The PIMCO Foundation and TechnoServe Send Four PIMCO Employees to Peru to Work With Coffee Farmers

NEWPORT BEACH, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 25, 2015) -  The PIMCO Foundation, the charitable arm of global investment management firm PIMCO, has again partnered with TechnoServe to send four volunteers from PIMCO to work alongside coffee farmers to help build sustainable small businesses.

The project is part of PMCO's Emerging Enterprise Program (EEP), launched in 2011 in conjunction with TechnoServe, an international NGO that promotes business solutions to reduce poverty. The EEP's primary aim is to encourage entrepreneurship and create opportunity in developed countries.

The PIMCO Foundation and TechnoServe support the development of the specialty coffee and cocoa value chains, providing sustainable and lucrative business opportunities for poor Peruvian farmers. Specifically, with funding from the PIMCO Foundation, TechnoServe provides technical and business support to a total of 6,000 smallholder farming families in San Martín to produce specialty coffee or cocoa on 10,200 hectares of land, and establish links to major buyers. 

"Our firm encourages skills-based volunteering," said Douglas Hodge, PIMCO CEO. "Through PIMCO's Emerging Enterprise Program, employees participate in a cross-border global pro bono program, working with local entrepreneurs, and sharing their knowledge to help others in developing countries advance projects in their communities."

Volunteers will spend six weeks conducting interviews, identifying input suppliers and helping develop the most appropriate model to establish a supplier financed fertilization scheme that will allow farmers to improve their productivity.

"Since our partnership began, TechnoServe and PIMCO have collaborated on high-skill projects in Latin America that deliver lasting value to TechnoServe's beneficiaries. Our partnership is creating powerful change for those we assist in developing countries," said Andrei Belyi, Regional Director, Latin America & Caribbean, for TechnoServe.

About The PIMCO Foundation
The PIMCO Foundation is the charitable arm of PIMCO, based in Newport Beach, California, which helps people around the world to reach their full potential by engaging, empowering and investing in communities. It carries out its mission by identifying areas of urgent community need and volunteering time and financial resources to support high impact projects and programs; through education with a focus on financial literacy and college readiness; and by investing in people through partnerships fostering economic development. The PIMCO Foundation was founded in 2001 and launched its volunteer program in 2007. In 2011, the firm established the PIMCO Foundation Europe.

About PIMCO
PIMCO is a leading global investment management firm, with offices in 12 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Founded in 1971, PIMCO offers a wide range of innovative solutions to help millions of investors worldwide meet their needs. Our goal is to provide attractive returns while maintaining a strong culture of risk management and long-term discipline. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of PIMCO's sponsored investment products and separately managed accounts, general economic conditions, future acquisitions, competitive conditions and government regulations, including changes in tax laws. Readers should carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only on the date at which such statements are made. PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.