Build-up Institutes and Foundations

Instituto Holcim

Although the company had been investing in socio-environmental projects since the 70`s, this activity was developed on occasional basis, without a systematic control or clear focus.

In 2002, Holcim Brasil top management team decided to form an organization which would be the umbrella for all its investment in socio-environmental projects in the communities where the company was located.

The process involved several steps: a) identify the corporate vocation to define the main target groups and topics; b) define the most appropriate legal entity (Institute, Foundation, etc); c) analyze past investment and consolidate budget (from the regional units to the new organization); d) develop Community Advisory Boards and promote workshops to refine investment focus and validate changes; e) hire professional people for the newly established Institute; f) search for partnerships with local authorities; g) define key performance indicators; i) start projects implementation.

As a result of such process, the decision was for forming an Institute, focused on grass roots development, in the communities where the company was located, and that projects should be defined and built-up together with community members. This was, for example, the case of Ortopolis Barroso Program