The Odebrecht Foundation contributes toward and promotes social inclusion actions in the rural zone of the Bahia state through the Bahia Southern Lowlands Environmental Protection Area Mosaic Program for Development and Growth Integrated with Sustainability (PDCIS). This initiative includes activities by local institutions, such as cooperatives and Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (OSCIPS), which receive the support of different partners from the public and private areas to put their projects into practice.

TüV Rheinland in Brazil – a company focused on safety and product quality, systems and services in a range of different fields – attested to the work of the Odebrecht Foundation through the Certificate of Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility. This certification demonstrates that the institution develops social correct practices in its operations and its interaction with the communities. This has generated positive results, such as the practice of citizenship, social inclusion, generation of income, environmental conservation and preparation of new leaders, developing its own innovative technologies.

According to the final report – Bahia Southern Lowlands Certificate of Integrated and Sustainable Development –, produced by TüV, “the Odebrecht Foundation’s strategy follows the United Nations principle of integrated development (‘held with self-help’), offering technical support, logistics support and training for the cooperative members instead of ready solutions.”

The evaluation began in October 2011 with a field visit by TüV Members and the holding of interviews with PDCIS employees to identify the scenario in which the actions are being developed, together with the main challenges for consolidating them in the region. At the end of the document, the importance of working in partnership, one of PDCIS’ characteristics, is reinforced: “it is necessary for all parties (the public services to supply the basic structures, the private sector for fundraising and the Odebrecht Foundation for technical support) help PDCIS reach its objective.”