, the study connects gender, responsible investment and the energy transition, arguing that integrating a gender lens into corporate and financial policies not only responds to international normative commitments, but also constitutes a structural component for transforming development models toward inclusive sustainability in the region.