On April 25, Odebrecht Foundation attended the 2nd edition of the Marine Technological Complex Workshop, held in Itaguaí, a city in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. Participation in the event was a way to broaden the forums for dialogue on social responsibility and the debate on how the private sector can contribute to the sustainable development of the regions in which they operate.

The event was attended by over 20 companies, organizations, universities and representatives of government entities, such as the Brazilian Navy, the Industry Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan), the State Government of Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). The goal was to present the Marine Technological Complex Program – Sepetiba Bay and to discuss plans for its structure and realization.

Located in Sepetiba Bay, in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, the complex is a project whose mission is to find sustainable and synergic solutions between companies operating on the site and nearby communities. The action is an initiative sponsored by Itaguaí Construções Navais S.A. (ICN), a Brazilian submarine builder that commemorated its tenth anniversary in 2019 and is the product of a partnership between the Naval Group and OEC.

Sharing experiences

The Odebrecht Foundation was represented at the meeting by Thiago Maciel, from the Social Partnerships team, who spoke in detail about the institution’s work and presented the economic, social and environmental results measured by the Impacts Evaluation of the Development and Integrated Growth Program with Sustainability (PDCIS), whose new format in 2018 confirmed the transformative power of the project that has been coordinated by the foundation in the Southern Bahia Lowlands for over 15 years.

Maciel highlighted the workshop’s importance for sharing experiences and knowledge. “We were invited to talk about Odebrecht Foundation’s actions in the PDCIS. We presented our strategy for promoting sustainable agrarian development and the six work fronts that guide us and also showed a video with the main impacts of the PDCIS. We discussed the idea that economic advances must promote social inclusion and progress for society as a whole,” he said, explaining that the PDCIS experience was presented at the workshop as an example of a real, consolidated model that could contribute to what is currently being designed for the complex.

According to Carlos Alberto de Oliveira, the ICN’s Administrative Officer, learning more about the PDCIS proved essential for this planning phase. “We saw that, with a model based on well-executed studies, it is possible to transform less advantaged areas. As working material for the Marine Technological Complex Program, the results of the PDCIS Assessment could add significant value from the economic, social and environmental perspectives,” he added.

Positive changes

Conducted by the specialized consulting firm Js/Brasil, the PDCIS Impacts Evaluation proved, with scientific rigor, that the program generates significant transformations in the lives of its beneficiaries. To learn more about the study, read the full report detailing the methodological procedures and the impacts measured.