Smurfit Westrock invests US$3.5 million in social initiatives to drive a sustainable future

Positively impacting 21,800 people in 30 municipalities in Colombia through education, entrepreneurship, and community development programs.

Smurfit Westrock invested approximately US $3.5 million in social and environmental initiatives in Colombia in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to the sustainable development of the communities where it operates. The initiatives, which positively impacted 21,800 people in more than 30 municipalities, were in areas including education, income generation and environmental management.

Managed by the Smurfit Westrock Colombia Foundation, which was established in 1962, alongside the forestry division, the company has fostered deep roots within the community.

Early childhood development has been one of the cornerstones of the initiatives with the Foundation’s child development center, El Caracolí, providing care for over 590 vulnerable children in Yumbo.

Secondary level education also receives strong support with over 580 students attending the company’s agricultural and forestry technical institute (ITAF) school in 2024. The school, which specializes in rural education, teaches students from the Cajibío and El Tambo municipalities (Cauca) and Calima Darién (Valle del Cauca) and has above-average scores in Saber tests. To date, over 1500 students have graduated from ITAF and 40% of them have been employed in local industrial and agricultural sectors.

Strengthening the local economy has also been a significant part of the Foundation’s activity with the company working with 117 providers and family-owned enterprises, generating revenue of approximately USD $355,000.

The company also championed 17 community banks, with more than 400 members, through which 263 loans were granted with the potential to finance approximately USD $158,000 for producers and their families. 

"At Smurfit Westrock, we believe in the power of education, the generation of opportunities, and collaborative work to transform realities. Our commitment goes beyond packaging: it is about building a better world for people and the planet," said German Gambini, CEO and President of Smurfit Westrock Central Cluster (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, El Salvador).

Smurfit Westrock’s commitment to sustainability and social impact has been recognized in the MERCO ESG 2024 ranking, where Smurfit Westrock Colombia has been ranked among the 100 most responsible companies in the country and in the top three in the industrial sector, in addition to being the only company in the corrugated cardboard packaging sector.