The Town minimizes socio-environmental impact in 5 actions – 09/09/2023 – Folha Social+

Music festivals tend to generate negative socio-environmental impacts. The emission of pollutants in the logistics process, energy and water consumption, and the social barrier imposed by high ticket prices are some examples.

In terms of waste generated alone, the last edition of Rock in Rio ended with 378.9 tons of waste, according to data from Comlurb (Companhia Municipal de Limpeza Urbana).

The Town wants to break this cycle, says Roberta Medina, vice president of brand reputation at Rock World —company that produces The Town and Rock in Rio.

“In this new festival, we continue our commitment to being an active agent in generating positive impacts for the planet”, says the executive.

Regarding carbon emissions, the company announced that it has calculated its carbon footprint and is working on mitigating emissions.

To make things different, Rock World put into practice 5 actions since the event’s assembly phase. Check out the main initiatives of the festival organizers and main partners below:

1.STEEL RECYCLING

All steel used in the construction of the stages is recyclable and can be reused in the manufacture of other products. The initiative is the result of a partnership with Gerdau.

Around 330 tons of the product will be used in fixed and temporary structures, which is equivalent to more than 400 popular cars.

The production of this type of steel also contributes to the work of collectors and recycling cooperatives.

“This steel uses more than 70% recyclable raw materials in its production, which impacts the lives of more than 1 million workers”, explains Gerdau’s CEO, Gustavo Werneck.

2.HOUSING IMPROVEMENT IN FAVELA

Gerdau also joined the NGO Gerando Falcões to support the Favela 3D project. The initiative expects to impact 290 families with the renovation of houses and squares, in Favela do Haiti, in the east zone of São Paulo.

Among the results already achieved, 67% of the community’s spaces were revitalized and 28% of the homes received improvements such as bathroom renovations, replacement of doors, windows and other items.

“We want to leave a legacy for the population, contributing to areas such as housing and education”, says Pedro Torres, director of communications and institutional relations at Gerdau.

Furthermore, the front line guaranteed water supply to 100% of the community’s single-story houses and installed 62 water tanks. A community garden was also established.

The project in the community also receives support from the Volkswagen Group Foundation, the city hall and the government of São Paulo.

3. WASTE MANAGEMENT

Another sustainability front is waste management. Disposable plastic containers were practically banned from the festival, a decision made by the beverage manufacturers who sponsor the event.

In this action, Coca-Cola, Heineken and Redbull created returnable cups for use by visitors during the five-day event.

To make it work, the competing companies made an agreement with Braskem, a giant in the plastics industry, which was responsible for setting up cup hygiene points.

At these locations, visitors can spin a roulette wheel and win exclusive gifts, such as backpacks and tickets to other days of the festival. The awards are an incentive to conscious consumption.

The creators estimate that the use of returnable cups can avoid up to 10 tons of waste throughout the festival.

“We really believe in public engagement in this returnability management to generate a smaller impact”, says Katielle Haffner, head of sustainability, public relations and communications at Coca-Cola Brazil.

4. TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE MARKET

The Heineken Institute, the social arm of the manufacturer of the event’s official beer, committed to training 60 favela residents with audiovisual courses in partnership with Cufa (Central Única das Favelas).

The company invited students to visit The Town.

The amount raised from the sale of Heineken 0.0 over the five days of the festival will be used to train young people pre-selected by the audiovisual agency Favela Films, responsible for structuring and managing the course.

Lasting three months, the four-class course will begin this month, containing modules introducing artificial intelligence and its use in audiovisual.

The initiative also aims to raise awareness among young people about responsible consumption.

“We already have a long-standing partnership established with Rock in Rio and, each year, we advance our presence reflecting our strategy of placing ESG at the center of the business”, says Mauro Homem, vice president of sustainability and corporate affairs at the Heineken Group .

“We want these students to show their most legitimate narratives about the favela and its values,” says Kalyne Lima, president of Cufa Nacional, about the project, which should be expanded with new classes.

In parallel, Favela 3D, a project carried out by Gerando Falcões, also provides preparation courses for the job market for young people aged 16 to 20.

Financial education and socio-emotional skills classes complete this professional qualification proposal.

5. CARE FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE

In addition to community audiences, impact initiatives at The Town also cover other vulnerable populations.

The Instituto Desvelando Oris, founded by lawyer and communicator Juliana Souza, set up a space to assist any victims of violence at the festival — episodes of racism, violence against women, ableism and others.

“We offer training for employees who work at The Town on how to assist victims of these crimes and the consequences of violating related laws”, says Juliana, who decided to create the institute after witnessing several cases of violence at shows.

In addition to providing legal guidance to victims, the institute’s on-call service also offers psychological assistance through a multidisciplinary team.