Ethics, partnership and respect. More than words, these are the values that have been with the Gerdau Group throughout our history. For years, they have guided the company's relationship with employees, shareholders, customers, the environment, and the community.
To train its professionals, for example, the Gerdau Group invested nearly R$ 26 million during the year. These resources covered everything from foreign language classes to MBA programs at the best universities in the world.
The Group also supports projects designed to improve public teaching, place youth into the job market, and recognize the best small business management practices. We also encourage improved efficiency of private and public organizations through total quality. The Gerdau Institute was created at the beginning of 2005 with the objective of consolidating the Group's social responsibility policies and guidelines and coordinates projects that contribute toward improving the quality of life.
All of these initiatives promote knowledge sharing, fundamental to build a competitive nation capable of generating jobs, taxes and wealth.
In the environmental area, the Gerdau Group works to maintain and update its equipment with the most advanced technology in air, water and soil protection. Gerdau Açominas (state of Minas Gerais), Gerdau Aços Especiais Piratini (Rio Grande do Sul) and Gerdau Cosigua (Rio de Janeiro) — which represent 63% of the Group's installed capacity in Brazil — have already obtained international ISO 14001 certification. Over the next few years, all Gerdau steel mills in Brazil and abroad will obtain ISO 14001 certification, reinforcing the Group's commitment to producing steel without jeopardizing the future of our children.
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