How can the business sector help protect the Amazon and contribute to its development, considering that the region is suffering from the second worst October in the last ten years due to fires and has seen an increase of almost 35% in illegal deforestation in one year? To discuss the problem and think about solutions, Marina Grossi, president of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS); Marcelo Thomé, coordinator of the World Forum Amazônia+21; Joanita Maestri Karoleski, president of the JBS Fund for the Amazon; and Susy Yoshimura, director of Sustainability and Compliance at GPA, participated this Tuesday (10/3) in a webinar hosted by Bússola, the digital platform of Exame magazine. The debate was moderated by Bússola's director, Rafael Lisbôa.
Marcelo Thomé opened the debate by emphasizing the importance of valuing social aspects in this journey: “The economic agenda needs to move forward together, only then will we preserve the biome. Hence the importance of the dialogue process between governments, companies, academia, civil society, and NGOs. This is how we will find a path to the development of sustainable businesses. And what’s more: land that has no owner is where the illicit activities take place. The state holds the responsibility.”
Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, explained the advantages that Brazil has in the post-pandemic recovery, with a greener, low-carbon economy.
“We have made a major move in defense of the Amazon rainforest together with the business sector, and there is no turning back from this path. Sustainability is above the law and allows companies to have greater longevity, because they become more resilient, incorporate social and environmental aspects and allow for a long-term vision. This movement, which began as a statement, has grown and become an agenda in defense of sustainable development. As Candido Bracher, CEO of Itaú, said, we need to turn the page on illegal deforestation just as we turned the page on inflation. We have excellent business initiatives in the Amazon, but we need to go further.”
The president of CEBDS highlighted some initiatives by associates linked to the region: “We have many examples, such as the historic work of Natura, which manages to obtain five times more profit from a standing tree than if it were cut down for illegal exploitation. Coca-Cola, also our associate, generates 11 thousand jobs and half of the guarana used by the company comes from family farming in 12 municipalities in the Amazon, in addition to being the only beverage company with certified guarana from Amazonas. Alcoa, in Juruti, in the west of Pará, shows that it is possible to have a business with economic and sustainable development in the Amazon region. The company has established partnerships with the government and society and developed a proposal for a sustainable development model and created the Sustainable Juruti Fund (Funjus). Alcoa has invested more than R$9.5 million in public infrastructure for health, sanitation, education, social assistance, security and justice in initiatives by the Alcoa Institute and Alcoa Foundation in Juruti and the region.
In addition to these, Ambev, one of the coordinators of the Call for Business of the Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA), received 201 applications for the Call for Business last year. This call is aimed at entrepreneurs, startups, organizations, community-based businesses, networks of people/collectives, institutions and early-stage companies focused on the conservation of the forest and natural resources, the valorization of biodiversity and sustainable development in the Amazon.
“Most of the guarana used by Ambev comes from local micro-producers in the Amazon. Every year, the company provides more than 40,000 guarana seedlings free of charge to around 2,000 local micro-producers. In addition, the families that produce the fruit receive support and training in sustainable management from company technicians. Ambev also founded the Guaraná Alliance of Maués, which provides training in sustainable techniques, greater inclusion of women and young people, and also promotes the articulation of parents, government and teachers in the development and monitoring of school curricula.”
Votorantim Cimentos, in turn, saw an interesting opportunity where everyone previously saw a problem: the disposal of açaí seeds. “Approximately 80% of the açaí mass is made up of seeds, and they end up being discarded throughout the production chain. We are talking about 800 thousand tons of fruit seeds generated in the state of Pará alone without proper disposal, generating a huge environmental liability. Votorantim Cimentos developed a new process to replace coke, which is a petroleum-derived fuel, with açaí seeds, and the company’s factory, Primavera, processed 70 thousand tons of açaí seeds, saving 30 thousand tons of coke per year. This initiative alone led to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 75 thousand tons/year (direct emissions). And more than 150 thousand tons/year of CO2 equivalent were avoided as a result of changing the final destination of the seeds.”
