It is the Portucel Soporcel Group’s firm belief that if companies are to prosper economically, they must direct their business in such a way as to improve the quality of life of the surrounding community and preserve the environment. This is why the Group plays an active part in the social responsibility field, by systematically supporting the various institutions that work in the areas in which its mills are located.

In 2005 the Group supported a considerable range of social, cultural, educational and sporting initiatives. Of particular importance are the Delfim Project , which is a scientific association that studies marine mammals in their natural environment and is especially involved in the work to preserve the dolphins in the Sado Estuary, and the Cantar de Galo Estate's teaching project, which offers educational programmes intended to raise awareness and allow people to come into contact with nature, and which was visited by around 55,000 children in 2005.

Other significant initiatives in 2005 included the Sustainability of our Earth project promoted by AFLOPS (Forest Producers’ Association), which mobilised a thousand students from schools in the Setúbal District to work on the subject of sustainable development, and also the Eco-Escola project, which is designed to stimulate selective waste collection. The Group also supported the Aveiro Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome and the Laço and Acreditar Associations in a series of actions targeted at disadvantaged families and people who are ill.

The Group continued its policy of donating paper to schools and charities near its manufacturing units. In 2005 we made 317 donations totalling 37 tonnes of paper to cultural, sporting, educational and social projects. The leading publications that received support from the Group include the magazine Impactus (www.impactus.org), which is devoted to business sustainability, Agenda 21, which is a children’s guide produced by a group of schools in Aveiro and is dedicated to education for environmental citizenship, and the publication of a children’s book by the Lisbon Fire Brigade about fire prevention and safety.

The Group takes part in the work of organisations that promote the dissemination of the objectives of sustainable development and socially responsible practices at national and international level. These include the United Nations’ Global Compact, the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development), the Millennium Development Goals (a charter setting out commitments in relation to the promotion of good social responsibility practices), BCSD Portugal (Business Council for Sustainable Development), and RSE Portugal (Portuguese Association for Corporate Social Responsibility).

» WBCSD - World Business Council for Sustainable Development
» BCSD Portugal - Business Council for Sustainable Development
» RSE Portugal (Portuguese Association for Corporate Social Responsibility)
» United Nations' Global Compact