Sustainability

The Aço Cearense Group aims to contribute to improving the quality of life, social inclusion and development of the population in its area of operation.

Environmental Sustainability

The companies of the Aço Cearense Group work closely with their waste management and environmental legal controls, with the objective of guaranteeing the best performance, the full monitoring of the destinations and reductions of the generated waste, as well as the fulfillment of all legal obligations.

The Group is the largest steel recycler in the North-Northeast of Brazil and works from the perspective of the Circular Economy. At SINOBRAS, steel production is made with 70% scrap and 30% liquid pig iron. SINOBRAS Florestal, another Group company located in São Bento do Tocantins (TO), is a supplier of bioenergetic reducer, with 16 own eucalyptus plantations in an area of 35,468 thousand hectares.

The company has two Bioenergetic Reducer Production Units with a production capacity of 25,500 cubic meters. It has 46 rectangular ovens, which mitigate environmental impacts and produce the bioenergetic reducer that is used by SINOBRAS. Contributing to the socioeconomic growth of the region, SINOBRAS Florestal generates about 200 direct jobs and, at the time of planting, other employees are added for seasonal operations.

The conscious use of natural resources is an important guideline for SINOBRAS Florestal, which adopts a responsible attitude towards environmental and social values, ranging from caring for the environment to improving the quality of life of people in the region where it operates.

Examples of actions and projects implemented by the Aço Cearense Group that reinforce this sustainability philosophy are:

• Waste management – in its companies, the Group applies methodologies in order to have better performance and follow up on the destinations and reductions of the generated waste. At SINOBRAS, in the Sintering process, the by-products generated during the steel production process are reused and the sinter is produced, a raw material used as a substitute part of iron ore in the production of pig iron.
• Reverse logistics is another environmental preservation practice carried out at the Aço Cearense Group, applied to batteries, which, after the end of their use, are forwarded to the manufacturer and receive the correct destination. In the same way it happens with the tires, which are sent to ecopoints.
• The destination of lubricating oils after use is done with the refining of used or contaminated lubricating oil (oluc). This process transforms the used oil into base oil again, through partner companies, preventing this hazardous waste from being disposed of in the environment.
• The concern with the use of water occurs since the beginning of the operation in its companies, through a robust system of capture, treatment, recirculation, water cooling towers and decantation tanks, which guarantee the recirculation of the water used in industrial processes. . In 2018, 98.35% of water recirculated in the processes was reached.
• Implementation of the Recycle Project, with the objective of consolidating the selective collection in the Aço Cearense Group, which includes the activities of characterization of waste, adequacy of areas, training of employees, monitoring of results and internal audits;
  Donation actions for tree seedlings with employees and in several communities where they live and in which the company operates.

Social Sustainability

Investment in social actions is also a constant for the Group, which through the Instituto Aço Cearense, has already invested R $ 11 million in the development of Ceará, Pará and Tocantins, benefiting 143 institutions and totaling more than 80 thousand people favored.

The work of the Aço Cearense Institute goes beyond the financial contribution to entities that serve people in situations of social vulnerability.

In addition to the institutions, he also supports employees of the Grupo Aço Cearense companies that excel in sports and carries out campaigns with various solidarity actions, such as collecting clothes, personal hygiene products, food and toys.

The Institute also supports entrepreneurship through Junior Achievement (JA) Ceará, a non-profit educational association that aims to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit in young people. JA Ceará offers 25 educational programs, benefiting children, adolescents and adults.

Economic Sustainability

The Aço Cearense Group makes its products available to all Brazilian states, with agility and with high quality of its products. Faithful to its values, it seeks to exceed the expectations of its customers with customized solutions meeting their needs.