Grupo Argos' Urban Development Business Receives Camacol's 2023 National Social Responsibility Award for Their 'Reciclemos Juntos Barú' Project

• This initiative benefits more than 18,000 residents and visitors of Barú, including the Ararca hamlet, the Santa Ana precinct, and the visitors of Playa Blanca.
• In “Reciclemos Juntos Barú,” over 150 recyclers participate, and through their efforts, they have recovered more than 100 tons of cardboard, glass, metals, and other materials over the past 16 months.
• As a result of this project, the Playa Blanca Sorting and Recycling Station (ECA) was established, contributing to reducing the environmental impact generated by waste and increasing environmental awareness.
• “Reciclemos juntos Barú” is led by Grupo Argos’ Urban Development Business in partnership with Fundes Latinoamérica and the Environmental Committee of Playa Blanca.

During the Colombian Construction Congress being held this week by Camacol in Barranquilla, Guillermo Herrera, the executive president of this association, presented Grupo Argos’ Urban Development Business with the 2023 National Social Responsibility Award for the Industrial sector, in the category of “Best Environmental Practice,” for their “Reciclemos Juntos Barú” project.

This initiative emerged in June 2022 through collaborative efforts between the Barú community and Grupo Argos’ Development Business with the purpose of contributing to the solution of the environmental waste problem on the island while promoting social mobility for a group of over 150 recyclers and their families, improving their living conditions.

In addition to providing an essential service to the community, this project has contributed to the formalization of the recycling profession, mainly involving people in extreme poverty, enabling them to become entrepreneurs or public service providers, partners in a Sorting and Recycling Station, with increased income, improved working conditions, and access to education and training.

“We appreciate this recognition, which motivates us to continue leading this shared-value project with the utmost commitment, creating opportunities for the Barú communities. It is a high-impact community proposal aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and in line with our purpose of building sustainable cities.”

María Clara Aristizábal Manager of Grupo Argos’ Urban Development Business

“Reciclemos Juntos Barú” has also provided access to the social offerings of the Grupo Empresarial Argos, such as the donation of 60 water filters to recycling families through the Fundación Grupo Argos’ Aquavida program, as well as the improvement of 19 homes for recycling families through Cementos Argos’ Healthy Homes program. Eighty percent of the participants in Healthy Homes in Barú are women.