S3F Partner Spotlight: Camila Perussi, Sinergia Animal

Camila Perussi is the Financial Institutions Campaign Manager at Sinergia Animal where she plays a pivotal role in developing campaigns that challenge financial institutions to adopt sustainable practices and improve animal welfare standards. She has several years of experience driving impactful change at the intersection of animal welfare, sustainable food systems, and climate policy.

How did Sinergia Animal get its start?

Sinergia started to focus on the role of financial institutions because they are key enablers of the industrial animal agriculture sector. If banks change their policies, they can change our food systems. We started a campaign on commercial banks and investors, asking them specifically to adopt minimum animal welfare criteria.

At the same time, we also started a campaign focusing on development banks, as they have the mandate to invest in sustainable development. Since factory farming harms almost all Sustainable Development Goals, it makes no sense that they still finance factory farming. We connected with other organizations working on the same issues, built partnerships, shared strategies, became part of a bigger network and we co-founded the S3F (Stop Financing Factory Farming) campaign. It’s been a lot of collaboration, and being in those coalitions has helped us make a much bigger impact than we could have on our own.

What is the mission of the organization?

Our mission is simple: we want to end factory farming in Global South countries by challenging the systems that keep it going. That means getting banks and corporations to adopt stronger, better policies—whether it’s about improving animal welfare or shifting toward sustainable food systems.

We’re tackling this from a few angles. With banks, we’re pushing for better policies, like stronger animal welfare standards and a financial transition away from harmful practices. Programs like Nourishing Tomorrow focus on promoting plant-based food systems and reducing reliance on eggs, meat and dairy.

In the end, we’re working for a world where factory farming is a thing of the past, and we’re creating a path toward healthier, more sustainable food systems.

How do you get things done?

We combine research, strategic campaigns, and public action to push banks toward stronger animal welfare policies. For instance, with our Banks for Animals initiative, we analyzed policies from over 80 banks, followed up regularly for updates, and targeted key banks with campaigns, especially in regions like the Global South, where sustainability often lacks attention.

We use LinkedIn ads, newsletters, and petitions to engage decision-makers and the public. In Indonesia, we ran a campaign with grassroots petitions and targeted ads to improve animal welfare standards.

Collaboration is key—we partner with coalitions, participate in global events, and coordinate joint actions like letters and webinars. By approaching the issue from all sides, we maximize our impact.

What do you think is the power of coalitions to drive change?

Being part of coalitions like Stop Financing Factory Farming (S3F) is transformative. It allows us to share resources, strategies, and ideas, leveraging collective strengths to tackle global issues. Our role as a Global South voice in groups like S3F and the Food and Climate Group ensures that solutions reflect the realities of our region, which often differ significantly from those in the Global North.

Coalitions help us amplify our impact despite limited capacity. As a small team, we depend on these partnerships to take on larger projects, learn from others’ successes, and adapt strategies to fit our local context. For example, we draw inspiration from organizations like Mercy for Animals, applying their tested approaches in ways that resonate in the Global South.

These connections also allow us to stretch our resources and participate in critical global discussions without overextending. By working together, we make space for diverse perspectives, enabling more equitable and effective solutions to global challenges.

What does it mean for your organization to be “born and raised” in the Global South?

Our roots are in the Global South. Carolina, our founder, started this journey in Brazil, and now we’ve expanded to countries like Argentina, Chile, Indonesia, and Thailand. Being from the Global South shapes everything we do. Here, funding is limited, and systemic barriers are a constant challenge. But instead of backing down, that’s what motivates us even more.

We’re aware that these issues, whether animal protection or the fight against factory farming, can be overlooked. But that’s exactly why we exist: to amplify voices that aren’t being heard. It’s a difficult environment, but we’re stepping up to the challenge, and it feels powerful to do so.

Our reach has expanded across eight countries, where we’re running investigations, campaigns, and events. And even though it’s hard –especially with the cultural and logistical issues—we’re making a real impact. When we see progress for animals in the Global South, it pushes us to keep going. It’s about more than just the work.

