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Written by Gary F. Smith
Publish Date: 2024-12-01

Harvard Case - Samarco: the role of businesses in empowering people

"Samarco: the role of businesses in empowering people" Harvard business case study is written by Rosa Maria Fischer, Paulo Da Rocha Ferreira Borba, Luciana Rocha De Mendonca, Monica Bose, Elidia Maria Novaes. It deals with the challenges in the field of Social Enterprise. The case study is 24 page(s) long and it was first published on : Apr 8, 2011

At Fern Fort University, we recommend that Samarco adopt a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to rebuilding trust and empowering the affected communities. This approach should prioritize social entrepreneurship, sustainable business models, and impact investing to create lasting positive change. By focusing on shared value creation, Samarco can demonstrate its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and contribute to the triple bottom line of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

2. Background

The Samarco case study highlights the devastating consequences of a mining dam collapse in Brazil, impacting local communities and the environment. The disaster raised critical questions about corporate responsibility, environmental sustainability, and the role of businesses in empowering people. The main protagonists are Samarco, a joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton, the affected communities, and the Brazilian government.

3. Analysis of the Case Study

This case study can be analyzed through the lens of stakeholder theory, which emphasizes the importance of considering the interests of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment. Samarco's failure to adequately address the needs and concerns of its stakeholders, particularly the local communities, contributed to the crisis.

Key issues identified:

  • Environmental damage: The dam collapse caused significant environmental damage, impacting water resources, biodiversity, and local ecosystems.
  • Social impact: The disaster displaced communities, disrupted livelihoods, and caused health problems for residents.
  • Corporate responsibility: Samarco's lack of transparency, accountability, and proactive engagement with stakeholders exacerbated the crisis.
  • Government regulation: The case highlights the need for stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent similar disasters in the future.

Frameworks for analysis:

  • Triple Bottom Line: This framework emphasizes the importance of considering the economic, social, and environmental impacts of business decisions. Samarco's focus on short-term economic gains at the expense of long-term social and environmental well-being contributed to the disaster.
  • Stakeholder Theory: This framework emphasizes the importance of considering the interests of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment. Samarco's failure to adequately address the needs and concerns of its stakeholders, particularly the local communities, contributed to the crisis.
  • Social Impact Measurement: Samarco needs to develop robust metrics to measure the social and environmental impact of its activities, including the effectiveness of its remediation efforts and the long-term well-being of the affected communities.

4. Recommendations

  1. Establish a dedicated social enterprise arm: Samarco should create a dedicated social enterprise arm focused on empowering the affected communities. This arm should be guided by a social mission statement and a triple bottom line approach, prioritizing impact investing and sustainable business models.
  2. Develop social impact bonds: Samarco can partner with NGOs and government agencies to develop social impact bonds that incentivize investment in community development projects. These bonds will help attract capital for projects that address the specific needs of the affected communities.
  3. Invest in community development initiatives: Samarco should invest in projects that promote community development, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and sustainable livelihoods. This investment should be guided by a community-driven approach, ensuring that projects are aligned with the needs and priorities of the affected communities.
  4. Promote transparency and accountability: Samarco must commit to transparency and accountability in all its operations. This includes regular reporting on its remediation efforts, community engagement activities, and social impact investments.
  5. Develop a robust environmental sustainability strategy: Samarco should develop a comprehensive environmental sustainability strategy that goes beyond remediation efforts. This strategy should focus on preventing future environmental damage, promoting biodiversity conservation, and ensuring responsible resource management.
  6. Embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion: Samarco should foster a culture of diversity and inclusion within its organization. This includes hiring and promoting individuals from the affected communities, ensuring their voices are heard, and promoting their participation in decision-making processes.

5. Basis of Recommendations

These recommendations are based on the following considerations:

  1. Core competencies and consistency with mission: Samarco's core competencies in mining and infrastructure development can be leveraged to create sustainable economic opportunities for the affected communities. This aligns with the company's mission to operate responsibly and contribute to the well-being of its stakeholders.
  2. External customers and internal clients: Samarco's external customers, including investors and consumers, are increasingly demanding responsible business practices. By embracing CSR and social entrepreneurship, Samarco can attract and retain these customers. Internally, the company can create a more engaged and motivated workforce by demonstrating its commitment to social responsibility.
  3. Competitors: Samarco's competitors are increasingly adopting sustainable business models and impact investing strategies. By embracing these trends, Samarco can differentiate itself and gain a competitive advantage.
  4. Attractiveness ' quantitative measures: While it is difficult to quantify the social and environmental benefits of these recommendations, the long-term economic benefits of empowering the affected communities and building trust with stakeholders are significant.
  5. Assumptions: These recommendations assume that Samarco is committed to genuine change and is willing to invest in long-term solutions. It also assumes that the affected communities are willing to engage with Samarco and participate in the development process.

