Okena is a company for the collection, treatment and disposal of hazardous industrial effluents—which are treated at its own treatment plant, located in Itapevi-SP. The waste resulting from the process is correctly disposed of, and the water returns to nature safely and cleanly.

The main direct positive impact of the company is related to clean water and preservation of the ecosystem; Brazil has 12% of all fresh water on the surface of the world, and industrial effluents have the potential to pollute up to 1000 times more than domestic sewage. In addition, industries in the São Paulo metropolitan region illegally dispose of ten million liters per hour of industrial effluents, polluting water sources —this is an urgent problem.

Okena goes beyond just treating water: the company is committed to building a new circular economy where there is a process of extracting value from effluents with upcycling and reuse of essential raw materials in certain production chains. Founded by Ricardo Glass in 2010, it is a B Certified company, part of the movement for More Conscious Capitalism and is a signatory to the UN Global Compact because, sometimes, how you do it is even more important than what you do.

Rise started working alongside Okena in the second half of 2019, planning the roadmap for the coming years. We are very happy and excited about the partnership.