JBS Fund for the Amazon

Published by ORFL on

ORFL is responsible for transferring gains from our businesses back into society. Our businesses retan and finish leather into an up-cycled product for branded footwear. Our accountability to the environment means our businesses prioritize innovating processes to reduce our waste, carbon footprint, energy usage, water usage and chemistry usage. Our foundation donates to communities in countries our businesses have made money.  Since we work with leather, we donate a lot of investment in Brazil. It is important to us to give money back to where we made it.  For many years we have supported community projects in Brazil.  Now we are privileged to work with the JBS Fund for the Amazon.

The JBS Fund for the Amazon will work in the Pan-Amazon area. This area covers 9 states of the Brazilian territory with 25million of Brazils inhabitants yet it only generates 8.7% of Brazils national GDP. It also is the area where 75% of the Amazons deforestation takes place, it is difficult to manage since the land is distributed differently, some of it is private property, no information on the land, not assigned land, protected land, rural settlements, conservation and indigenous land. People who live across this land are generally poor and not well educated. This is also why the fund is focusing on this area of Brazil. 

Fund for the Amazon will have three areas it will focus on developing 

  • conservation and restoration of the forest
  • socioeconomic development of the community
  • scientific and technological development 

The Fund aims to be a non-profit civil association that generates impact for all of society. The purpose of the fund is to foster the development of the Amazon biome, promote the conservation and sustainable use of the forest and improve the quality of life for its population. Its objectives are to work with existing institutions to promote sustainable use of national resources in the Amazon with the emphasis on social impact, generation of knowledge, connection with markets and strengthening the climate agenda.  

The funds organisational structure is made up of an audit committee, a board of directors as well as an advisory board with experts from across different professional fields and finally they have a technical committee. The fund has so far received 50 proposals and approved 6. The advisory board who is an independent team made up of leaders in sustainable development, private sector companies and NGO’s has to give the green light to the project with evaluations and recommendations before it can be passed on to the technical committee and finally be approved by the board of directors. 

ORFL decided to support 4 of the 6 projects the fund in supporting:

  • Inclusive Community Economies Program, a 3 year project that focuses on strengthening the forest economy in the acai chain with bio-industrialization and development of new products increasing the income of 240 families. Improving community business management, supporting education, health and female participation in the business. 
  • Fair and Sustainable Fishing, a 2 year project that would strengthen the extractive chain of pirurucu and other fish species. The project provides support for processing and disposal, which will directly benefit 450 families through increased income from improving quality in production. It will decrease waste and prolong the life shelf life of the products. 
  • AMAZ – accelerator and impact investments, 5 year project that aims to create the firest amazon business accelerator, focused on socio environmental impact with an investment of 25 million reales to accelerate 30 start ups that aim to create solutions for biodiversity value chains. 
  • Technical Partnership with Embrapa, 3 year projects that focuses on the development of technologies to increase value to forest products, prospect new raw materials and develop low carbon systems. 

The fund looks to be in line with the UN outlined sustainable development goals. The fund will be measuring its environmental performance through managed area (ha), carbon it has avoided (CO2e), Social performance through number of families benefiting and increase in family income and finally, economic performance through an increase in production and higher value generation in Reals and tons and applied science and technology. The projects will fulfil the sustainable development goals listed. 1. No poverty, 2. Zero hunger, 5. Gender equality, 8. Decent work and Economic Growth, 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure, 11. Sustainable cities and communities, 12. Responsible Consumption and production, 13. Climate action, 14. Life below water, 15. Life on land. 

This year the JBS has donated $50million USD to the Fund for the Amazon. There is also up to $10million USD for this year that JBS will further donate in matching funds. Anything that ORFL donates is on the basis that JBS will provide a matching donation. For the projects that JBS has already donated to are also ran and financially supported by other donors, the money from Fund for the Amazon is not their only financial support. 

JBS fund for the Amazon aims to reach BRL 1 billion in donations by 2030. To meet the funds goals, JBS is committed to matching donations made by third parties until JBS contribution reaches BRL 500 million (100million USD). JBS commits to a minimum donation of BRL 250 million (50million USD) in first five years to guarantee the start of the fund’s activities and implementation of its initiatives. The fund will look to receive donations from private companies, related funds or institutions, individuals and project proponents. From its donors it expects a long-term partnership with annual contributions and participation in achieving project results. 

This fund will be audited by third party KPMG. The fund will also produce annual reports to report on their progress. 

We are happy to be support each of the 4 following projects, Inclusive Community Economies Program, Fair and Sustainable Fishing, AMAZ – accelerator and impact investments and Technical Partnership with Embrapa. We will be supporting these projects for a recurring period of 3 years. We are happy to have the opportunity to work with JBS Fund for the Amazon.

To find out more their website is: www.fundojbsamazonia.org/projetos

JBS also released a Press release https://mediaroom.jbs.com.br/noticia/four-projects-of-the-jbs-fund-for-the-amazon-will-receive-over-r-3-million

Other Fund for the Amazon JBS articles including ORFL