Last Tuesday (5/22) in São Paulo, Braskem, leader in thermoplastic resins in Latin America, confirmed its adhesion to the Na Mão Certa (The Right Way) program, a business agreement proposed by the WCF-Brasil Institute and the Ethos Institute for Companies and Social Responsibility. According to Logistics and Supplies director, Isabel Figueiredo, Braskem has already begun working on making its drivers aware through several communication and training actions in its logistic centers with installations in Triunfo (RS), Maceió (AL) and soon Camaçari (BA).

"We need to unite to combat the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents along Brazilian highways. Together - companies, governments and civil society - we will have greater strength to do away with this cruel practice that robs the childhood of thousands of children in Brazil," said the director to an audience of 70 Brazilian transportation sector executives during Braskem’s annual workshop on Safety in Transportation. Besides training the drivers to become protectors of these minors, Braskem is informing and encouraging its employees and partners to take part in actions to eradicate the problem from Brazilian highways.

Citizenship action

According to the International Labor Organization, nearly 100 thousand boys and girls are exploited sexually in Brazil. Among the risk factors are low-income families, unemployment, malnutrition and hunger, unstructured families and low family education levels. According to the ILO, the networks that benefit from the activity, linked to pornography, sexual tourism and child prostitution, normally organize themselves in the interior of the country and along Brazilian highways, since there is little inspection and poor living conditions for children.
Isabel Figueiredo remembers that this citizenship action is part of Braskem´s Safety in Transportation Program, which created the CELOGS - Logistic Centers in 2005. The objective was to promote the continuous improvement of safe, responsible and quality practices in highway freight transportation in Brazil. At these locations, the Braskem freight drivers receive technical and mechanical support, psychological and healthcare guidance, as well as travel plans with the indication of the safest routes suggested by the risk management company, Pamcary, Braskem’s partner.