Cerro Verde, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Supports Women-Owned Businesses

Mar 31, 2017 9:35 AM ET

Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde’s Emprende program supports small and medium enterprises in the geographical regions surrounding the mining operations, which are located near Arequipa, Peru.

The Emprende program provides financial support and technical assistance to entrepreneurs. The Emprende project supports businesses in the districts of Uchumayo, Tiabaya, Yarabamba and La Joya.

  • Justina Oroncoy started Dairy La Vaquita Products, an organic dairy company that produces and sells yogurt, cheese and other milk-based products. Currently the products are selling at a market in Arequipa. Oroncoy is growing her business and plans to open her own shopfront to expand sales.
  • In 2005, Rosario Cabrera Taco formed Bellatelas Cortinas Confecciones, which manufactures maintains curtains and cleans carpets. The business started in the district of Uchumayo and has expanded to Arequipa since inception.

Another Cerro Verde program that is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs is the DreamBuilder program, which is designed for women who want to start or grow a small business.

  • Janeth Coaguila and her husband José Luis Sotelo successfully developed the restaurant "A Leña y Batán" in Yarabamba. They specialize in family recipes and grilled meats. To grow the business, Coaguila participated in the DreamBuilder training program, sponsored by Freeport-McMoRan, the Thunderbird School of Global Management and Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde. She focused her studies on Finance and Marketing, and with her new skills and certification the business has expanded its customer base and increased its revenue.

To learn more about how Freeport-McMoRan supports the communities in which it operates, please visit fcx.com and freeportinmycommunity.com.

Please see the 2015 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts.