In regarding people as talents, the development of human potential consists in the chief intention behind the Algar Group’s actions towards the community. The social investments are channeled through the Algar Institute, a Public Interest Civil Organization (OSCIP) that receives funds from all the Group’s companies. In 2011, Algar companies altogether invested R$4 million.

Overall funds were earmarked for the maintenance of three programs run by the Institute. The Algar Educa (Algar Educates) Program is intended to the specific training of teachers, school managers, as well as managers from central bodies of educational public administration. It aims to discuss and disseminate the idea of Integral Education within the scope of Human Development. The Program phases include the preparation of an action plan aimed at turning discussions into actual initiatives and be easily disseminated throughout the school community.

The program includes on-site and distance learning. The on-site activities involve two training meetings (total of 32 hours/year), two conference calls (total of 4 hours/year), one closing lecture (4 hours) and one educational forum (6 hours), the two latter held in November. Simultaneously, two optional distance learning modules are offered, totaling an additional 40 hours. The training program also presupposes the fulfillment of guided written assignments throughout the process.

In 2011, Algar Educa involved 345 educators from 99 schools, located in ten cities of four States: Goiás, Maranhão, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The program benefited 2,581 students and had the participation of 476 volunteers. The Algar companies’ associates are also encouraged to integrate with the community, as part of the Algra Institute’s initiatives.

Intended to directors, educators and teachers of the public school network of Uberlândia, the Algar Lê – Correio Educação (Algar Reads) Program promotes workshops aimed to develop the educators’ skills in making use of newspapers in classroom activities from the 1^st to the 9^th grade. The main purpose is to improve the students’ reading and writing skills, turning them into readers and writers of contents, as well as teaching them to value the print newspaper as a cultural vehicle that plays a key role in history and local identity. In 2011, 45 educators from 15 schools replicated this initiative to 2,400 students.

The Algar Transforma (Algar Transforms) Program is developed in partnership with Associação Encantar through the use of Federal and State of Minas Gerais Laws of Incentive to Culture, and consists in a program of complementary education to children and teenagers (7 to 14 years old), which aims at the social inclusion by means of training workshops in the fields of digital culture, environment, integrated arts and literature. The activities take place in the Algar Group Sports Club located in Uberlândia, and in 2011 involved 400 students and 10 educators from 2 schools.

In total, the Algar Institute programs were carried out in partnership with 116 public schools of 11 cities in 4 States (São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Maranhão), and involved nearly 400 educators and 5,400 students. The Algar companies’ associates are also encouraged to take part in this action as volunteers.

The Institute was also in charge of coordinating the allocation of over R$200,000 from income tax payable, through the Fund for Children and Teenagers (FIA). Altogether, eight municipal councils for the rights of children and teenagers (CMDCAs) and eight organizations were granted this financial aid. The beneficiary funds are based in the cities of Araguari, Cláudio, Iguatama, Ituiutaba, Pará de Minas, Patos de Minas and Uberaba, all in the State of Minas Gerais, and one in the city of Franca (State of São Paulo).

In general terms, as can be evidenced by the social actions described above, the Algar Institute is in charge of managing the Algar Group’s relationship with the community. Its daily activities include making contact with the municipal and state education secretariats, public elementary schools, educators (school managers and educators), an students, in addition to representative institutions in this segment. One example is GIFE (Group of Brazilian Institutes, Foundations and Companies), a non-profit institution that groups different types of formal and informal organizations, such as entrepreneurial, family-run, independent or community, which invest in public-purpose projects. Another example is the Instituto Ethos de Empresas e Responsabilidade Social (Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility), whose mission is to mobilize, sensitize and help companies to manage their businesses in a socially responsible manner by turning them into partners for the construction of a more equitable and sustainable society.

Engagement of stakeholders of the the Algar Institute is distinguished, since it involves each kind of public in different moments.

1) Municipal and state education secretariats: the Algar Institute relates in person with the education secretaries and superintendents twice a year. At the start of works, Algar Institute submits its action plan for that city, and at the end of the year, when the works are completed and the Institute informs on what the funds were used for, and the submitting of annual accounts. In addition, a number of contacts by phone and e-mail are made throughout the year.

2) Students: students take part in the Algar Institute’s projects indirectly, although they constitute the target public. Twice a year, they fill out an evaluation form, in the beginning and at the end of the year, with the purpose to measure their learning improvement rate.

3) Educator: many training opportunities are offered during the entire year. In 2011, three social programs were carried out: Algar Educa, Algar Lê and Algar Transforma.