6. Conclusion

Samarco has a unique opportunity to transform itself from a company responsible for a devastating disaster to a leader in social entrepreneurship and sustainable development. By embracing the recommendations outlined above, Samarco can rebuild trust with the affected communities, contribute to their long-term well-being, and create a more sustainable and responsible business model. This approach will not only benefit the communities but also strengthen Samarco's reputation and long-term sustainability.

7. Discussion

Other alternatives not selected:

  • Limited remediation efforts: This approach would focus solely on addressing the immediate environmental damage and providing basic compensation to the affected communities. However, this approach would not address the underlying social and economic issues and would likely lead to ongoing conflict and instability.
  • Business as usual: This approach would involve Samarco continuing its operations with minimal changes to its existing practices. This approach would be unacceptable to stakeholders and would likely lead to further reputational damage and legal challenges.

Risks and key assumptions:

  • Community engagement: There is a risk that the affected communities may not be willing to engage with Samarco or participate in the development process. This risk can be mitigated by actively listening to community concerns, building trust through transparent communication, and ensuring that community representatives are involved in decision-making processes.
  • Financial commitment: Implementing these recommendations will require significant financial investment. This risk can be mitigated by exploring innovative funding mechanisms, such as social impact bonds, and by prioritizing projects with a strong return on investment.
  • Government regulations: There is a risk that government regulations may change, impacting Samarco's operations. This risk can be mitigated by actively engaging with government officials, advocating for policies that promote sustainable development, and ensuring that Samarco's operations comply with all applicable regulations.

8. Next Steps

  1. Establish a dedicated social enterprise team: Within the next six months, Samarco should establish a dedicated social enterprise team with expertise in community development, impact investing, and sustainable business models.
  2. Develop a community engagement plan: Within the next three months, Samarco should develop a comprehensive community engagement plan that outlines its approach to rebuilding trust, addressing community concerns, and ensuring community participation in decision-making.
  3. Pilot social impact bond projects: Within the next year, Samarco should pilot social impact bond projects that focus on specific community development needs, such as education, healthcare, or sustainable livelihoods.
  4. Develop a robust environmental sustainability strategy: Within the next six months, Samarco should develop a comprehensive environmental sustainability strategy that includes a plan for biodiversity conservation, responsible resource management, and pollution prevention.
  5. Implement a diversity and inclusion program: Within the next year, Samarco should implement a diversity and inclusion program that includes targeted hiring and promotion initiatives for individuals from the affected communities.

By taking these steps, Samarco can begin to rebuild trust with the affected communities, create lasting positive change, and demonstrate its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.

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Case Description

Samarco produced iron ore pellets used for making steel. In 2003, the company had a 17% share of the global market of the product. At the time it had 1,286 employees, split between its units in Germano, in the State of Minas Gerais, and Ponta de Ubu, in the State of Espírito Santo.The two units were linked by an ore conveyor 396 km long, with a maximum carrying capacity of 15.5 million tons a year. The company's mission was "to be a Brazilian supplier of high quality iron for the global steel industry, creating value for all its stakeholders". In line with this guideline, between 1997 and 2003, Samarco coordinated and financed the Bento Rodrigues Popular Environmental Education program. The aim was to contribute to the development of the community living in the Bento Rodrigues district, by gaining the commitment of the residents for identifying community problems and seeking solutions that might increase local development. In spite of the reach of concrete results, after the end of the direct intervention undertaken by the company, a decline in the participation of the community was perceived, along with the discontinuity of the actions begun. In 2003, the need to build a second ore conveyor provided Samarco with a new opportunity for interacting with the communities. Its prior experience with the Bento Rodrigues Popular Environmental Education Program caused the Environment Manager to propose a new social project concept for the company, called the Social Responsibility Education and Communication Program - PROECOS. This program, to be implemented in partnership with GAIA (Group for Interdisciplinary Application to Learning) had broad objectives: to improve the company's image; to involve the communities in the preparation of sustainable social-environmental projects and to build a network of partners for meeting local demands and proceeding with development actions after the end of the company's involvement in the Program.

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