Community Engagement in Iberia
Joint program with UPC: Promoting higher education on sustainable mining
The ICL Iberia academic program in Sustainable Mining was set up in October 2007 as a joint initiative with the Higher Polytechnic School of Manresa, which is part of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). The program’s main aim is to improve and enhance knowledge regarding innovation and sustainability in mining engineering. Over the last five years, the program has provided over 10,200 hours of instruction and has produced over 79 documents including technical surveys, research presentations and published articles. ICL Iberia has also recruited more than 25 direct collaborators from the program, including interns and PHD students.
AMPANS: Supporting individuals with mental disabilities
ICL Iberia has once again renewed its long -term (>15 years) commitment to the important work of AMPANS in Central Catalonia. AMPANS is devoted to assisting individuals with mental disabilities. The company supports AMPANS by commissioning specific projects and work from its Special Employment Centre (CEE in Catalan) such as printing ICL Iberia’s magazine, and other required work. Furthermore, since its establishment in 1998, AMPANS has been responsible for industrial gardening at the ICL Iberia facilities. In addition, since 2017, ICL Iberia has been supporting the AMPANS research and innovation award, which recognizes individuals and entities who promote knowledge to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Philanthropic Charitable initiatives
ICL Iberia collaborates with the Súria Association of volunteers in order to help Súria citizens in risk of social exclusion, with emphasis on children. ICL Iberia helps the association with an explicit support to the food bank of Súria, addressed to families with low economic resources.
ICL Iberia also supports the annual “Fem el Camí” (“Take the Road”) walk, a solidarity event organized by the Catalan Police Association (Mossos d’Esquadra). Over 1,000 people participate in this 28 km route from the city of Manresa to the famous Montserrat monastery. All proceeds from this event support several oncology centers from the Bages region.
ICL also supported “La Transèquia” – a historic popular walk (with thousands of participants) through the Canal de la Sèquia (a medieval channel of about 30 kilometers that begins in the municipality of Balsareny and passes through Sallent, Santpedor, Sant Fruitós de Bages and ends in Manresa). In recent years, ICL Iberia has actively participated in the last years in the “Minitransequia”, which focuses on the younger generation.
The Dual MAP Mining Apprenticeship Program
The Dual education program, developed by ICL Iberia, is designated to fulfill the needs of the Bages region, the mining sector, and ICL Iberia’s. The program was established as a collaboration between the Catalan Government, the municipalities of Súria and Sallent, and the company. The dual education methodology includes two mid-level training programs combining theoretical learning with practical training in the company. The two programs adapted are:
- Excavations and surveys at the Mig Món Súria Institute.
- Electromechanics of mine machinery at the Llobregat Institute of Sallent.
The MAP program currently includes 52 students, participating in 2,330 hours for each training program, of which 1,010 hours are held as in-house training at ICL Iberia.
The Dual MAP project was selected in a call for proposals promoted under the Enterprise 2020 initiative. This initiative is operated by European corporate responsibility organizations, attempting to meet the challenges set by the European Commission in its Europe 2020 strategy. The strategy focuses on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
LAB 0-6 : Promoting Science Education for children
ICL launched a collaboration program with University of Manresa called Lab 0-6: a new pedagogical initiative to teach science to children aged from 0 to 6. ICL contributes with the geological knowledge and the minerals that it extracts and has created a pedagogical commission to create learning materials, designated to promote science for children.
The Central Catalonia Geopark
In 2011, ICL Iberia joined the Geological and Mining Park of Central Catalonia through a collaboration agreement with the Bages County Board and the Súria Town Council. In 2016, during the 7th International Conference of the Global Geoparks of UNESCO held in the UK, it was announced that UNESCO’s Global Geoparks Central Catalonia will retain the title and remain the first and only Geopark recognized by the institution of Catalonia.
The Cardona Historical foundation
In 2013, ICL Iberia signed a collaboration agreement with Fundació Cardona Històrica (The Cardona Historical foundation) to promote and maintain the historical and mining heritage of the region. This agreement has recently been renewed to promote tourism-related initiatives in the former salt mines.
The Kursaal theater: Promoting local culture
ICL Iberia continues to support culture in the county of Bages by collaborating with the Kursaal Theatre in Manresa, a project that started in 2009 and has been renewed every year to date. Recent support has focused on the educational department of the Theater, which exposes thousands of youngsters from the Bages region to art.
Manresa Basketball
Bàsquet Manresa SAE (The Manresa Basketball team) is one of the most emblematic sports clubs in the Bages County, an organization with deep roots in the region. In 2011 ICL Iberia signed a collaboration agreement with Bàsquet Manresa SAE. In 2015 ICL Iberia extended its agreement and became the club’s main sponsor, helping to support and promote this important project for the Bages County.
Aula Taronja TV
The “Orange Classroom” is a TV program which is recorded in secondary schools of central Catalonia. Its goal is to educate children and teenagers about a variety of issues related to the region, as well as acquainting them with TV production and journalism. The recorded programs are broadcasted on Canal Taronja, a regional TV network. ICL has supported the program since 2011, and regularly provides lecturers who attend the classes and speak about issues such as environment and sustainability, geology, mining in the 21st century, potash and salt, and other relevant issues.
Manresa Chamber of Commerce and Industry
ICL Iberia Súria & Sallent has also maintained in 2018 its collaboration Manresa’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an entity dedicated to representing, promoting and defending the general interests of the commercial, industrial and services sectors, as well as providing services to companies that carry out these activities in the Bages region. This agreement, which began in 2015, includes aspects related to advisory, use of spaces, advertising, dissemination and training.
Supporting culture, tradition and sports in our communities
As part of its special commitment to the communities in which it operates, ICL collaborates with the towns of Súria, Sallent, Balsareny, Callús and Manresa in annual festivals, charity and educational initiatives, cultural, sports, solidarity and traditional events.
