Alexandra Infante: “The Pandemic Has Taught Companies a Lesson in Vulnerability”
How did the idea of creating Ikigai come about?
Ikigai means: a person’s reason for being their purpose. It is a Japanese proverb that encourages people to always live in ikigai, in purpose. At Ikigai, we work with the purpose of companies and individuals.
We are three female partners, and the company has been operating for two and a half years. I started Ikigai at 28, after working for six years at Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP), three years in finance and three years in corporate social responsibility.
That is where my interest in articulating high-impact projects emerged. I resigned from my position and decided to found Ikigai together with one of my partners, Micaela Alvarez Calderón, who also worked with me at the bank.
Our goal has been to design social strategies rooted in corporate purpose and culture. We seek to go beyond philanthropy by following the “purpose-driven companies” model, which aims to create impact across all stakeholders.
That is why our own purpose as a company is to help people and organizations move forward with meaning.
Today, there is a growing trend of talking about purpose rather than mission and vision. What we do is design actions, projects, programs, and initiatives based on a company’s purpose to generate social impact.
Our internal clients often include shareholders, CSR departments, business units, and human resources teams, since our work directly impacts the company’s core operations.
For example, with BCP we developed an onboarding program for new employees that included a volunteer experience through which they internalized the bank’s purpose from day one. BCP’s purpose is to transform plans into reality. So we took employees to work with high school seniors in a community to help them turn their dreams into actionable plans.
We always aim to help companies create impact from who they are. This aligns with the new business theory of the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profit.
What does it mean to be a purpose-driven company?
There is often a perception that being a purpose-driven company is costly. However, in countries such as the United States, many companies operating under this model have actually increased their profits. It is what consumers are demanding.
The pandemic has created a powerful moment of awareness—a space to recognize that we may have been operating on autopilot and needed to change.
We are part of Sistema B, a private certification for purpose-driven companies that seek to generate social and environmental impact. In Peru, there are still relatively few companies operating under this model, which means there is a strong need to inspire others to make this shift.
Ultimately, every company has a higher purpose beyond making money. Human beings naturally seek something more transcendent. Strategy can sometimes distance organizations from that. Yet many studies show that purpose-driven organizations increase employee pride and engagement. That is why large Peruvian companies are beginning to shift toward this model.
How do you believe the pandemic has impacted companies?
One of the challenges many companies face is the belief that they are invincible—that if they have financial resources, everything will be fine. The pandemic has given us a powerful lesson in vulnerability.
We must care not only about profitability, but also about people and the environment.
During these 100 days, many companies have had to rethink their priorities, feeling fear and vulnerability as they faced the possibility of being unable to pay salaries and sustain their workforce. Experiencing vulnerability has awakened something deeply human.
Often, when people go through difficulties, they develop greater sensitivity and awareness. The pandemic has been a global wake-up call, allowing us to see things we previously overlooked. It has pushed many to open their eyes.
As a result, I have seen strong interest from business leaders in understanding and applying this model. We have been hosting webinars on conscious capitalism, and the response has been remarkable.
Now is the time to talk more about how companies, through their purpose, can generate profitability consciously—ensuring that growth benefits not only shareholders, but all stakeholders.
What are Ikigai’s plans and expectations for growth?
We have expansion plans in Latin America, particularly in Chile and Colombia. In fact, we already have two partners in Colombia, and we are currently seeking partners in Chile.
To diversify our value proposition, this year we launched two new business lines: Ikigai Personas and Ikigai Productos.
Through Ikigai Personas, we create spaces for personal transformation for corporate employees and individuals. We offer workshops designed to develop skills using coaching and meditation tools.
Through Ikigai Productos, we design and produce goods that benefit small economies and tell meaningful stories that promote well-being.
Together with Empresas que Inspiran, we created the Guerrero Emprendedor program, through which we train and support entrepreneurs across Peru. The program includes partners such as Backus, Voluntarios Belcorp, PROA, Makesense, and Mibanco.
We are about to sign an alliance with Tu Empresa from the Ministry of Production (Produce) to expand access to even more small business owners.
Our goal is to reach 10,000 entrepreneurs this year. To date, we have trained 400. We are concluding the second edition of the program, and two additional companies have joined as sponsors for the third edition, allowing the initiative to grow even further.