Brazil’s catadores to voice their views at RIO+20 (en)

There are more than 500,000 garbage collectors — or catadores — in Brazil who are grouped under the AnCat association and make their living from recycling what others throw away. To ensure that their role in creating a sustainable society gets the attention it deserves, the Ethical Fashion Initiative — which is part of ITC’s Poor Communities and Trade Programme (PCTP) — has invited 100 of these low-income entrepreneurs from favelas across Brazil to its conference on Good Business Models for a Sustainable Future, which forms part of the Corporate Sustainability Forum at RIO+20 on 17 June.

The catadores play an important role in the in the waste management and recycling of Brazil’s dumpsites. They have also set up their own associations that help them organize their work and improve their profit opportunities.

At Good Business Models for a Sustainable Future, the catadores will get the opportunity to learn more about how they can improve their business models. In addition they will get the chance to see how ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative has empowered and created business opportunities for women in Africa.

The catadores also requested that one of their representatives, Roberto Laureano da Rocha, of the Brazilian National Movement of Garbage Collectors of Recyclable Materials, to take the floor and participate as a speaker in PCTP’s session. Mr Laureano is an active member of the ‘Expo Catadores’ event — a movement that brings together 2,500 garbage collectors from Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America, as well as India. During the session, he will share the experiences of this movement and their aspirations for the future. (Insert link to MNCR )

But it is not only the catadores that will bring diversity to Good Business Models for a Sustainable Future. Among the panellists are Ilaria Venturini Fendi (Carmina Campus), Oskar Metsavaht (Osklen/E-Institute), Leonardo Boff (University of Rio de Janeiro), Auret van Heerden (Fair Labor Association), Willa Shalit (Maiden Nation), Roberto Laureano da Rocha (Expo Catadores), Fabrice Leclerc (HEC Lausanne) and Aminata Traore (International Network for Cultural Diversity).

The event will also see the launch of an International Advisory Committee (IAC) to promote global sustainable business partnerships that are fair, green and benefit the poorest of the poor.

Read more about Brazil’s catadores on Rede Cata Sampa and AnCat (in Portuguese only).

Read more about ITC's precence at RIO+20.