Social

Transformative Social Impact

+R$3.8B

Sigma Lithium is one of the largest investors in the Jequitinhonha Valley, with more than R$3.8 billion realized so far

The company is committed to strengthening the economic prospects of local communities.

As part of this, Sigma Lithium has a strong working relationship with the regional government and private sector organizations where the Grota do Cirilo operations are located.

How we support local communities

Female entrepreneurs

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Fundo Dona de Mim Microcredit Program

The Fundo Dona de Mim microcredit program was launched in partnership with Brazil´s most prominent support organization for women, Grupo Mulheres do Brasil, with the aim of promoting female entrepreneurship in Sigma Lithium’s local communities. The program has benefited local women with small businesses in the areas of food, crafts, clothing and services.

Sigma Lithium established the largest microcredit program in Brazil, which has targeted female entrepreneurs in the Jequitinhonha Valley region. The program currently has 730 female entrepreneurs enrolled and plans to expand total enrollment to 10,000 over the long-term. Through this program, the Company will encourage sustainable development by providing microcredit loans of R$2,000 per person and mentorship programs.

Zero Drought

Under this program, Sigma Lithium has built small rainwater capture structures in the local municipalities of Araçuaí and Itinga, benefiting small-scale farmers. The reservoirs store water for the irrigation of crops during periods of drought.

Zero Drought Program

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+R$3.8B

Sigma Lithium is one of the slargest investors in the Jequitinhonha Valley, with more than R$3.8 billion realized so far

The company is committed to strengthening the economic prospects of local communities.

As part of this, Sigma Lithium has a strong working relationship with the regional government and private sector organizations where the Grota do Cirilo operations are located.

Community-driven growth yielding tangible outcomes

Water for All Program

Sigma Lithium provides drinking water to households in the company’s local communities through a partnership with the municipalities of Araçuaí and Itinga. Sigma Lithium donated water tanks and funds water deliveries by truck from the local water utilities, COPANOR and COPASA, supplying the local communities on a regular basis.

Education that Transforms Program

Sigma Lithium has several initiatives dedicated to the education of children, adolescents and adults in the municipalities of Araçuaí and Itinga. The company facilitated the renovation and expansion of three municipal public schools and has ongoing educational programs, including a course for post-basic education for adults, classes on environmental awareness and several initiatives in cultural and sports education through partnerships with the local groups Popular Center for Culture and Development (CPCD), the Bruta Flor Sociocultural Institute and the Escrava Feliciana Cultural Center.

Bringing Prosperity

Background of the Jequitinhonha Valley

Many people in the Jequitinhonha Valley are vulnerable to hunger and health issues.

This is often due to earning less than R$3 a day (equivalent to roughly $0.6), a situation that has only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To alleviate this problem, we have worked to provide local communities with vital support.

This includes fighting hunger by delivering 7,000 food baskets, with a commitment to deliver an additional 7,000. This initiative helps ~2,400 low-income families per month and could provide as many as 3.6 million meals for local residents in need.

To support local healthcare services, we have donated upwards of 30,000L of disinfectant as well as COVID-19 prevention education booklets.

Our initiatives provide necessary supplies for over 20,000 medical appointments per month. This has helped prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout local communities, taking some of the pressure off hard-working medical staff.

To support families and enable mothers to re-enter the workforce, we launched a program for the adoption of two daycare centers, one in each of the two local municipalities closest to Grota do Cirilo.

The goal of the program is to provide basic care needs to 560 underprivileged children under the age of three years old over the course of a year.

We also supported the local communities where we operate in response to flooding at the end of 2021 as a result of unusually high rainfall.

We distributed over 11,000L of potable water as relief efforts for families who either lost their homes or were displaced, helping ~400 families with partial or no access to water and food during the holiday season.

Microcredit For Female Entrepreneurs

Driving Sustainable Development in the Jequitinhonha Valley

Sigma Lithium is dedicated to providing employment and training opportunities to the company’s local communities. Through Sigma Lithium’s ‘Homecoming Employment Program (Volta ao Lar)’, the company has successfully brought back qualified workforce that had previously migrated out of our region due to lack of employment opportunities. Approximately ~85% of Sigma Lithium’s workforce is comprised of Vale do Jequitinhonha region locals.

These will all play a key role in helping us bring greater investment and prosperity to the Jequitinhonha Valley, transforming and improving the lives of local people across
the region.

We are also dedicated to providing employment and training opportunities to our local communities. Through our ‘Homecoming Employment Program (Volta ao Lar)’, we have successfully brought back the qualified workforce that had previously migrated out of our region due to lack of employment opportunities with ~70% of our workforce being comprised of Vale do Jequitinhonha region locals.

Additionally, we have partnered with the Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Campus Janauba and the Federal Institute of Education of Araçuaí to create the first program to prepare mining technicians in our region. This initiative will help foster prosperity in the region while further enhancing our focus on employing the local community at
Grota do Cirilo.