Sustainable Barcarena Initiative
To support broad collaboration for social change in Barcarena, Alunorte has committed BRL 100 million (NOK 250 million) in local community investments through the new Sustainable Barcarena Initiative.
“Our aim is to bring all stakeholders together – academia, business, authorities and employees – to share concerns, discuss and priorities the key needs of the Barcarena area. We believe this has the potential to reduce the conflict level in the area and strengthen the ability of local communities to drive social change and development.”
— Anne Lene Midseim, Executive Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility in Hydro, Hydro Capital Markets Day, 29 November
The Sustainable Barcarena Initiative is a separate legal entity, with its own organization, financed by but independent of Alunorte. To drive implementation, we have hired independent facilitators with broad experience in conflict resolution and in facilitating complex processes with many stakeholders.
The role of the Sustainable Barcarena Initiative is two-fold:
- Ensure competence-building and training for local stakeholders in fields such as project development, financial management, monitoring and evaluation
- Finance social development projects in Barcarena
To learn more, visit the Sustainable Barcarena Initiative website (in Portuguese only): http://barcarenasustentavel.org/
Ongoing social projects
In line with our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, we are already supporting a number of social projects in Pará that contribute to improved education, decent work and economic growth, and help strengthen local stakeholders.
Examples of projects:
Ativa Barcarena project
Focused on family agriculture, consists of a soil health diagnosis to strengthen family farming; mapping of local production chains; technical assistance to 300 family farmers from nine communities in Barcarena, in partnership with city authorities, the Peabiru Institute and the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA).
Amesa project
Supports 250 family farmers from 24 communities in Barcarena to sell their products in supermarkets, hotels, industrial kitchens and other establishments in the region. The initiative seeks to stimulate the purchase of local products and is monitored by the Barcarena’s city government, through the Municipal Secretariats of Agriculture (SEMAGRI) and Industry, Commerce and Tourism (SEICOMTUR) and the Assembly of Shopkeepers, is held in partnership with the Entrepreneurship in the Amazon Center.
"EmBarca Amazônia 360º" program
Empowers young entrepreneurs interested in developing sustainable businesses in the region of Barcarena. Three workshops have already been held and 300 people have had the opportunity to improve ideas, entrepreneurial skills and discover personal and professional potential that can be applied in sustainable businesses.
Updated: May 15, 2024
