Babson Trustee Ramón Mendiola ’86, P’20 ’21 ’23 Recognized with Progress Medal

Babson College Trustee Ramón Mendiola ’86, P’20 ’21 ’23 has been recognized by the Society for Progress with one of seven Progress Medals.  

Mendiola earned the recognition for his leadership as CEO of Florida Ice and Farm Company (FIFCO), a leading producer of food and beverage products headquartered in Costa Rica. Under his leadership, FIFCO amplified its sustainability strategy and became a triple bottom line company, in which executives’ compensation is directly linked to economic, social, and environmental key performance indicators.  

FIFCO’s approach to sustainability under Mendiola led the company to be named a Sustainability Champion of the World Economic Forum. In 2023, Mendiola was named to the 2023 Meaningful Business 100, which celebrates leaders combining profit and purpose to help achieve the U.N. Global Goals. 

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PODCAST: Listen to Ramón Mendiola ’86, P’20 ’21 ’23 discuss systems thinking and sustainability on the “From Problems to Possibilities: Entrepreneurial Leadership in Action” podcast.

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Founded in 2013, the Society for Progress is an academically diverse and independent group of scholars and leaders that believes in the power of integrating perspectives from moral and social philosophy to evolve the global economic system. The society’s Progress Medals are awarded to those whose work and stewardship inspire economies around the world to better integrate economic performance with fairness, well-being, and sustainability.    

“I received this award with tremendous joy and gratitude in recognition that we as society must continue redoubling our efforts to evolve in the way we are conducting business in our enterprises and teaching business in our universities by creating economic, social, and environmental value simultaneously and not one at the expense of the other,” Mendiola said. “In times of greater uncertainly, we need to raise the standards by which we operate.” 

Mendiola received the medal alongside an inspirational set of peers that includes:  

• Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, head of the Department of Community Development of Abu Dhabi 
• Julie Battilana, professor at Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School 
• Andrew Forrest, founder and executive chairman of Fortescue, a metals, energy, and technology group 
• Jürgen Habermas, German philosopher and social theorist 
• Johanna Mair, professor of organization and leadership at the Hertie School in Berlin 
• James D. Sinegal, co-founder and former CEO of Costco Wholesale