Amazonia Plan

check out the release on three years of achievements, learnings and challenges.

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Amazon

We are committed to contributing to the sustainable development of the Amazon by supporting initiatives that generate impact in the region.

Protecting the Amazon is defending life

The Amazon plays an essential role in regulating the climate and ecosystems. That’s why our goal is to contribute, directly and indirectly, to the sustainable use of this biome by financing companies and their production chains, by working with retail clients, and through our own initiatives in the social area.

In view of the challenges related to deforestation and climate change, we have integrated the Amazon Plan into our Positive Impact Commitments. The initiative, launched in 2020 together with Bradesco and Santander, seeks to leverage the sustainable development of the region by implementing three strategic pillars:

  • support to environmental preservation and the development of bioeconomy;
  • contribute to ensuring the basic rights of the population;
  • invest in sustainable infrastructure.

Learn about the Amazon

Coverage

59% of the Brazilian territory is occupied by the Amazon region, but its share of the GDP is only 8%, according to experts.

CINDRA
Cultural Diversity

There are more than 180 ethnicities groups and 150 different languages in the region.

(Global Forest Watch 2019)
Population background

There are more than 27 million inhabitants in the Amazon, or 13% of the Brazilian population.

(IBGE)
Biodiversity

About 15% of Earth’s continental biodiversity is concentrated in the Amazon ecosystem alone, whose plant biomass stores nearly 200 billion metric tons of carbon.

SUDAM

Amazon Plan

Launched in June 2020 together with Bradesco and Santander, this is an initiative to promote the sustainable development of the Amazon.

The plan has as its strategic focuses:

  • support to environmental preservation and the development of bioeconomy
  • contribute to ensuring the basic rights of the population
  • invest in sustainable infrastructure

These strategic focuses permeate all actions related to the Amazon Plan, which has been structured into ten measures, four of which were prioritized in the first year.

Priority goals:

In progress

Meatpackers and Deforestation

Stimulate zero illegal deforestation in the industry, reinforcing internal diligence, supporting the transition and coordinating companies and associations to create a sectoral commitment.

In progress
We are committed to supporting the transformation of the industry, by adopting special practices with our clients. We outlined a summary with strategic guidelines to encourage the adoption of commitments by meatpackers, aiming at the traceability of their supply chain and prioritizing: (i) best practices; (ii) use of technological platforms; (iii) public commitments; (iv) action plans until 2025. Within this initiative, we expect the implementation of action plans that will lead to the elimination of zero illegal deforestation throughout the meat chain.
We carried out a diagnosis of the client portfolio with operations in the region and have engaged with clients and industry associations on the topic.

In progress

Sustainable Crops

Stimulate zero illegal deforestation in the industry, reinforcing internal diligence, supporting the transition and coordinating companies and associations to create a sectoral commitment.

In progress
We set an initial joint goal, which has already been overcome, of bringing R$100 million in credit to cooperatives and food processors that work with sustainable crops. We have also established partnerships for technical assistance and the development of our own business strategy, and we have been working on refining the concept of sustainable crops to guide our activities in this area over the next few years.

In progress

Bioeconomy

Attract investments that promote partnerships and the development of technologies that drive the bioeconomy.

In progress
At a time when our society is moving towards the transition to a low-carbon economy, Bioeconomy plays a key role in Brazil’s social and economic development. With this focus, in the first year we decided to deepen our support to a project that will identify the reasons for the still low share of Amazon products in the global market and the ways to increase it. Furthermore, in partnership with the other banks in the Amazon Plan and other market players, we launched the Amazon Journey, which will focus on stimulating innovative bioeconomy solutions in the region.

In progress

Land Regularization

Coordinate and support the implementation of the computerized land title registration system, and map existing laws at state and municipal level and advocacy to the government

In progress
Ongoing In 2021, we received the support of renowned legal firms that, after our invitation, map existing laws that addresses the topic in the states that make up the Amazon Region. The document will serve as a basis for defining the next steps of the Plan and may be used to support discussions among competent entities.

Other positive impact initiatives in the Amazon

  • Support for the Amazon 4.0 Project with the purpose of stimulating economic development by supporting the cocoa chain.
    learn more
  • For the purpose of increasing the allocation of resources to sustainable crops in the Amazon biome, we rely on the Palladium Group for the development of a financing strategy that generates new opportunities and mitigates risks.
  • The “Plataforma da Bioeconomia” (Bioeconomy Platform) Project in partnership with Certi Foundation, which will support startups and innovative businesses focused on the bioeconomy in the Amazon.
  • Financing of the first floating factory in Brazil designed to process açai, with a processing potential of up to 40 metric tons per day.
  • Support for the CocoaAction Brasil project, which carries out sustainability actions focused on cocoa production by promoting improvements in quality and productivity, as well as better working conditions in the field.

Climate Change

Support for forest restoration and preservation projects under the leadership of Instituto Socioambiental (ISA).

Local Development

Project in partnership with the Amazon Entrepreneurship Center aiming at supporting sustainable entrepreneurship initiatives in the region.

