By Equipe de Redação
Posted in November 14, 2024
Paraná, November 14, 2024 – The cooperatives, which have been part of the Solid Waste Program, Klabin Transforma Território Circular, since 2012, have increased the income of their members and are now management models for Brazilian recycling institutions.
On November 12 and 13, the Acamarango cooperative, from Reserva, and ReciclaTB, from Telêmaco Borba, became social franchises. With the support of Klabin, in partnership with municipal governments and the Social Technology and methodology of Ambipar Environment, these cooperatives have become management models in productivity, institutional regularity, reducing improper waste disposal, and supplying the recycling market.
The transition to the social franchise model is a professionalization journey for the cooperatives, aiming at economic, environmental, and social development in a city. This model seeks to transfer technical knowledge and ensure that recycling organizations can operate sustainably, with autonomy and benefits for all involved, strengthening the local economy with circularity and promoting recycling and proper waste disposal.
The Acamarango Recycling Association, under development since 2021, now operates in a new facility acquired through a commitment signed with the Reserva City Hall, ensuring better working conditions and production scale. Meanwhile, ReciclaTB, in Telêmaco Borba, received upgrades to its facilities, providing a safer and more efficient environment for waste management. It now moves to the next step in its evolution by becoming a social franchise. Both cooperatives participate in the Klabin Transforma Território Circular Program, which aims to support municipalities in complying with the National Solid Waste Policy by providing new equipment, specialized technical consulting, as well as support in training municipal managers, developing recycling professionals, and promoting environmental education and public awareness initiatives.
“Acamarango became the first association in the region to form a partnership with the local government. Now, we have a planned space to receive waste from selective collection and process it more efficiently, increasing the income of our members,” said Leonir dos Santos, President of Acamarango. “The new facility includes a kitchen, cafeteria, accessible bathrooms, an office, and an area for unloading and storing materials, providing greater safety and dignity for our work. I feel very proud working here. We correctly separate materials, sell them, and make our living from it. With Klabin’s help, we’ve achieved higher prices for the recyclables and increased our income at the end of the month,” Leonir added.
ReciclaTB has been improving its operations by upgrading working conditions, increasing productivity, and is now recognized in Telêmaco Borba as recycling professionals. Since 2021, when work began with Ambipar’s partnership and technical execution, the average income of cooperative members—previously R$1,200—has now reached R$4,000 on average, with even more ambitious production targets.
About Ambipar’s Social Technology for Humanized Circular Economy
Ambipar trains and empowers leaders as new recycling professionals and makes additional investments that deliver positive social and environmental impact for municipalities and territories. This professionalization journey represents a unique proposal for continuous improvement and a bold approach to fostering the circular economy in developing countries lacking investment in public policies and basic infrastructure for sanitation and waste management, says Maíra Pereira, Director of Ambipar.
“We demonstrate the positive social impact of the Social Franchise by applying indicators related to selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at promoting decent work, fostering economic growth, and reducing inequalities,” said Juliana Navea, Ambipar’s Operations Director.
For Uilson Paiva, Social Responsibility and Community Relations Manager, the inauguration of the social franchises marks a new phase for the cooperatives and reinforces Klabin’s commitment to sustainability and the socio-economic development of Campos Gerais. “By adopting the social franchise model, Acamarango and ReciclaTB become local references for efficient environmental management, benefiting the community and promoting sustainable awareness,” he said.
About Klabin Transforma Território Circular
Klabin develops community-focused programs and, with so many themes involved, the company found a way to unify them under a single initiative through Klabin Transforma. Consequently, all the company’s social and environmental programs are now called Klabin Transforma. The former Solid Waste Program is now known as Klabin Transforma Território Circular.
About Ambipar
Ambipar is a Brazilian multinational and a global leader in environmental solutions, investing in and operating decarbonization projects, circular economy initiatives, energy transition, and environmental regeneration. Present in 40 countries with over 20,000 employees, the company’s shares are listed on B3 (AMBP3) and the New York Stock Exchange (AMBI). Learn more by clicking here.
About Klabin
As Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging papers and sustainable paper-based solutions, Klabin stands out as an innovative company, the only one in the country to offer short-fiber, long-fiber, and fluff cellulose solutions. It is also a leader in the corrugated cardboard packaging, industrial sacks, and cardboard markets. Founded in 1899, Klabin has 23 industrial units in Brazil and one in Argentina, with an annual production capacity of 4.6 million tons of market pulp and paper.
In Paraná alone, Klabin has invested more than R$36 billion in the last 10 years and generates over 16,000 jobs (direct and indirect) across more than 25 municipalities near its operations, primarily in the Campos Gerais region. The company is a pioneer in mosaic forestry, which involves planting forests interspersed with preserved native forests to create ecological corridors that help maintain biodiversity. In the state, Klabin’s forestry area covers a total of 487,000 hectares, including more than 203,000 hectares of conservation areas. Klabin also operates an Ecological Park on Monte Alegre Farm in Telêmaco Borba for research and conservation purposes, providing care and rehabilitation for wild animals injured or mistreated, in partnership with environmental agencies, and aiding in the preservation of the region’s flora and fauna, including endangered species.
The company’s management is oriented toward sustainable development. In Campos Gerais, Klabin carries out many of its social and environmental programs, including “Sowing Education,” “Social Forests – Planning Sustainable Properties,” Legal Forests, Solid Waste Program, Klabin Caiubi Program, Junior Green Force, and Environmental Protectors.
Since 2014, Klabin has been part of B3’s Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE) and, in 2020, joined the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, participating in the Global Index. It is also a signatory of the UN Global Compact and the National Pact for the Eradication of Slave Labor, seeking business partners and suppliers who adhere to the same values of ethics, transparency, and respect for sustainability principles.
Press Office – Klabin
In Press Porter Novelli
Denise Morini – [email protected]
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