Usina Coruripe reaffirms its commitment to strictly adhering to contracts signed with all its suppliers, guided by principles of excellence and compliance with Brazilian standards. The company categorically refutes the allegations, noting that the infraction notices issued by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) are the subject of an annulment action in court. This month, a favorable decision was issued on the request for preliminary injunction, preventing the MTE from registering Coruripe on the Registry of Employers who have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery. Additionally, the Federal Police opened a criminal investigation based on the MTE's infraction notices, concluding that Usina Coruripe did not engage in such practices.
The court ruling in favor of the Coruripe Mill sets an important precedent in recognizing the need for a thorough and fair analysis of allegations of forced labor. The preliminary injunction granted demonstrates that the courts are attentive to the need to protect companies from unfounded accusations, ensuring that only proven cases are punished.
The Coruripe Mill reinforces the importance of compliance with environmental and labor standards in the sugarcane and energy sector, where it has distinguished itself by implementing strict compliance and social responsibility policies, which are essential for the sector's sustainability and credibility.
Authorized by the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) since August 2022, the company remains dedicated to inspecting 72 items related to safety and working conditions in sugarcane supplier companies.
Usina Coruripe has also created an exclusive reporting channel (https://www.usinacoruripe.com.br/en/transparency), where all identified irregularities will be corrected or, otherwise, reported to the appropriate authorities for appropriate legal action. Prior to this authorization, the company was prohibited from conducting on-site inspections of its suppliers.
In accordance with a strict compliance policy, the facts were clarified to customers, employees, and society in general in 2022.
Providing nearly a century of services, Usina Coruripe, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in February 2025, reiterates its recognition for the high standard of social responsibility that guides its operations in the Brazilian sugarcane industry. Currently, the company directly employs more than 8,000 people at its four production facilities in Minas Gerais (Iturama, Campo Florido, Carneirinho, and Limeira do Oeste) and one in Alagoas (Coruripe), in addition to its own rail terminal in Iturama.