Serviço Social da Indústria - SESI
In this article you'll learn more about Serviço Social da Indústria, also known as SESI, and its actions to promote the development of the citizens in every state of Brazil.
In 1946, the president Eurico Gaspar Dutra signed a law that created SESI (Serviço Social da Indústria or Industrial Social Service). It's creation was made in a time when Brazil was getting used to the labor laws established by Getúlio Vargas, who preceded Dutra and created the CLT (Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho or Consolidation of Labor Laws) which represents achievements for workers.
What is SESI?
SESI is a private entity maintained and managed by the industry. It was created to promote the quality of life of the employees and their dependents. Its activities include providing services in education, health, leisure, culture, nourishment and promotion of citizenship. SESI is present in all 26 Brazilian states, plus Distrito Federal (Federal District).
How does SESI work?
The services provided by SESI to industrial workers are possible due to the social contribution of industries and agribusinesses. According to what was established by law, these companies monthly 1,5% of all the payroll collected and destined to SESI.
There are two ways to contribute to SESI:
- Indirect collection: via Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil (Brazilian Federal Revenue Office), using the GPS – Guia da Previdência Social (Social Security Payment Slip)
- Direct collection: directly to SESI, via Convênio de Arrecadação Direta (an agreement of direct collection).
SESI Work Quality Prize
As an example of SEBRAE (Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas or Brazilian Service of Assistance to Micro and Small Enterprises), SESI also gives awards to encourage socially responsible management of companies, contributing to competitiveness and sustainable development. The PSQT (Prêmio SESI Qualidade no Trabalho or SESI Quality at Work Prize), given every two years to the companies, is one of the examples of this line of action.
In 2012, 1,522 companies disputed the 15th edition of the PSQT, being 46% of them micro and small enterprises, 26% medium enterprises and 28% large enterprises. They competed in six categories:
- Organizational culture
- Management of people
- Education and development
- Innovation
- Safety and health in the workplace
- Socio-environmental development
In each one of the categories, three companies are awarded.
SESI projects
SESI also has projects like Ação Global, Cozinha Brasil and Por um Brasil Alfabetizado. Some of them are permanent, others are seasonal.
Ação Global
Ação Global is a project of SESI in partnership with Rede Globo, the most popular TV broadcaster in Brazil. It was created in 2001 by SESI Minas Gerais. Since 1995, every year, during one day, an activity occurs simultaneously in Distrito Federal and in all states of Brazil.
This event promotes access to rights that are essential to every citizen. Ação Global day offers several services such as issuing a birth certificate, a RG (Identity Card), a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física, or Brazilian Individual Taxpayer Registry), a voter registration, a marriage certificate or a divorce certificate for free. Also, there are free appointments with doctors and dentists.
According to data from SESI, Ação Global has already benefited more than 16.8 million people and provided over 27.3 million services.
Cozinha Brasil
Cozinha Brasil is a national project inspired by a SESI São Paulo's project called Alimente-se Bem (Eat Well). Since 2004, SESI's professionals manage free courses that explain how to cook without wasting any food. They even teach how to cook with parts of food that are usually thrown away, such as stems, rinds, leaves and seeds.
These courses happen in mobile units that are equipped with experimental kitchens. There are 30 units spread throughout Brazil, each one with instructors and nutritionists to manage the courses.
Por um Brasil Alfabetizado
Launched in 2003, it was an initiative of the federal government in a partnership with SESI and aimed to teach over 2 million Brazilians to read and write until 2006. Created to last four years, “Por um Brasil Alfabetizado” provided classes to every Brazilian, industrial workers or not, from 15 to 60 years. Classes occurred not only in classrooms, but also in churches, squares, balconies of houses and companies' courtyards.