Alcoa has been named one of Brazil’s Most Sustainable Companies by Exame magazine as part of the publication’s Sustainability Guide 2009.
The 20 organizations included in the list – all considered “model companies” – were announced on November 11, during a recognition ceremony held in São Paulo, Brazil. Now in its 10th edition, the guide is regarded as Brazil’s most respected corporate responsibility publication.
“We’re honored to be included in this select group of companies, particularly given our broad-reaching growth program in this country over recent years. This is an important recognition that our continuing efforts toward the triple bottom-line are on the right track,” said Franklin L. Feder, president of Alcoa Latin America and Caribbean.
Exame, in conjunction with the Center for Sustainability Studies of the Getulio Vargas Foundation, evaluates companies’ strategies, commitments and practices, based on the three dimensions of sustainability: environmental responsibility, economic success and promotion of social development. The evaluation also covers issues such as transparency and corporate governance. Companies’ initiatives are then reviewed by a panel comprised of academics, prominent non-governmental organizations and Exame editors.
In Brazil, Alcoa recently inaugurated a bauxite mine in Juruti, in the west of the State of Pará. The ramp-up of the expansion of the São Luis (Alumar) refinery is currently under way, and the construction, in partnerships, of two hydropower dams – Estreito and Serra do Facão – is ongoing.
“This prestigious recognition obviously brings with it new challenges as it further raises the bar,” said Feder, “but it also intensifies Alcoa’s commitment to sustainability in Brazil and elsewhere around the globe.”