During the visit, the executive was received by the company’s Research & Development manager, Reges Henrique Andrade da Costa. Representatives from the Brazilian Association of Footwear Industries (Abicalçados) and the consultant for Assintecal’s Design and Research Nucleus, Marnei Carminatti, also participated in the meeting.

According to Silvana, Veja is a reference for the footwear production chain when it comes to sustainability, not only in its environmental pillar but also in its social aspect. “As agents representing the production of an industry that is the largest in the West, we are committed to fostering a culture of sustainability. That’s why we’re here, to congratulate and, at the same time, exchange important information with this great international benchmark in ESG practices, which is the Veja brand,” she emphasized. Currently, the French brand outsources its production to some factories in Rio Grande do Sul.

Respira Acre

On the occasion, an copy of the “Respira Acre” project book, which included information from the brand, was also given to the Veja executive. One of the pieces of information is that, in Acre, the brand has been focusing on the use of sustainable rubber extracted by local communities. Last year, nearly a thousand tons of rubber were purchased from rubber tappers in Acre, for which prices above market rates were paid. In one of the book’s passages, Sebastião dos Santos Pereira, manager of the Rubber Production Chain at Veja, states: “we don’t just buy a product (rubber), because we could buy it next to the factory, in São Paulo, for a much lower price. We pay for a very important service, which is the preservation of the forest.”

Watch the Respira Acre project video at the link.