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Russia – Demonstration
BRAZIL: SOCIAL INTEGRATION VIA TRAINING
STRATEGY – IMAGINING THE FUTURE
CIS countries continue their rapid expansion, particularly Russia’s
regions where some 100 urban centres are growing at a rate
comparable to the major cities. This is amplified by the spread of
retail chains. Being long established in Russia, the Group has an
effective local structure and is ahead of its rivals who are still not
well organized in this market.
MIDDLE EAST CONTRASTS
The shifting economic and political situation in the Middle East is
reflected for the Group in contrasting
patterns of business. After a
slow start to the year due to national
elections, Turkey, which is a
large market, saw sales recover
strongly to record a good year.
Trading remained stable in the
other countries of the region.
The prospect of creating an
economic community in the Gulf
states should work in favour of our
business.
Convinced that education and training are decisive in the combat against social exclusion,
Groupe SEB’s Brazilian subsidiary Arno is very active in this area with the involvement of
more than 70 staff volunteers. The “Grandad’s Bakery” initiative, for example, runs
baking courses for poor elderly people to help them make ends meet by baking
and selling bread or pastries. This project was followed up in September 2007 by a
partnership arrangement with the São Paulo municipal authority. Over four months, almost 50 people took
part in the eight-hour training course run by a qualified Arno employee. At the beginning of 2008, there was a
waiting-list of more than 100 candidates.
COLOMBIA: HANDICAPPED YOUTHS WALK AGAIN
The Por el Derecho a Caminar (‘right-to-walk’) foundation in Colombia aids deprived young amputees to walk
again by obtaining prostheses for them at low cost or free of charge. It also provides medical and social support
to help them find employment. Our Colombian subsidiary, a partner in the project, recently hired five such
people through Por el Derecho a Caminar. Represented in France by the Equilibre association, this humanitarian
initiative has been given a grant by the Groupe SEB Foundation.
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Turkey – Lissima