Braskem, the leading petrochemical company in thermoplastic resins in Latin America, has just signed an unprecedented agreement with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency - USTDA, connected to the American government for the liberation of funds that will applied in the evaluation of practices adopted by the company in the area of occupational health, hygiene and ergonomics, as well as its eventual adjustment to the best world standards.

This initiative is in line with the Excellence in Health, Safety and Environment Strategy adopted by Braskem in its commitment with sustainable development. "The agreement complements a series of measurements we have adopted for some time in the sense of improving our teams’ work conditions with a focus on increasing comfort, ergonomics and preservation of health, and this is an opportunity for us to evaluate the progress obtained," underscores Ester Bergsten, coordinator for the Corporate Competitiveness area for Health, Safety and Environment issues (SSMA).

The total value of the contribution offered by USTDA to Braskem is US$ 415 thousand, which will be used in diagnostic work to be performed by an American consulting company in the area. As a counterpart to the agreement, Braskem agrees to consult American suppliers for the implementation of suggested improvements. The diagnosis of occupational health, hygiene and ergonomics practices at all units should begin in October of this year and be concluded within tem months.

In Brazil, Braskem is already one of the main references in the SSMA area due to the high quality standards this segment has reached at all units, which are ISO 9001 and 14001 certified. It was also the first Brazilian company to sign the United Nations Program for the Environment’s International Declaration for Cleaner Production.
 
The agreement with the USTDA is a new project through which Braskem demonstrates its commitment to the well-being of all its associates, the communities in which it operates and with the responsible use of natural resources from better international references in quality.