Latin America Leadership Program

By Guadalupe Ramirez

As an environmental advocate in Argentine Patagonia, Silvio learned early in life the value of resilience, seeing every challenge as an opportunity to adapt, relearn, and move forward. This perspective is reflected in his role as a member of Basura Cero Cooperative and as Head of Environment at Pan American Silver Corp.’s Cerro Moro mining operation in Santa Cruz, Argentina, as well as in his family life, and in his passion for mountaineering.

Nature is an integral part of his life, and concepts such as the circular economy and waste circularity inspire him both personally and professionally because of their positive environmental impact and their potential to generate social and economic value.

Prior to participating in the Innovation and Leadership in Government Program (ILG), Silvio was part of the first cohort of CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean’s Diploma Program in Governance and Public Innovation in 2023. There, he developed a plastics circularity project that was recognized among the best in Latin America. As a result, he was selected to participate in an intensive regional program at Georgetown University.

Silvio is one of the 13 ad honorem members of the Basura Cero Cooperative, the project he brought to ILG in 2024. Through this initiative, he applies his professional experience to foster a circular economy in the city of Caleta Olivia, in southern Argentina. He is currently focused on addressing energy challenges related to the operation of plastic extrusion equipment, continuing pilot testing, and increasing production capacity.

Recently, the Basura Cero Cooperative was selected by CAF’s InnovaLab as one of the high-potential projects supported by its acceleration platform, which aims to strengthen, scale, and generate sustainable impact across the region.

From the private sector, in his role as Environmental Manager at Pan American Silver Corp. and Cerro Moro mine, Silvio coordinates environmental, water management, energy, and climate change committees, while also overseeing the implementation of the internationally recognized Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) environmental protocols developed by the Mining Association of Canada.

In May 2026, the Cerro Moro operation, through its Circularity of Waste initiative, was named a finalist for the TSM® Environmental Excellence Award. The initiative gained international recognition for transforming traditional waste management into a model of environmental innovation, community collaboration, and long-term sustainability. 

In 2024, the initiative recycled 264 tonnes of scrap metal, 33.81 tonnes of mixed recyclable materials, and 28.34 tonnes of cardboard, while diverting 297.81 tonnes of waste from landfills. 

In 2025, it continued to scale, recycling 727.74 tonnes of materials, including 682.00 tonnes of processed scrap metal, 32.68 tonnes of cardboard, and 12.07 tonnes of recovery plastic, while also reusing 256 tonnes of wood. 

As a result, more than 50% of the non-hazardous industrial waste generated at Cerro Moro was circularized through recycling and recovery processes, achieving a diversion rate exceeding 68% when wood waste reuse was included.

“The circular economy and circular mining are not abstract concepts, but practical tools capable of generating positive environmental, social, and economic benefits.” — Silvio Romano (ILG 2024, Argentina)

Both at the  Basura Cero Cooperative and Pan American Silver, Silvio has applied the knowledge and skills developed through ILG, particularly in strategic planning, roadmap design, traceability systems, leadership development, and building stronger relationships for collaborative work with municipalities, urban recyclers, and  organizations such as the Garrahan Foundation.

One Mountain, One Goal

For many years, Silvio has practiced rock climbing and mountaineering. Alongside his love for his family, these activities are among the most meaningful aspects of his life.

Several essential elements of mountaineering that have helped him reach the summit of countless mountains—such as planning, perseverance, and resilience—have also become guiding principles in other areas of his life.

From his perspective, achieving a goal often requires multiple attempts. If a goal is viewed as a mountain, one may not reach the summit on the first try.  However, with better preparation and a new approach, the chance of success increase significantly.

“I have learned that the mountain (the goal) will always be there, and reaching the summit requires self-improvement, continuous preparation, resilience, and perseverance to try as many times as necessary.” — Silvio Romano (ILG 2024, Argentina)

This mindset was also reflected in his persistence when applying to ILG. He was accepted on his second application, reinforcing his philosophy  that when you know what you want, you must keep trying and persevere until you achieve it.

Congratulations, Silvio! Keep transforming challenges into opportunities and inspiring others to lead with purpose and create a multiplier impact.