The Lagoa Viva (Living Lagoon) Environmental Education Program

This program, which started in 2001 at the Pontal da Barra district, a community near the Chlor-Alkali Industrial Unit in Alagoas, Brazil, administers workshops linked to environmental education and training to support income production for the local population. It has made a significant contribution throughout the years to improving quality of life for residents in a neighboring community and has become a highly important program for the region. Music, English, hydroponics, beekeeping and graduate courses are some of the activities carried out.


Green Belt

An Environmental Conservation Area (APP) created in 1987, the Green Belt forms a 50-hectare ecological reserve located in the Pontal da Barra district between the Atlantic Ocean and Mundaú Lagoon in Alagoas, Brazil. The objective is the complete development and natural reproduction of local wildlife and plant life. The reserve has a total of 280,000 planted seedlings, 200 preserved plant species, 400 Brazilian wild animals and the discovery of "Red Propolis from Alagoas," which has potential for a geographic identification seal (identifying its origin). It is recognized by UNESCO and IBAMA, the Brazilian environmental protection agency.


Forest Factory

The goal of this project is promoting the production and planting of seedlings of native species throughout the Costa dos Coqueiros Ecological Corridor and Forest Area on the North Coast of Bahia, Brazil, in order to restore the Atlantic Forest, giving emphasis to the reforestation of springs and riverside forests in the region. 150,000 seedlings were planted in 2010, allowing for the restoration of more than 100 hectares. A further 500,000 seedlings are being planted throughout 2011.


Friendship Park

The park is in a 300,000-m² area of remaining fragments of Atlantic Forest within a Permanent Conservation Area (APP). It contains approximately ten springs and five kilometers of streams in the Brazilian city of Paulínia, São Paulo, and was installed by Braskem in partnership with the local government. It is now the backdrop for a number of initiatives focused on environmental education, income production and leisure.


Recycling Projects

Braskem is investing in the development of a unique recycling project for local city and county governments in several parts of Brazil - in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Alagoas and Bahia. The project is in an advanced stage in Rio Grande do Sul and aims for the social and productive inclusion of trash pickers. This strengthens the practice of ensuring that urban solid waste is properly disposed of, as well as underscoring the importance of recycling to preserve our environment.


Program for the Integrated and Sustainable Development of Environmental Conservation Areas in the Southern Bahia Lowlands

The challenge for this program is to bring prosperity to a stagnant rural area in northeatsern Brazil with tremendous environmental assets, based on professional education, involving the local population and focusing on young people. The eight Millennium Goals, which are a United Nations proposal, direct planning activities carried out in the region. These initiatives have been transforming the lives of the local population by creating opportunities for income production with environmental responsibility. The program has received UN recognition and was awarded the "2010 United Nations Public Service Prize" in the "Improving civic participation in public decision-making processes through innovative mechanisms" category.


The Starch Cooperative Alliance Project (ACA)

Braskem's support for this initiative aims to ensure social inclusion and improved quality of life for families who are members of the Cassava Starch Producers Cooperative in the State of Bahia (Coopamido), Brazil. The project was created by the Odebrecht Foundation and has been assisting the social inclusion of families and the sustainable development of this community by combining technology and family farming. Braskem has also been supporting market development and applications for cassava starch, seeking to provide more added value for the product and thereby increase the local population's income. Expectations are that at least 400 families will have benefited by the end of the project. For more information, see: www.bahiamido.com.br.


Braskem Theater Prize

Established in 1993 to recognize and promote theatrical production in Bahia, the Braskem Theater Award celebrates the performing arts scenario in the state and is currently the only event to honor artists and professionals in the state. It promotes, reveals and announces the best in the industry across eight categories, thus stimulating the emergence of fresh talent. The initiative aims to boost culture, since artistic expression is an important ally in the development of society.


Braskem em Cena Theater Prize

Encouraging local arts and culture in the regions in which it operates has been constant throughout Braskem's history. The Braskem em Cena (on Stage) Prize has been fulfilling this objective by selecting the best Rio Grande do Sul productions in various categories such as Best Play, Director, Actor and Actress. The awards ceremony takes place during the "Porto Alegre on Stage" festival, which takes place in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and is recognized as one of the most important theatrical events in South America.


Frontiers of Thinking

The main idea of this event, which is sponsored by Braskem, is to encourage debate between major international thinkers and the public on contemporary themes within a diverse area of knowledge. This cultural event takes place in the Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre, RS, and São Paulo.