The Regional Impact Trade Alliance (RITA) is an emerging international civil society organisation that serves as a global impact trade platform for purpose-driven cities, regions, bio-regions and small nations.
Our purpose is to catalyse new commercial advantages for regions based on their responses to climate change, biodiversity loss, social inequality and other Sustainable Development Goals. Multi-sector collaboration, region-wide agreements and economic innovations (macro and micro) are the three minimum conditions categories that enable membership.
By rewarding regions that create good for the World and the Planet, RITA also acts as a promotion body for a new global positioning of impact regions.
Solutions
By working at the scales of cities, regions, small nations and bio-regions, we can better connect place-based innovations to matching risks and vulnerabilities, while creating new regenerative value chains and markets.
Solutions that RITA is seeking to enable:
Social & Environmental injustice of global relevance
International trade which is no longer fit for purpose
Ineffective Multilateralism (including Global North & South dynamics)
Sector and industry silos that hinder regional economic transition
Expanding impact innovations beyond domestic markets into mainstream global trade
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Radical multi-sector collaboration between Global North and Global South
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Trade for People, Prosperity & Planet (better reflecting true costs & benefits)
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Private and public market led innovations, primarily for climate change, biodiversity loss and social inequality
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Regions must have demonstrated multi-sector partnerships, innovation Hubs or other mechanisms which overcome polarisation and separation.
Multi-Sector Collaboration
Regions must have place-based policies that, while responding to their own needs, also contribute to the global Common Good.
Region-wide Agreements
Regions must include organisations with impact models, policies/instruments, products, services & knowledge that address social and environmental needs, as well as enable economic transition.
Macro & Micro Innovations
System Building:
How RITA members work together
RITA is a system of regions collaborating to share and scale social and environmental solutions through the power of international trade. Aspiring Impact Trade Regions must first fulfill our minimum criteria, which then grants access to: our membership registry, a new ‘Regional Impact Origin’ (RIO) brand mark and our seasonal programs of inter-regional trade roundtables, trade missions, fairs and gatherings.
Membership requirements
Regions need to address three minimum conditions categories for eligibility, including:
Team Members
Matt Sykes
Executive Director &
Global Strategic Council
Melbourne,
Australia
Nille Skalts
Global Strategic Council
Copenhagen,
Denmark
Roberto Remedia
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Umbria, Italy
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Camila Dias
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Florianopolis,
Brazil
Rufino Escasany
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Parana Delta,
Argentina
Tobias Mendelovici
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Tel Aviv,
Israel
Pedro Tarak
Global Strategic Council
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Rafael Kemelmajer
Global Strategic Council
Mendoza,
Argentina
João B. Casali
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Julia Maggion
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Florianopolis,
Brazil
Ignacio Guarnieri
Inter-Regional
Working Group
Uruguay
Strategic Partners
Institutional
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Financial
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Academic
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Media
COMING SOON
About: Origin Story
The Regional Impact Trade Alliance (RITA) can trace its beginnings to “COVID-19” conversations in late 2020, when Matt Sykes, Rafael Kemelmajer and Pedro Tarak began comparing the impact innovation ecosystems of Melbourne (Australia) and Mendoza (Argentina).
In November 2021, an online pilot inter-regional Impact Trade Roundtable was held between leaders in Mendoza and Melbourne around the themes of Water, Waste and Wine. In June 2022, we participated in inter-regional meetings at Stockholm+50 (hosted by Nille Skalts), and then the Impact Trade gathering in Sansepolcro (Italy) co-hosted with Aboca (pharmaceutical B Corp) and Sistema B led to the formation of a global working group.
In April 2023, leaders from Copenhagen, Umbria, Uruguay, Rio de Janeiro, Parana Delta, Florianopolis, Mendoza and Melbourne, gathered at the ‘Meeting in Mendoza’ for a week of strategic workshops (with virtual participation from Tel Aviv).
In October 2023, RITA was registered as a legal non-profit organisation in Melbourne, Australia, and is now being activated via an 18-month Action Plan.
Issues
Existing international trade systems do not reward practices that create the conditions for long-term social and environmental solutions, including peace, trust and transparent impact measurement. Emerging legislation for global challenges, such as climate change or deforestation, is mostly restriction-driven.
Post-2020 Global Issues that RITA is seeking to address:
"NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD; INDEED, IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.”
— Margaret Mead
“WHENEVER WE LOOK AT LIFE, WE LOOK AT NETWORKS.”
