Bertin Ltda (Bertin or the company) is a leading Brazilian cattle slaughterer, meat and hide processor and exporter. Its products include in-natura and processed beef, leather, cleaning products, personal protective equipment (shoes and gloves), and dog toys. The meat and leather businesses account for nearly 85% of total sales. Bertin procures 85% of its cattle from independent farmers and keeps an 80,000 heads farm and a 100,000 heads feedlot in reserve. Bertins strategy is to attend to the growing domestic and export beef markets with a range of further processed products with the highest quality and environmentally friendly standards. The purpose of the project is to: - increase Bertins beef product range to supply growing demand for in-natura and special cuts meats from the EU, Middle East and other countries in South America; - increase production by attending new markets such as China for its leather division; and - expand its domestic sales of its personal protective equipment and cleaning products. Each of the project components includes investments to achieve compliance with World Bank/IFC environmental and social standards. Also, Bertin will enhance its traceability programs to ensure that all animals and hides originate from ranching operations that have environmental land use permits and do not impact sensitive land areas.

IFC will help modernize and expand the beef processing industry in Brazil which represented nearly $2.5 billion in exports sales last year. Together with other agricultural commodities exports, the industry contributes to Brazils economic growth. With the implementation of IFC/World Bank environmental and social guidelines, within a reasonable period, Bertin will be able to trace 100% of the animals and hides it processes, ensuring strict sanitary controls while avoiding procurement of cattle from protected areas, all as required by markets such as the EU. Bertin will utilize some of IFCs funds to comply with IFC/World Bank effluent standards in all its facilities. The investment program will also add 7,700 direct jobs in new and existing plants, located mostly in semi-rural areas in the Central South region. IFC will also work with Bertins management to improve corporate governance and overall sustainability of Bertins operations, thus becoming a role model of corporate social responsibility.