MAS Equity Partners (MEP) is a pioneer Colombian private equity firm, with 18 years of successful investments in mid-size companies in the Andean region. The firm specialises in hands-on private equity investments in high performing, innovative and scalable companies. The firm manages three funds, including seven active investments and nine that have been successfully exited. As of 2021, the portfolio companies represent 8,320 jobs, of which 50.3 percent are filled by women. La Fazenda, Colombia’s largest integrated meat-producing company, is a star of the MEP portfolio. The asset has proven profitable for the firm, delivering an internal rate of return of 50 percent in less than two years. It’s also contributing to the country’s food security, self-reliance and sustainable agricultural development. La Fazenda cultivates wheat, soy and corn on 42,000 hectares of farmland in an integrated pork production agrobusiness that now claims 15 percent of the Colombian market. Like all MEP investees, the agrobusiness has adopted ambitious ESG targets. MEP builds trust among stakeholders by pursuing the triple-impact results associated with the principles of responsible investing. MEP believes this strategy will help maintain the track record of continuous growth that the firm has enjoyed over the years — and safeguard it against future economic challenges. MEP is one of few private equity investors in the region focused on supporting SMEs. Women make up nearly half of the MEP workforce, and the firm funds community acceleration programmes to prepare more females to join the team. The CFI.co judging panel announces MAS Equity Partners as the 2022 award winner for Best ESG Private Equity Strategy (Colombia).