News
Contributing to sustainable development in Pozo Almonte in collaboration with local residents
For nearly 15 decades, Pozo Almonte has been a witness to and key player in the rural, mining, and historic life of Tamarugal Province. SQM is playing a part in that history through a series of initiatives developed with local residents, social organizations and neighborhood groups. These actions are based on creating shared social value and align with the three core components of the company's Sustainability Plan: Contribution to Sustainable Industries, Our People and Our Environment.
In that spirit, in the area of agriculture and livestock development, SQM has partnered with CONAF and farmers from the Pampa del Tamarugal Aymara Rural Indigenous Association to implement technified irrigation on 15 hectares. This brings the group halfway to the goal of the Alfalfa Production Center project, which is slated to become the largest in northern Chile.
This comes in addition to the important recognition that the Pozo Almonte Agricultural Research and Development Center received for two production units: a greenhouse and a dairy with the respective health permits. This distinction was awarded by Responsible Care through Asiquim in the “Community Engagement” category because of its contribution to strengthening farming and livestock activity in the area, thus strengthening local residents’ household income.
In the field of education, Colonia de Pintados joined the Universidad Católica del Norte program ViLTI SeMANN, which focuses on early childhood education students in an effort to enhance critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork skills using robotics and programming. Students learn by playing through a fun methodology.
SQM also recently inaugurated the Salar de Llamara Center for Environmental Education (Centro de Educación Ambiental, CEDAM). This initiative, which it is sponsoring in collaboration with CONAF and residents of Quillagua and Huatacondo, seeks to promote education in order to conserve local natural and cultural heritage.
In regard to production development, SQM worked with the Crecer con Identidad Foundation (CREIDE) to hold a culinary workshop that showcased the cuisine of the glory days of the nitrates industry. The initiative provided the tools and knowledge to allow Pozo Almonte residents to create new businesses and manage culinary services focused on recovering and disseminating traditional dishes prepared by local families. SQM, CORFO and the Municipality of Pozo Almonte supported the initiative.
We also launched and disseminated virtual tours of the former Santiago Humberstone Nitrates Office together with the Nitrates Museum Foundation. Internet users can access them free of charge through www.sqm.com.
Pablo Pisani, Director of NY Communities and Public Affairs at SQM, commented: “On this new anniversary of the municipality’s founding, we reaffirm our commitment to all of the inhabitants of Pozo Almonte, to whom we ratify our complete and unyielding commitment to our surroundings, environment, and local residents, and to responsibly moving towards a sustainable industry.
It is important to note that the area is home to SQM’s Nueva Victoria site, which has become the world’s largest iodine plant, positioning the company as a global leader and contributing to strategic industries for human development.