Dow Announces Strategic Collaboration With Natura for Project Ybá in Brazil - a Model of Sustainable Commercial-ecological- Social Development in the Amazon Rainforest
SÃO PAULO, Brazil, August 5, 2021 /3BL Media/ – Dow (NYSE: DOW) recently announced that Natura cosmetics brand – part of Natura & Co group, the fourth largest personal care company in the world – is the first commercial collaborator for Project Ybá: Conservation that Transforms, a strategic sustainability project for balancing commercial growth of a local community with environmental preservation in Breu Branco, Pará, deep in Brazil's Amazon Rainforest.
Launched in May 2021, Project Ybá is a Dow initiative in Brazil with an investment of R$1 million (~US$200,000) in collaboration with the Peabiru Institute and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). It aims to develop a local cooperative, which will sell the bioactive products from Dow's preserved areas of the Amazon Rainforest and increase family incomes in the community while conserving the rainforest.
As the first commercial collaborator of Project Ybá, Natura will support the development of the local cooperative, which is intended to be formed with guidance from the Peabiru Institute, to structure the processes and technical capabilities needed to provide bioactives to the market through sustainable and regenerative management. Natura will also contribute with its expertise in the technical evaluation of the bioactives, which will be identified through the mapping of local biodiversity in Dow's preserved native Amazon forests. Andiroba and Ucuuba seeds, for example, are among the bioactives already identified of interest to Natura. After evaluation and technical approval, the local cooperative will negotiate and sell the seeds directly to Natura, generating income for local residents and contributing to the social and economic development of the Breu Branco community.
"We’re proud to have Natura as our first commercial collaborator for Project Ybá. Natura's technical expertise is essential, as their dissemination of knowledge about sustainable extraction of renewable bioactives, such as seeds and fruits, will help foster commercial growth and local economic development while preventing further deforestation of the rainforest," said Eric Peeters, Global Director of Sustainability for Performance Materials & Coatings at Dow. “The collaboration with Natura reinforces our commitment to the environment, social equity, sustainable economic development, and to working with diverse partners and communities to help build a better, more prosperous world."
Natura has been using Brazilian biodiversity assets from the Amazon Rainforest in its cosmetics for over 20 years. The company's business model is to promote the region's development through the union of science, traditional knowledge, and local entrepreneurship by valuing socio-biodiversity. Currently, Natura uses 38 bio-ingredients (including oils, butters, essential oils, extracts and derivatives) from the Amazonian biodiversity in the formulation of items for skin care, hair care and perfume.
“Natura has a historic commitment to sustainability, one of its pillars of action. In order to expand the impact of our business model, we believe it is essential to establish partnerships with other companies and organizations. With more than 20 years of presence in the Amazon, we have contributed to conserve two million hectares of standing forest, alongside partners and through relationships with 34 agro-extractivist communities in the region, covering more than 7,000 families,” explains João Moura, vice president of Supply Chain at Natura & Co.
By 2022, when the commercial cooperative is expected to be fully trained and organized, it is estimated that up ton150 local families could benefit from Project Ybá’s sustainable commerce. The initiative is an excellent example of Dow’s ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) strategy at work, proving that we can – in tandem – protect the environment, improve society and contribute to business growth.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer care. Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $39 billion in 2020. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.
About Natura
Established in 1969, Natura is a Brazilian multinational in the cosmetics and personal care segment. It has more than 2 million consultants in Latin America, being a leader in the direct selling sector in Brazil. It is part of Natura & Co, the result of the combination of the brands Avon, Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. Natura was the first publicly-traded company in the world to receive a B Corp certification in December 2014, underscoring its transparent and sustainable social, environmental and economic performance. It is also the first Brazilian company to be awarded the "Leaping Bunny" certification, granted by the animal protection organization Cruelty Free International, which certifies a company's commitment to not test its products or ingredients on animals. It has operations in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the US, France, Mexico, Peru and Malaysia. Products bearing the Natura brand can be purchased from
Natura Beauty Consultants, through Natura's e-commerce, the Natura App or in stores in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, New York, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Kuala Lumpur. For more information about the company, visit www.natura.com.br and its profiles on the following social networks: LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
About Peabiru Institute
The Peabiru Institute is a Pará Public Interest Civil Society Organization (OSCIP) from Pará, founded in 1998, whose mission is to promote the role of social groups in the Amazon to promote full access to their fundamental rights. Headquartered in Belém, it operates nationwide, especially in the Amazon biome, with an emphasis on Marajó, Northeast Paraense and the Metropolitan Region of Belém (PA). It operates in several stages of biodiversity value chains, such as stingless honey and açaí, and in supporting family farming for participatory territorial development.
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on -the- ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries and territories: 38 by direct conservation impact and 34 through partners, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.
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For further information, please contact:
Adriana Alves
+55 (11) 94342-2473
