The company will invest R$ 60 million in the construction of areas named Usinas da Paz (Peace Factories), which will be used to serve communities in the state by offering services, such as courses and workshops, as well as cultural, leisure and sports activities. As part of the agreement, Hydro may also invest in the renovation of local schools, called Peace Schools. The project is expected to take up to three years.

“Hydro has a commitment to foster sustainable development in Pará where we have our largest operations in Brazil as well as the vast majority of our employees.  This initiative is linked to our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, driven by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We know the relevance of education, job and access to culture for social transformation and are committed to the common goal of making the sociaty in which we operate more inclusive and better for everyone”, says John Thuestad, Hydro Executive Vice President for Bauxite & Alumina.

The scope of the program and the locations for the construction of the Usinas da Paz (Peace Factories) will be defined by the state government, which will own and also be responsible for operation and maintenance of the community spaces, once they have been built. Hydro will prioritize local suppliers to implement construction and renovation, following all the compliance procedures.

Urban waste recycling in Barcarena

During the event, the company also signed an agreement to include the construction of a waste sorting and recycling plant in the municipality of Barcarena under the previous Socioeconomic Commitment Term (TC) signed with the state government in 2018. This plant represents an investment of up to R$ 30 million of the total amount of R$ 150 million of the TC. This is an important project and will contribute to income generation for local people, environmental education and for the social development and urbanization of this city.   

The company continues to strengthen its internal and external efforts to support Private Social Investment in Pará. Currently, its 11 social programs benefit approx. 15.000 people in Pará state through education and capacity building as basis for sustainable development, and approx. 7.600 people via fostering economic growth in the communities.