A Lesson in Collaboration

Borax Argentina mines and refines borates high in the Andes. The company's 12,000 neighbors live in Campo Quijano – home to 60 percent of its employees – as well as the Puna towns near its mines in SIjes, Porvenir and Tincalayu. Business is good but the Argentinian economy has suffered, leaving gaps in the services provided by government agencies.

In 2001, Borax Argentina's Managing Director, Alberto Trunzo; Quality, Environment Health & Safety Manager, Pablo Vago; and QEHS Assistant Manager, Carmen Echeverria, went about the task of filling those gaps by establishing a working group of community and company leaders. While the idea came from Borax, its implementation is strictly collaborative.

The group – including the Governor, the Mayor and local business and education leaders – meets monthly to identify and prioritize critical community needs, and to seek solutions that are sustainable and feature broad involvement.

One of the most notable outcomes of the monthly forum was the construction of School No. 4752, a new elementary school that was the first to be built locally in 50 years. It features five classrooms – each bearing the name of a mineral – and eight teachers dedicated to 270 local students.

Borax Argentina and the Salta Ministry of Education donated nearly US$32,500 for building materials, while the municipality of Campo Quijano invested about US$20,000 in labor and materials and oversaw the school's construction.

“ Together, we invested in the next generation by making sure they have access to an excellent education,” says Alberto Trunzo. “We feel extremely proud of what has been achieved, and look forward to continue working in partnership with the community.”

The Monthly Forums continue, and future plans include building more classrooms, administrative offices, an assembly hall and, eventually, a secondary school.

According to Pablo Vago, “People in Campo Quijano are very happy with this new school. It's part of our commitment to a sustainable future.”