Suma Impact Foundation (SIF), the philanthropic arm for social innovation of Suma Capital, has appointed José Luis Ruiz de Munain as its first Chief Executive Officer. With this step, the Foundation reaffirms its ambition to become a benchmark actor in promoting a just, inclusive, people-centered, and evidence-based ecological transition. 

The appointment takes place within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2025–2028, which the Foundation’s Board of Trustees will finalize in the coming months, working closely with Ruiz de Munain and key sector stakeholders. This strategy will guide the Foundation’s work around three priority areas: sustainable living, the natural environment, and resilient communities — focusing on prevention, adaptation, and regeneration in the face of climate crises. These will be addressed through four action pillars: generating transformative knowledge, fostering talent and innovation, building alliances for change, and promoting equity through direct support for projects. 

“At Suma Capital, we understand that the ecological transition cannot be tackled solely through investment. That is why we created this Foundation: to act where capital does not always reach, yet impact is essential. With José Luis at the helm, we are opening a new chapter that strengthens our collective ambition to generate useful knowledge, transformative partnerships, and solutions that improve people’s lives, linking resources, the economy, and society in favor of a just ecological transition”, said Enrique Tombas, Chairman of Suma Capital and Suma Impact Foundation. 

With more than two decades of national and international experience in social innovation, sustainable finance, and impact investing, Ruiz de Munain was the founder and CEO of SpainNAB, the National Advisory Board for Impact Investment (a member of the global GSG Impact platform present in 50 countries). He has also spearheaded numerous initiatives, working closely with the public and private sectors as well as multilateral organizations. 

“I join this project with the deep conviction that the ecological transition must be just, or it will not happen at all. This transition demands building new bridges between the economic and the social spheres, and Suma Impact Foundation has the capabilities, legitimacy, and ambition needed to activate this space in a rigorous, transformative, and inclusive way”, stated Ruiz de Munain. 

From vision to impact 

Officially launched on May 22 at the Suma Summit 2025, the Foundation will act as Suma Capital’s social innovation and knowledge platform. 

As its first step following the launch, the Foundation has initiated its first project in collaboration with Sant Joan de Déu: an Observatory that will evaluate the link between childhood, nature, and health in schools, with the aim of generating useful insights for the design of innovative public policies. In addition, the Foundation will continue to develop the Suma Net Zero Index (SNZI), a strategic biennial report that will guide the Foundation’s work in the coming years, with the ambition of developing its own agenda for real and measurable impact. 

Transparency, measurement and good governance from the start 

The Foundation operates under a model of good governance, transparency, external evaluation, and accountability. In this regard, it will publish an annual report of activities and results, and periodic impact audits are planned. 

Its work will initially focus on Spain, targeting communities and regions vulnerable to the climate crisis, while aiming to create replicable pilots and useful knowledge to help drive solutions at a European level, particularly in France and Italy, where Suma Capital has been present since 2024.