Suzano, a global reference in the manufacture of bioproducts developed from the cultivation of eucalyptus, celebrates the closing of the first edition of the Semear program in Ribas do Rio Pardo (MS), the municipality where it builds its new factory. For eight months, more than 150 entrepreneurs in the region were trained on how to develop good management practices, method, innovation and principles of legal and socio-environmental responsibility, in partnership with the Brazilian Service to Support Micro and Small Companies (Sebrae). A ceremony held this Wednesday (24th) at the headquarters of the Municipal Union of Workers in Education (Simted) celebrated the graduation of 120 of the more than 150 micro and small companies trained.
With the support of the Government of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul and the Municipality of Ribas do Rio Pardo, the initiative aims to strengthen the local industrial and commercial sectors and contribute to the development of the region through mentoring and specialization in sustainable business and practices. Participants who performed well received a special seal from Suzano. The training began in July 2022 and was carried out in a hybrid way, in person and at a distance, with an average duration of six to eight months. Entrepreneurs from Campo Grande, Água Clara, Inocência and Três Lagoas also participated in the training.
“With the certification that micro and small entrepreneurs in the region received, we are fostering a healthy business environment, contributing to socioeconomic development and, consequently, generating jobs and income in the region. Upon receiving this seal, companies show that they are able to serve large companies from the most varied sectors of the economy, as well as partners and suppliers with quality and excellence. We believe that something is only good for us if it is good for the world, and with the Semear program we are building and sharing value considering all interested parties”, highlighted Maurício Miranda, director of engineering at Suzano.
The participating businessmen received training in topics such as socio-environmental responsibility and business data management to become a Suzano supplier, for example, taught by the company itself. Sebrae addressed matters related to business management, such as company diagnosis, financial management and registration regularization. The training also included business roundtables, meetings that provided small companies with the opportunity to present their products and services to other entrepreneurs, encouraging commercial exchanges with positive effects on the local economy.
For the technical director of Sebrae/MS, Sandra Amarilha, the joint action of the institutions achieved relevant results, directly impacting the promotion of entrepreneurship. “The program brought a significant investment to boost local development. More than 6,000 hours of consultancy were offered over 10 months so that we could integrate small companies into a supply and value chain, strengthening local entrepreneurship. This is just the beginning of a virtuous cycle of development, in which opportunities for local companies result in a positive impact on people's quality of life. In addition, the increase in collection also contributes to the improvement of services offered to the community", she pointed out.
One of the businesswomen who believed in the growth of Ribas do Rio Pardo was Elaine Ribeiro, owner of Usinagem Ribeiro. She, her brother and brother-in-law moved to the city because of the announcement of the new Suzano factory. Seeing the opportunity, they started the project with the aim of becoming Suzano's suppliers. The businesswoman claims that the formation of the Semear program put the company on a completely different level: “The initiative proved to be very profitable and an excellent platform to structure the company and make contacts through business roundtables. I took several Sebrae courses and, when I was able to apply a good part of the teachings during the eight months at Semear, I achieved a considerable increase in revenue, and I still haven't implemented everything I learned. Now we are ready to be Suzano's suppliers, partner companies or any other industry that has potential for us”.