To the “Friends of Rio+20′ there is no time to lose. The world needs attention and it is necessary to act fast. Invited by the World Economic Forum to collaborate with the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, the group – comprised of 26 global business and civil society leaders, including the Business Leader of Braskem, Carlos Fadigas – drafted a charter to suggest practical measures that can be implemented to meet the planet’s sustainability challenges.

Development and Integrated Growth Program with Sustainability for the Southern Bahia Lowlands Environmental Protection Areas Mosaic – PDCIS, supported by the Odebrecht Foundation since 2003, was one of the initiatives identified by the charter as an example of a practice that is engendering social transformation.

According to Jorge Soto, Director of Sustainability at Braskem, PDCIS was included because of the results it has attained and due to the way it is conducted. “The focus on developing people, especially young rural entrepreneurs, is made possible by the spirit of partnership that fosters the PDCIS, bringing together both public and private players. A project of this magnitude requires leadership, and in this respect the Odebrecht Foundation stands out for seeking to share its lead with the various players involved,” he says.

The charter drafted by the “Friends of Rio+20′ advocates the need to blend networks, knowledge and various skills. The document highlights how each person’s commitment can contribute to help governments achieve sustainable development goals within a specific deadline. “The group believes that activities with multiple stakeholders are usually able to accomplish, through collaboration and innovation, a striking size and speed that can support and complement both government and international efforts,” adds Soto.

Visibility
With its inclusion in the “Friends of Rio+20′ charter, PDCIS, which had already been showcased to the world when it was granted the 2010 Public Service of the United Nations Award, is once again under the international limelight.

“The program having been mentioned as one of the exemplary actions of the coalitions focusing on sustainability in an international publication that was delivered to Ministers Antonio Patriota, of Foreign Affairs, and Izabella Teixeira, of the Environment, is proof positive of the success the initiative has attained,” says Jorge Soto. “This document is being disseminated all over the planet and no doubt contributes to strengthening the image of Odebrecht, because it associates us to the cutting-edge in the conduct of partnerships focusing on sustainability,” he concludes.