On the first day of the tribute received by the Brazilian-AmericanChamber of Commerce in New York, Alexandre Birman, CEO of Arezzo&Co and the conglomerate with the association with the SOMA Group, reinforced the importance of a quick plan of reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul in his speech at the opening of the New York Stock Exchange and in an event with businesspeople organized by João Camargo da Esfera and Daniel Vorcaro from Banco Master.
Honored on the night as Person of the Year 2024, Birman presented the Movimento Próximos Passos RS, an initiative by Abicalçados (Brazilian Association of Footwear Industries), Assintecal (Brazilian Association of Component Companies for Leather, Footwear and Artifacts) and CICB (Centro das Tanning Industries of Brazil) alongside companies in the sector such as Vulcabras, Beira Rio, Grupo Dass, Ramarim, Piccadilly, Usaflex, among others.
In his speech, Birman announced the goal of R$20 million and, together with Banco Master, has already promoted the donation of R$6 million.
“Rio Grande do Sul is extremely important for us. In addition to the entire ecosystem that produces and drives the footwear sector in Brazil, it is also where Arezzo&Co’s headquarters and a large part of our beloved team are located. I feel honored to have the opportunity to represent the state and expand the voice on the need for an urgent action plan for its reconstruction. I will spare no efforts to effectively form an urgent action plan for the reconstruction of the footwear ecosystem in Rio Grande do Sul”, says Birman.
The initiative aims to raise funds to rebuild homes in the cities where the companies are located, Campo Bom, Igrejinha, Novo Hamburgo, Parobé, Roca Sales, Rolante and Três Coroas.
In addition to participating in the Next Steps RS movement, the company is working in partnership with local authorities and has also donated more than 2,400 cleaning kits, personal hygiene and basic food baskets, which include items such as sanitary pads and fast food, in addition to of towels, mattresses, blankets, pillows and drinking water.
The flexibility of the maturity of franchisees and multi-brand titles, the anticipation of financial resources and direct assistance to affected employees, are other examples already implemented with the Campo Bom city hall.
