10/9/09: Project “The sustainable use of Amazonian seeds” was selected by the SEED Awards among more than a thousand initiatives of social and environmental responsibility worldwide
Global leader in supplying natural and organic ingredients from the Brazilian biodiversity, Beraca was one of the winners of the 2009 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development. The prize created by the United Nations recognizes innovative projects that are environmentally responsible and promote sustainable practices in the areas where they operate.
In the fourth edition of the award, 20 local initiatives from across the developing world were selected among 1,100 projects by an independent international jury of sustainable development experts. Together, the winners cover a wide range of promising business models that aim to tackle poverty through the rational use of environmental resources.
The project - Beraca was awarded for its project "The Sustainable use of Amazonian seeds", developed in the Marajo Island, in the north of Brazil. The islanders have always depended on fishing to guarantee their subsistence and suffered to face periods of fish migration. Beraca saw an opportunity to transform the collection of andiroba seeds, a traditional practice in the region, into an alternative source of income for the communities.
By providing training to residents and transference of technology, the company encouraged the creation of a cooperative called Coopemaflima. It enabled the extraction of oil from the seeds, which has an important use for the cosmetic industry, to be conducted within the community. Nowadays, Beraca buys 500 tons of seeds from the cooperative every year, benefiting around 1,000 islanders.
The result was an increase in the environmental awareness and in the profit of local populations, reducing their vulnerability to possible reductions in economic activity. Beraca also helped the community to obtain organic and environmental certifications for the raw materials collected, cooperating to an increment in the products’ added value.
"One of Beraca’s main commitments is to invest in projects that promote regional development. We are proud to represent Brazil in this major prize with a project that contributes directly to the preservation of the world's largest tropical forest”, said André Sabará, Coordinator of Corporate Responsibility at Beraca. "It is only through partnerships that recognize the importance of investing in communities and cooperatives that we can promote the dignity, by creating awareness and preserving the environment," said Sabará.
According to Assistant Administrator of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Olav Kjørven, SEED Awards’ objective is to promote progressive business that are the seeds of future economies and are one of the key instruments that will contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. "This is an inspiring group of entrepreneurs who demonstrate that environmental sustainability and business can be synergistic goals", he said.
Global leader in supplying natural and organic ingredients from the Brazilian biodiversity, Beraca was one of the winners of the 2009 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development. The prize created by the United Nations recognizes innovative projects that are environmentally responsible and promote sustainable practices in the areas where they operate.
In the fourth edition of the award, 20 local initiatives from across the developing world were selected among 1,100 projects by an independent international jury of sustainable development experts. Together, the winners cover a wide range of promising business models that aim to tackle poverty through the rational use of environmental resources.
The project - Beraca was awarded for its project "The Sustainable use of Amazonian seeds", developed in the Marajo Island, in the north of Brazil. The islanders have always depended on fishing to guarantee their subsistence and suffered to face periods of fish migration. Beraca saw an opportunity to transform the collection of andiroba seeds, a traditional practice in the region, into an alternative source of income for the communities.
By providing training to residents and transference of technology, the company encouraged the creation of a cooperative called Coopemaflima. It enabled the extraction of oil from the seeds, which has an important use for the cosmetic industry, to be conducted within the community. Nowadays, Beraca buys 500 tons of seeds from the cooperative every year, benefiting around 1,000 islanders.
The result was an increase in the environmental awareness and in the profit of local populations, reducing their vulnerability to possible reductions in economic activity. Beraca also helped the community to obtain organic and environmental certifications for the raw materials collected, cooperating to an increment in the products’ added value.
"One of Beraca’s main commitments is to invest in projects that promote regional development. We are proud to represent Brazil in this major prize with a project that contributes directly to the preservation of the world's largest tropical forest”, said André Sabará, Coordinator of Corporate Responsibility at Beraca. "It is only through partnerships that recognize the importance of investing in communities and cooperatives that we can promote the dignity, by creating awareness and preserving the environment," said Sabará.
According to Assistant Administrator of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Olav Kjørven, SEED Awards’ objective is to promote progressive business that are the seeds of future economies and are one of the key instruments that will contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. "This is an inspiring group of entrepreneurs who demonstrate that environmental sustainability and business can be synergistic goals", he said.
