As the largest foreign investor in Cuba, Sherritt has committed to support its employees and communities in the areas we operate. Over the years, Sherritt has contributed funds and equipment to Cuba’s hospitals, schools and other public facilities. As Cuba is in a hurricane zone, Sherritt has a comprehensive plan to protect its employees and assets from hurricane damage, but also steps in to lend a hand to Cuban communities.

Sherritt’s ongoing contributions to infrastructure in Cuba have been formalized into a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program called the CSR-Cuba Program. With the support of Cuba’s Ministry of Basic Industry (MINBAS), the priorities for the program were established based on the input from the municipal and provincial governments. The CSR-Cuba Program now provides support for public infrastructure projects in Moa, Cardenas, Matanzas and Santa Cruz del Norte. The following are projects undertaken or supported by Sherritt that were recently completed or are ongoing in Cuba in such times of need.

Street Lighting

The street-lighting project, which began in 2006 after consultation with local governments, has installed more than 82 kilometres of public lighting along roads in the cities of Moa, Cardenas, Matanzas and Santa Cruz. Materials have been supplied for an additional 43 kilometres of roadway.

Public Transportation

In 2008, Sherritt continued its public transportation program by donating additional buses to the city of Moa, bringing the total number to nine. There had been no public buses prior to 2007, and ridership has more than doubled in one year in this city of approximately 70,000 people.

Support for Hurricane Reconstruction

In 2008, Cuba suffered multiple hurricane landfalls. The most serious of which was Hurricane Ike, which passed through the city of Moa, a location not normally prone to such storms. Sherritt provided equipment and manpower to help restore public infrastructure and distribute water. An estimated $300,000 worth of Sherritt’s resources went towards hurricane recovery efforts in the Moa and Cardenas areas.