There is no need to introduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know about it. However, in spite of the challenges it represents, the Brazilian poultry cooperative Aurora Alimentos has just distributed 2.5 monthly bonus salaries to each of its 32,214 employees coming from its profit sharing program.
Aurora achieved its goals in 2020, with a very good performance - a gross operating revenue of 14.6 billion reals (around 2.5 million U.S. dollars), a 33% increase over 2019, with surplus amounted to BRL1.4 billion (US$241,000). About 70% of its production was destined to domestic market and 30% to exports.
According to our stats, last year Aurora produced around 365 million broilers (1 million a day). It is the third largest broiler producer in its native Brazil and ranks fourth in Latin America (wait for the next April Latin American Top Companies issue of Poultry International!). Another important aspect is that last year, the company had a 16% increase in hiring, creating 5,000 new jobs.
These extra bonuses were paid at the beginning of this month of March. According to Neivor Canton, president of the co-op, "It is a reward for the efforts carried out by all workers in most areas of quality, productivity and global business results."
Sharing profits with the employees is a way to inject resources to the local and national economies, that have been hard-hit by the pandemic (maybe as almost anywhere in the world). It is a huge contribution to economic development in the 691 municipalities in four states in Brazil where production units and affiliated co-ops are located. But not only that – the 67,000 rural producers owning the 11 co-ops of Aurora also made money through the different production processes.
I understand a cooperative is not the same as a regular company, although I do not know the nitty-gritty. I am also aware that many companies in Latin America have implemented much-needed support programs in their communities, such as Cargill or Bachoco, to name a couple of them. But I do think it is a great solidarity gesture that Aurora shares profits, particularly in these times, for the sake of home and local economies.
What do you think?
