Since the arrival of Covid-19 in Brazil, the Odebrecht Foundation and partner institutions in its Social Program, the PDCIS, have been following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) to contain the spread of the new Coronavirus and ensure the health of all people directly involved by the scope of the Program.

Faced with this scenario, the Foundation created a task force with the implementation of systems to guarantee access to the Odebrecht network and Information Technology services so that its Members could normally continue with their activities in a remote work system since March 19. With the help of technology, a new routine was established, allowing the meetings between Members, leaders, partners, suppliers and consultants, previously in person, to continue to be held effectively, however now online. Similarly, contracts have been signed during this period, as well as daily alignments, which continue between teams. According to Fabio Wanderley, Superintendent of the Odebrecht Foundation, even though it is a moment never before experienced, the entire team is engaged: “We are motivated, and continue to face the challenges identified for 2020,” he said.

Within the scope of the PDCIS, the Family Homes (Casas Familiares) began to adopt distance learning so that the technical training integrated with secondary education, common to all three institutions, will not be affected. The measure, which lasts 30 days, also follows the recommendations of the Government of the State of Bahia, the Municipal Governments and the State Educational Council of Bahia, ensuring, for example, the inclusion of multiple possibilities of teaching tools.

According to Rita Cardoso, director of the Casa Familiar Agroflorestal, the experience has been successful, mainly because of the knowledge that the students have already gained based on the Pedagogy of Alternation, in which they spend two weeks at their properties applying their knowledge. “The students adhered and we realized that we are taking even more advantage of the benefits of technology and innovation,” said Rita Cardoso, director of the Casa Familiar Agroflorestal. The Family Homes monitor the performance of students through daily balance sheets.

At the Earth Conservation Organization (Organização de Conservação da Terra), coordinators and planning teams are working from home. In order to supervise the participating farmers, a schedule was implemented in which only one professional at a time visits the properties, informing not only technical guidance, but also hygiene precautions to prevent Covid-19, such as the correct way to wash hands with soap and water and the use of alcohol gel.

In the Cooperative of Rural Producers of Presidente Tancredo (Cooperativa de Produtores Rurais de Presidente Tancredo), only members of the administration who fit into the group of risk are performing their activities in a home office scheme and the technical assistance to cooperative members is working on demand, and can be on-site, online and by phone. Considered an essential service, the cooperative continues normally with its activities of processing and marketing family farming products, with increased attention to hygiene measures, thus ensuring the supply to retail chains and, consequently, to the population.