How has your organization grown over time?

When the organization started, it was just Carolina and two campaigners. Now, it’s grown to around 40–50 people. We’ve kept the size steady for a while, but there’s been a lot of restructuring that keeps things moving quickly with country-focused teams. The shift in strategy is also a big deal—focusing more on community engagement rather than relying just on online campaigns. We’re planning for slight growth, but we’re staying mid-sized and focused on impact.

How do you build an effective message that the public can rally around?

It’s all about identifying with the consumer. We’re paying these banks to manage our money, but they don’t have any policies against factory farming. So when we take action, we’re asking for change on a personal level—it’s not just about animals, it’s about my money. Once we present this to the community, they get it right away. It’s powerful and they’re ready to act. What I think we’re missing sometimes is local engagement. Working with activists and communities directly helps build that energy for change. We’re always talking to executives, but to make real change, we need to connect with people on the ground.

Can you describe a major campaign success you’ve had?

One big success was the Marfrig Case. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) dropped a planned $200 million loan package plan for Marfrig Global Foods’ Brazilian beef operations, through its private investment branch, IDB Invest. According to IDB Invest, the loan “has been interrupted“ and “is no longer considered for approval.”

The decision came after more than 275 environmental, animal welfare, human rights and development advocacy groups sent a public letter to the Bank’s board of directors, citing potential bank policy violations and denouncing the loan for the role it would play in fueling deforestation, land grabbing and contributing to the climate crisis. The Stop Financing Factory Farming Campaign —of which Sinergia Animal is part— also launched a public social media campaign against the loan.

The IDB’s decision to not approve this loan is a gigantic step in the right direction. We hope this outcome will send a loud signal to public development finance: loans should not be channeled to large-scale industrial livestock operations and such initiatives are incompatible with their commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

How do you measure the success of a project?

We measure success through social media—shares, likes, comments, and ad performance. Petitions are huge to, like getting clicks, tracking how long people stay on pages. But the real indicator is how the targets respond. When banks start checking our pages, responding to letters, or agreeing to meetings, we know we have made progress. For me, a meeting with a bank is a huge win. Getting them to talk is already a step forward. Numbers like petition signatures are important, but the best success comes from those harder-to-measure wins led by direct conversations. The real indicators are a change in a policy, a divestment or the denial of (new) credits.

Tell me about yourself. How did you end up with Sinergia?

I started out as a marine biologist, working with dolphins and whales, analyzing the ocean environment. I was also in a molecular biology lab, studying proteins and plants. It was research-focused, but something didn’t feel right. I was eating meat, living in a way that didn’t align with my work. Then I read a book about veganism, and everything changed. I went vegan within three months, and that led me into animal protection. I realized my research wasn’t making the impact I wanted, so I switched gears. I got into activism, volunteering, and eventually working in campaigns to make a difference. A part of me wants to work with h aquatic animals again, but this time to protect them, not just study them.

If Sinergia suddenly came into a windfall of money, what would you do with it?

The possibilities are truly exciting! First, we would dive into a thorough analysis to ensure every penny is used in the smartest, most impactful way. Our focus would be on fast, sustainable growth, and we’re driven by three core principles that fuel everything we do: strategy, effectiveness, and organizational sustainability.

But there are a few bold dreams we can’t wait to share with you:

We dream of expanding our work into an African country, where the industrial livestock industry plays a huge role. As we’ve seen in other countries with large, influential industries, this could be a game-changer for animal protection. We also have our sights set on increasing our reach across Latin America and Asia, regions that are often overlooked when it comes to animal protection work but are in desperate need of support.

Closer to home, in the countries where we’re already making strides, we’d focus on amplifying the movement—building momentum, shaping public discourse, and influencing public policies. Changing societal narratives and pushing for legislative shifts is a long-term journey, but it’s one we’re committed to, and it’s essential to start soon.

A key focus in this area would be strengthening our S3F campaign. With additional resources, we could magnify our efforts, especially in engaging with multilateral banks, whose influence on policy in the Global South is incredibly powerful.