Governance

To ensure that the proposed actions have real progress and are aligned with the strategies of each of the partner banks, we have created an integrated governance involving the Sustainability teams and the CEOs of the banks, as well as experts from the region.

A council was also created, made up of professionals with deep knowledge of the environmental challenges in Brazil, and more specifically in the Amazon, to support the implementation of the planned initiatives. Currently, the members of this council are:

  • Adalberto Luís Val, biologist and researcher at the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA);
  • Adalberto Veríssimo, associate researcher and co-founder of Imazon and program director of the Amazon Entrepreneurship Center;
  • André Guimarães, executive director of the National Institute for Amazon Research (IPAM) and co-facilitator of Coalizão Brasil Clima Florestas e Agricultura (Brazil Forests and Agriculture Climate Coalition );
  • Carlos Afonso Nobre, Climate Change and Amazon scientist;
  • Denis Minev, CEO of Bemol Stores, co-founder of Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (Amazonas Sustainable Foundation), and the Amazon Museum;
  • Izabella Teixeira, former Minister of the Environment, biologist, and PhD in Environmental Planning from COPPE/UFRJ;
  • Teresa Vendramini, cattle rancher and president of the Brazilian Rural Society.

Learn about the other work fronts of the Amazon Plan

The measures prioritized in the first cycle of the plan will remain on the agenda because they are structural for sustainable development. The other measures will be prioritized within the Amazon Plan over the next cycles, while respecting the strategic vision of each institution.

  • Green infrastructure – foster projects targeting economic development and preservation through green assets and financial instruments.
  • Social infrastructure – making investments in basic infrastructure for social development feasible.
  • Environmental asset market – foster projects that aim at economic development and preservation through assets and financial instruments with green backing, such as payment for environmental services (PES) and carbon credits.
  • Climate change – incorporate the impacts of climate change into credit policies and long-term investments and increase the transparency of our reporting.
  • Inclusion and financial guidance – expand the reach of businesses that promote inclusion and financial guidance in the region.
  • Incentive to local development projects – coordinate the creation of a fund for local players and leaderships that work in social and economic development projects in the region.

Latest publications about the Amazon Plan

Itaú Amazon Conference

The Itaú Amazon Conference brought together experts in the region and renowned national and international fund managers. The on-line event promoted the debate on key issues for the region’s development and investment-related topics.
Click here to watch the event

Itaú Amazon Conference and Instituto Socioambiental

The Itaú Amazon Conference also raised funds with companies, clients, and employees for forest restoration and local income generation projects, a partnership with the Instituto Socioambiental.
To learn more about the project, click here

Bioeconomy in Focus

In September 2021, we held the Bioeconomy in Focus event, which was attended by the CEOs of Itaú, Bradesco, and Santander. The event marked the first anniversary of the Amazon Plan and brought together experts on the subject to reflect on the potential and opportunities for building a sustainable economy, based on biodiversity and social inclusion.
Click here to watch the event

Bioeconomy Innovation Forum

Want to learn more about Bioeconomy in the Amazon? Rewatch the contents of the Innovation in Investment in the Amazon Bioeconomy Forum, a joint initiative of the Concertação pela Amazônia network, consisting of several public and private players, and the Interstate Consortium of the Amazon Region.
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Latest publications about the Amazon Plan

Itaú Amazon Conference

The Itaú Amazon Conference brought together experts in the region and renowned national and international fund managers. The on-line event promoted the debate on key issues for the region’s development and investment-related topics.

saiba mais

Itaú Amazon Conference and Instituto Socioambiental

The Itaú Amazon Conference also raised funds with companies, clients, and employees for forest restoration and local income generation projects, a partnership with the Instituto Socioambiental.

saiba mais

Um Cashback diferente

Por acreditar em ações que estimulam o poder transformador das pessoas, unimos esforços junto a Mastercard na Coalizão Planeta Priceless. Em uma campanha com o objetivo de conscientizar clientes sobre a importância da sustentabilidade, o Itaú Unibanco destinou parte do valor das compras feitas com cartões em meios digitais para o plantio e conservação de 60 mil árvores na Amazônia. A iniciativa é parte do projeto Coalizão Planeta Priceless, que tem como objetivo engajar os clientes para a adoção de hábitos de consumo consciente e mais sustentáveis, além unir esforços de consumidores, instituições financeiras, comerciantes e cidades para combater as mudanças climáticas por meio da restauração de 100 milhões de árvores ao longo de cinco anos.

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Bioeconomy in Focus

In September 2021, we held the Bioeconomy in Focus event, which was attended by the CEOs of Itaú, Bradesco, and Santander. The event marked the first anniversary of the Amazon Plan and brought together experts on the subject to reflect on the potential and opportunities for building a sustainable economy, based on biodiversity and social inclusion.

saiba mais

Bioeconomy Innovation Forum

Want to learn more about Bioeconomy in the Amazon? Rewatch the contents of the Innovation in Investment in the Amazon Bioeconomy Forum, a joint initiative of the Concertação pela Amazônia network, consisting of several public and private players, and the Interstate Consortium of the Amazon Region.

saiba mais