Ardagh Group announces a major 10-year STEM education investment in Brazil impacting 200,000 students

Pledge to prioritise education in Ardagh's Brazilian communities #ArdaghForEducation

LUXEMBOURG, Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ardagh Group S.A. today announced its third major multi-year investment in the Ardagh for Education programme. Ardagh will invest approximately $5 million over a ten-year period in the local communities where its Brazilian facilities are located. After launching a similar programme in the U.S. in 2021 and in Germany in 2022, this partnership is the next major investment as part of Ardagh for Education, Ardagh's global social sustainability education initiative.

In Brazil, Ardagh will partner with the Brazilian Social Service for Industry, or SESI, to deliver STEM education to teachers and students in primary and secondary schools in the communities in which Ardagh operates across Brazil. Working with SESI, these investments in education will support and accelerate the impact of high-quality teaching in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to inspire students' interest in STEM and equip them with in-demand 21st century skills. It is estimated that over the next 10 years in Brazil, Ardagh-sponsored education programmes will benefit 200,000 primary and secondary school students as well as delivering best-in-class teacher training to 2,500 teachers across 200 schools in Ardagh's Brazilian communities.

"Ardagh is a major employer in all of the communities in which we operate across the Americas, Europe and Africa. Our team in Brazil is made up of approximately 1,000 skilled people across our Brazilian locations," said Paul Coulson, Chairman, Ardagh Group. "Ardagh for Education is at the core of our social sustainability strategy. We recognise the critical role education, and access to education, plays in ensuring equal opportunities and in building successful, vibrant communities and we expect to invest $5 million over ten years to support these efforts in Brazil. We are delighted to announce our partnership with SESI as part of this multi-year, impactful programme. Ardagh's investment will drive quality STEM education in our Brazilian communities that are key to economic development, as well as to our business over the long term."

SESI is a private, nonprofit institution that works in close collaboration with the private and public sectors. SESI's mission is to provide improvements in the quality of life and social welfare in Brazil, particularly for Industrial Workers and their families. Today, SESI is a Brazilian leader in child and youth education and a pioneer in STEM and Robotics education. SESI also maintains an active role in the design and implementation of the country's educational policies.

"SESI is enthusiastic about its participation in the ARDAGH-SESI Educational Project. Besides its role as one of the largest and most renowned education networks in Brazil, SESI maintains several partnerships with public and private companies and organizations," said Rafael Lucchesi, Superintendent Director of SESI. "With this project, we now have the prospect of providing teachers from public schools with access to our time-tested experience in the fields of educational robotics and STEM. We thank Ardagh for believing in SESI and investing in the future of our children and youth who will be the greatest beneficiaries of this important initiative over the next ten years."

"Our partnership with SESI will help us to maximise the effectiveness and impact of this significant initiative, reaching thousands of teachers and students in our local communities where Ardagh employees live and work," said Sean Cosgrove, Global Head of Education Programmes, Ardagh Group. "It will also guide engagement and volunteer efforts between Ardagh employees and educational institutions, as well as drive improvements in student capabilities and, ultimately, entry into STEM career fields."

To read more about Ardagh's other sustainability initiatives and to view its latest sustainability reports click here.

Further information

Founded in 1946, the Brazilian Social Service for Industry (SESI) is a private, nonprofit institution linked to the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI).  Aiming to improve the quality of life of industrial workers and their families, SESI carries out initiatives in basic and continuing education, industrial Health and Safety, culture, and social cooperation. In the field of education, SESI maintains a network of 514 schools spread across Brazil's territory that provides child, primary and secondary education, as well as education for young and adult learners who have not completed their basic schooling. SESI has developed its proprietary educational methodology, based on the application of active pedagogy for the development of skills, with a focus on STEM, the arts, and design.  

Ardagh Group is a global supplier of infinitely recyclable metal and glass packaging for brand owners around the world. Ardagh operates 65 metal and glass production facilities in 16 countries, employing more than 21,000 people with annualised sales of approximately $10 billion.

SOURCE Ardagh Group S.A.