Uruguay will have a Sustainable Management Seal to strengthen responsible exports

The LATU auditorium was the venue for the event “Sustainable Exports: Proposals and Tools for Promotion,” which explored the characteristics and development of the Sustainable Management Seal, an initiative developed jointly by the Union of Exporters of Uruguay (UEU) and the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay (LATU).

The presidents of both institutions emphasized that Uruguay has internationally recognized strengths—such as its ranking of 34th out of 167 countries in the Sustainable Development Index, a consolidated democracy, and low levels of inequality compared to other countries in the region—but also faces challenges that require joint efforts between the public, private, and academic sectors. According to them, the seal was conceived as a practical and gradual guide to accompany goods and services companies, especially small ones, in incorporating good sustainable practices.

One of the highlights of the day was a panel discussion that brought together representatives from Banco República (BROU), InMujeres, ANII, and Uruguay XXI, who agreed that sustainability is not only an environmental and social duty, but also a strategic condition for competing in the most demanding markets.

Representing Uruguay XXI, Executive Director Mariana Ferreira emphasized that sustainability has become an essential criterion in international trade. “Today’s markets evaluate not only the quality of products, but also the story behind them: how they are produced, under what conditions, and with what impact on society and the environment,” she said.

Ferreira recalled that nearly 80% of Uruguay’s exports of goods are agro-industrial—meat, dairy, cellulose, oilseeds—and that these products are traceable, an attribute that responds to the growing demands of informed consumers and niche markets. “Uruguay’s strategy is more niche than volume, and that is where transparency and sustainability become competitive advantages,” he said.

In his speech, he emphasized the complementarity between the Sustainable Management Seal and Marca País Uruguay’s licensing, which is based on four pillars: origin and authenticity, sustainability, leadership, and export capacity. As he explained, the seal technically and objectively reinforces the pillar of sustainability, amplifying the standard message that Uruguay not only produces with quality but also with social, environmental, and governance responsibility.

“Certifications are a key to access: they open doors in demanding markets, differentiate our companies from competitors, and generate long-term value,” Ferreira said, inviting companies with the seal to take a step further and license themselves with the Uruguay Country Brand.

The director of Uruguay XXI defined this integration as a virtuous circle that benefits at all levels: stronger and more responsible companies, a more reliable and valued country brand, and a better-positioned Uruguay in the world. “Today, sustainability is not an option; it is a condition for competing and growing,” she concluded.

The meeting ended with an institutional panel featuring the World Bank (IFC) and representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Industry, and Environment, who agreed on maintaining public-private cooperation to deepen the country’s productive transformation.