+ Social Responsibility

All the companies associated to SINDFER are committed with the generation of jobs and income, aiming to improve labor conditions and life quality of the workers and their families.

5.1 -Employment and Income

Besides de environmental advances achieved and its role in the social welfare, forestry in Brazil must also be included among the enterprises that most contribute to generate wealth in those communities surrounding eucalypt plantations.

Indeed, forest enterprises bring:
- Direct and indirect jobs;
- Payment of taxes;
- Investments in infrastructure;
- Consumption of locally produced goods;
- Incentive to several new businesses – including forest plantation in unproductive areas.

Growing forests is considered a promising business, mainly in the tropical regions. Having in views the favorable soil and climate conditions, as well as the availability of unproductive land, Brazil may triple its share in the world market of wood and derived products.

With so many favorable factors, it is, somehow, amazing that Brazil holds only 1% of this huge world market that turns around 300 billion dollars a year. There is, therefore, a large area for widening the plantations, the forest business and, consequently, the job opportunities.

Reforestation greatly contributes to fixing people in the field and also to prerserve native forests besides to generate direct and indirect jobs. Forest products are somehow involved with 4% of Gross National Product and 8% of national exports. Forest-based industry in Brazil promotes about 1 million direct jobs and, at least, 3 million more indirectly.

Only in Minas Gerais, around 600 thousand people earn their living working for the forest sector and forest-based industry. The cost to generate one job in reforestation is much lower than that in other occupations. A job in forestry sector requires investments of US$ 1,000.00, while in the civil construction that value rises to US$ 7,000 thousand. In automotive industry this investment will not be lower than US$ 20,000.

In the processes of production and use of wood from planted forest, one can use advanced technologies with high levels of productivity and employment throughout the year. All contracts for service are formalized in full compliance with the laws regarding to labor, social security and occupational safety.

Operations related to forestry production, harvesting and its carbonization occur in special conditions in the field. Some features of theses operations require an adjustment of administrative principles to the forestry sector.

5.2- Working at charcoal manufacturing plants

SINDIFER works continuously to improve working conditions at charcoal manufacturing plants. In this sense, the companies observe some important items:
Location of the kilns:

- The kilns are located in such position that the smoke will never reach the service areas, dwelling houses and lodges;
- Dwelling houses and lodges must be located at a minimum distance of 50 meters from the service area;
- Houses and lodges must provide minimum conditions of comfort, hygiene and safety;
- All the employees and workers involved in charcoal production are legally registered;
- Through frequent lectures, all the workers are instructed about occupational safety and accident preventing;
- Individual Protection Equipments – helmet, safety glasses, gloves and boots – are supplied to the workers and their wearing is mandatory;
- Through frequent lectures, all the workers are instructed about occupational health;
- No one worker is admitted or dismissed without a previous medical examination;
- Potable water and suitable water closet are supplied to the workers;
- Children are never allowed in the working areas.

5.3- Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child
(Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 1386 in December 10, 1959)

1- The child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this Declaration. Every child, without any exception whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights, without distinction or discrimination on account of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, whether of himself or of his family.

2- The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.

3- The child shall be entitled from his birth to a name and a nationality.

4- The child shall enjoy the benefits of social security. He shall be entitled to grow and develop in health; to this end, special care and protection shall be provided both to him and to his mother, including adequate pre-natal and post-natal care. The child shall have the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.

5- The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.

6- The child, for the full and harmonious development of his personality, needs love and understanding. He shall, wherever possible, grow up in the care and under the responsibility of his parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security; a child of tender years shall not, save in exceptional circumstances, be separated from his mother. Society and the public authorities shall have the duty to extend particular care to children without a family and to those without adequate means of support. Payment of State and other assistance towards the maintenance of children of large families is desirable.

7- The child is entitled to receive education, which shall be free and compulsory, at least in the elementary stages. He shall be given an education which will promote his general culture and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity, to develop his abilities, his individual judgment, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society.

The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with his parents.

The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right.

8 -The child shall in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief.

9- The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form.

The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.

10- The child shall be protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any other form of discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be devoted to the service of his fellow men.