SUSTAINABILITY + ENTREPRENEUR + EXPLORER

Hello, I am Agustina Besada (also known as Tati Besada).
I am a sustainability professional, social entrepreneur and explorer.

I believe that a world with sustainable cultural norms and productive systems is possible.
My purpose is to support this transformation and have a positive impact in the world.

I work redesigning systems, inspiring action and guiding transformative processes, for a more efficient use of material resources, minimizing waste and negative impact, and optimizing its value.

I collaborate with individuals, organizations, companies and governments in Latin America to develop new public and private policies, aiming to create permanent systemic changes to contribute to a sustainable development.

ABOUT ME

Sustainability professional specialized in circular economy and material resources management. Social entrepreneur passionate about triple-impact systemic solutions. Explorer, sailor and adventurer.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC _ Explorer _ link

On May 2018, I have crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a 36-feet sailboat - twice - to research firsthand the reality of plastics in the ocean and study international solutions. Building on this voyage, I had the opportunity to join the prestigious National Geographic explorers community, developing the Unplastify Challenge for Schools, and contributing to the #PlanetorPlastic campaign.

UNPLASTIFY _ Co-founder + Director _ link

Aligned with that adventure, I have co-founded and now direct Unplastify, a social enterprise on a mission to change the human relationship with plastic, accelerating deplastification systemic processes. The problem is not the material but its use and abuse. We need to reduce/eliminate single-use-plastic designing it out of our systems.

SUSTENTAR _ Circular Economy Director _ link

In January 2019, I have joined Asociación Sustentar as their Executive Director. Our work’s mission is to promote an integral and sustainable human development. We conduct studies, provide trainings and technical assistance in the fields of Climate Change & SDGs, Sustainable Mobility and Resource Efficiency. I lead the Resource Efficiency efforts, and we work locally and regionally to promote more responsible production systems.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES

Before setting sail to explore ocean plastic pollution, I have served as the executive director of Brooklyn-based sustainability hub and recycling center, Sure We Can. The center employs a community of 400 urban collectors that bring in an average of 40,000 aluminum cans and plastic bottles per day, effectively diverting thousands of pounds of recyclable materials from landfills.

Since 2010, I have worked on material waste valuation and recovery systems that maximize social, environmental, and economic impact. I work as a consultant for public and private sector organizations, having worked with academia, corporations, NGOs and governments in Latin America and the U.S. I promote solutions for a more circular economy and reduction of plastic ocean pollution through regular workshops and talks that draw from my hands-on experience, including a TEDx talk at Columbia University: “The Plastic Elephant in the Room”.

MY STUDIES

2017 _ Certificate of Business Excellence, ECLA Program, Columbia Business School, New York
2015 _ M.S. in Sustainability Management, Columbia University's Earth Institute, New York
2009 _ International Design Program, School of Superior Design (ESDI), Barcelona
2012 _ B.S. in Industrial Design, Palermo University, Buenos Aires

Find more information about my background in my linked-in profile.