Social Advancement as a Critical Success Factor in a Model …
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which are responsible for providing the return on social benefits and infrastructure.
Agraria paid in 2018 the amount of R $405.32 million in taxes. Finally, the other
source of social benefits derives from the cooperative and member’s economic evolution, through job creation, income increase and distribution, and improved educational levels of community members. These factors can be seen in the consolidated
memos below, which are extracted from the data and summarize the managers’
opinions:
(a) Agraria’s tradition in the social issue is different compared to other cooperatives. Since its foundation, given the deficiencies of the Government in the
areas of infrastructure and social services, the cooperative has also assumed
the role of community organizing agent. Therefore, the cooperative itself traditionally assumes some investments in the social segment, with the consent of
the members. That is, the members already authorize Agraria to make some
investments and subsidies in the social segment, reducing the cooperative’s
financial surpluses. The cooperative subsidizes services such as schools, hospitals, cultural activities, fire brigades, street and square maintenance, churches,
and senior support programs. These grants are accounted for as cooperative
costs. Some cooperatives do, and others do not do this direct social assistance.
In the case of Agraria this social assistance is significant;
(b) The cooperative subsidizes Semmelweis Hospital, which is in deficit. Without
this hospital, residents of Entre Rios would have to travel to other cities, as
Guarapuava or Pinhão, in need of hospital services. The hospital does not
only attend members, employees, and their families, but the entire community, through the Unified Health Service—SUS, or through various health
agreements. The cooperative subsidizes the Imperatriz School, which is in
deficit. Scholarships are granted to children of members and also to children of
employees. The cooperative subsidizes the Swabian-Brazilian Cultural Foundation, which promotes cultural activities related to music, theatre, dance groups,
and painting;
(c) Investments in the social segment are possible as long as there are good financial results in the cooperative business. The economy precedes social. As the
cooperative is viable, it becomes possible to maintain these social investments.
The economic outcome, if well-intended and distributed, can be directed to
community development;
(d) The very economic development of Agraria’s members represents social
advancement in the community. When comparing the economic situation of
the pioneer settlers with the current situation of the members, it is noted that the
evolution of the farms infrastructure was substantial, consolidating modern and
profitable agricultural farms, with increase in income generation; improvement
in educational level—most of the sons of the members have a university degree,
many of them are trained in the agricultural area, many are Agronomists—in
living conditions; in consumption levels; and in job creation;
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which are responsible for providing the return on social benefits and infrastructure.
Agraria paid in 2018 the amount of R $405.32 million in taxes. Finally, the other
source of social benefits derives from the cooperative and member’s economic evolution, through job creation, income increase and distribution, and improved educational levels of community members. These factors can be seen in the consolidated
memos below, which are extracted from the data and summarize the managers’
opinions:
(a) Agraria’s tradition in the social issue is different compared to other cooperatives. Since its foundation, given the deficiencies of the Government in the
areas of infrastructure and social services, the cooperative has also assumed
the role of community organizing agent. Therefore, the cooperative itself traditionally assumes some investments in the social segment, with the consent of
the members. That is, the members already authorize Agraria to make some
investments and subsidies in the social segment, reducing the cooperative’s
financial surpluses. The cooperative subsidizes services such as schools, hospitals, cultural activities, fire brigades, street and square maintenance, churches,
and senior support programs. These grants are accounted for as cooperative
costs. Some cooperatives do, and others do not do this direct social assistance.
In the case of Agraria this social assistance is significant;
(b) The cooperative subsidizes Semmelweis Hospital, which is in deficit. Without
this hospital, residents of Entre Rios would have to travel to other cities, as
Guarapuava or Pinhão, in need of hospital services. The hospital does not
only attend members, employees, and their families, but the entire community, through the Unified Health Service—SUS, or through various health
agreements. The cooperative subsidizes the Imperatriz School, which is in
deficit. Scholarships are granted to children of members and also to children of
employees. The cooperative subsidizes the Swabian-Brazilian Cultural Foundation, which promotes cultural activities related to music, theatre, dance groups,
and painting;
(c) Investments in the social segment are possible as long as there are good financial results in the cooperative business. The economy precedes social. As the
cooperative is viable, it becomes possible to maintain these social investments.
The economic outcome, if well-intended and distributed, can be directed to
community development;
(d) The very economic development of Agraria’s members represents social
advancement in the community. When comparing the economic situation of
the pioneer settlers with the current situation of the members, it is noted that the
evolution of the farms infrastructure was substantial, consolidating modern and
profitable agricultural farms, with increase in income generation; improvement
in educational level—most of the sons of the members have a university degree,
many of them are trained in the agricultural area, many are Agronomists—in
living conditions; in consumption levels; and in job creation;