Doe Run Peru Sponsors Global Project to Improve Local Industry

ST. LOUIS (PRWEB) October 24, 2006

The Doe Run Company recently announced that its subsidiary, Doe Run Peru, will fund a global market research study in conjunction with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Universidad Del Pacifico of Lima. Doe Run Peru is donating funds to cover the research, logistical and administrative costs for the study, which aims to help the region’s silver artisans increase productivity while opening up channels for technical assistance and exports.

The project is designed to promote communication and organization among the silver artisans of La Oroya, Peru, and surrounding communities. Project participants will receive guidance and basic training on how to make their pieces more attractive to the U.S. and other import markets, with a goal of helping the artisans develop new revenue streams that will help them and their families improve their quality of life.

«Doe Run Peru’s support of this global educational endeavor is a testament to its commitment to collaborating with others to improve the local community and economy,» said Dr. Len Lodish, senior director of the Wharton Global Consulting Practicum at the Wharton School and professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania. «In addition to Doe Run Peru’s financial commitment, the company is devoted to helping these students understand the dynamics of the region, its economy and the naturally occurring metals. The study itself is a crucial step in transforming a locally thriving art into what may become a promising industry on a larger scale.»

During the approximately six-month study, university students will work closely with Doe Run Peru and local silverworkers to gather data, develop a work plan, attend trade shows and more. Doe Run Peru will also help cover related lodging and travel expenses for the incoming students. Upon completion of the study, students will present strategic and tactical recommendations for improvement to the participating entrepreneurs.

«With these kinds of Social Impact Management projects, our goal is to help the community develop sustainably by giving these microenterprises access to larger export chains that will link them in to the much larger demand of the U.S. import market,» said Professor Gina Pipoli, associate country manager in Peru for Wharton’s Global Consulting Practicum.

Doe Run Peru officials underscored the company’s commitment to supporting this and similar projects that benefit the people of La Oroya.

«As a global provider of premium metals and services, we strive to enhance life-whether through the important products we provide or the expertise we possess about metals,» said Dr. Juan Carlos Huyhua, president and general manager of Doe Run Peru. «Silver artistry is a vital and growing business for the people who live and work in the region, so we are pleased to support the industry’s sustainable growth by sharing our knowledge and being a proud sponsor of the program. We look forward to hearing the findings and how they might improve local commerce.»

«This real experience contributes to the continuous development of skills of our MBA students as they learn how to negotiate in different cultural environments, solving specific problems between the companies and the surrounding communities using a social corporate responsibility approach,» added Professor Alejandro Flores, Dean of the Universidad del Pac