PERU. A vital Latin American business event, the GLI Forum Latam 2026, cast a spotlight on travel retail and its place within the region in Lima recently.
The travel retail and airport sector was represented by London Supply Group Director of Sustainability and Strategic Communication María Taratuty, who was participating for the second consecutive year.
The GLI Forum Latam is dedicated to the future of business, investments and inclusive development with a gender perspective. Held under the theme ‘New Horizons: Technology, Territory, and Collective Power,’ the forum gathered in Lima more than 4,000 leaders from the private sector, investment funds and global corporations such as TikTok and KPMG, with delegations representing over 30 countries.
Taratuty emphasised that gender-lens investing and accessibility are no longer peripheral initiatives but rather “core operational and commercial pillars redefining the competitiveness of air terminals in the modern era”.
A new playbook for sustainability
During her presentation titled ‘Business is Changing and It’s a Whole New Ballgame’ (El negocio está cambiando y se juega distinto), Taratuty focused on positioning sustainability not as an auxiliary department, but as an integral part of the company’s core corporate strategy.
She said the corporate sector was moving away from traditional philanthropy to embrace a management model rooted in empathy, yet driven by a sustainable approach with a clear financial return for the business.
Using a sports analogy to underscore the critical role of executive vision, she said, “To change the game, you need the vision of a Head Coach who truly understands the new rules and the vital importance of sustainability in an organisation like ours. In our case, that leader was our President, Teddy Taratuty.”
Innovation and inclusive airport infrastructure
She also presented the company’s successful case studies in implementing airport infrastructure with direct social impact— a factor that consistently elevates the operational standards and commercial reputation of air terminals in the region:
- ‘London Accessible’ initiative: A pioneering programme that transforms the company’s terminals into neurodiverse and fully accessible spaces, featuring the recent inauguration of sensory rooms and customised assistance systems for passengers with hidden disabilities.
- Care infrastructure (Nursing rooms): Model spaces designed to guarantee the rights and comfort of female passengers and employees alike, embedding a gender perspective into the physical travel experience.
“Modern travel retail goes far beyond commercial transactions; it is about designing an ecosystem where every passenger feels included and valued. Accessibility and care infrastructure turn airport transit into an empathetic, high-perceived-value experience,” said Taratuty.
Tourism from the roots
Aligned with the forum’s focus on territory, Taratuty shared the profound impact of the educational hub driven by the London Supply Foundation in Puerto Iguazú: the Parque Educativo Barrio 1° de Mayo. This model facility, attended daily by 1,500 children and youths, features a unique pedagogical design in the region, where students graduate as Bachelors with an Orientation in Tourism.
By training the next generations of tourism and retail professionals directly within their local community, the company ensures the economic development of the territory, she noted. This generates a virtuous cycle that strengthens human capital across the entire regional value chain.
The GLI Forum Latam 2026 underscored how gender-lens investing and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria are reshaping financial decision-making in Latin America.
The active participation of industry-leading corporations shows that “equity acts as an economic catalyst and stands as an indispensable standard for managing international tenders and concessions in the airport sector”, noted London Supply.
A statement added, “With this prominent presence in Lima, London Supply Group reinforces its vanguard position in regional travel retail, proving that business profitability and sustainable social impact are ultimately two sides of the same coin.” ✈
