Program

In 2008, the Atacama Tierra Fértil Program was born, through which SQM has promoted agro-productive initiatives in the driest desert in the world. The Fertile Land Program is present in the towns of: San Pedro de Atacama, Toconao, Talabre, Rio Grande and Hierbas Buenas, Soncor and Socaire. Its objective is to provide farmers with technical advice and collaboration, to develop their crops and production, through a team of multidisciplinary professionals, provide innovation tools to improve crops and the marketing of products with added value or high quality. . One of its hallmarks is respect for the cultural aspects of the ancestral agriculture of the Atacameño people.

SQM promoted the participation of workers and the community in the SQM Sports Competitive Funds. In 2019, there were more than 30 projects that were presented, 25% higher than 2018, of which 21 were selected in one of the four lines of action: Training, Recreational, Competitive and High Performance Sports. The awarded initiatives were presented by company employees who practice sports at a competitive level, participate in sports organizations, or represent family members who seek to promote sports and healthy living through various initiatives.

For a couple of years, sport has become a topic of interest for some of the communities where we are inserted. Every year we receive requests from institutions and associations, who ask us to be present with contributions or generating activities that promote and finance the holding of sporting events. As a company we support projects of this type, understanding that sport is a contribution to people's health and that it helps in the comprehensive training of young people by giving them tools that are valued such as teamwork, perseverance, healthy competition, respect, among other skills. This program was also aimed at Company workers, who can participate in a series of initiatives aimed at improving their lifestyle, promoting healthy eating and sports. Some of the activities are sports classes such as Crossfit, healthy eating workshops, and fruit delivery to the Company's corporate buildings.

The Family Run that takes place in the town of Toconao and that gives the possibility of enjoying beautiful natural landscapes, has the participation of a large number of runners who dared to be part of this circuit that is characterized by being a competition that It takes place at 2.400 meters above sea level, with a unique geography in Chile and temperatures that generally border 30°C. This initiative is financed through the SQM Sports Competitive Funds and nominated by the worker Marcelo Lobos and his team of Runners Salar de Atacama.

Program that was born in 2008 for the comprehensive support of the agricultural specialty taught at the Likan Antay High School, benefiting in 2019 4 third-year students and 6 fourth-year students, the initiative seeks to enhance skills and abilities necessary for the promotion of agriculture regional, caring for the environment and providing detailed knowledge and experience in the agricultural area through DUAL training in SQM's agricultural programs. To achieve these objectives, through the hiring of professionals, training is carried out in different areas of interest, together with the implementation of productive plots in the Liceo facilities, which complement the practical teaching during the academic year, including technologies and production. traditional, to generate a broad knowledge of agriculture

Together with Crea+ we develop Theater Workshops at the Toconao and San Pedro de Atacama Schools. The activity brings together students from both schools to learn from the hand of a multidisciplinary team theatrical techniques, acting, makeup, construction of a text and they performed a montage in a closing ceremony before the community. With the aim of strengthening and promoting artistic expressions, SQM, together with the Crea+ Corporation and the Municipal Education Directorate of the commune, implemented a complete Arts Room, which will benefit more than 400 students from first to fourth grade of the E -26 from San Pedro de Atacama. The project was made possible thanks to the public-private alliance between SQM, the Crea+ Corporation and the Municipal Directorate of Education, who in a joint effort gave life to the + Culture Program; and the results are already evident: the first art room called “Pilpinto”, which in Kunza means butterfly, was implemented and fitted out with various materials, tools and furniture.

In 2019 we implemented the Support + Language Program in the schools of the San Pedro de Atacama district, aimed at boys and girls from 1st to 6th grade. It is born from the need that arises from the area of ​​education and its main objective is to improve the quality, speed and reading comprehension of students, through technical support to teachers in the area, the application of tests and evaluations and the promotion of activities related to reading comprehension. As a result, it is expected to bring the new generations closer to literacy through a more cohesive work with the teachers of the subject, deploying and promoting various tools that motivate students. The advice of the +Language Program in 2019 was directed to 7 schools in San Pedro de Atacama.

For the eighth year, the collaborative work between SQM and the Crea + Corporation continues to bear fruit in qualitative and quantitative terms. The program, already consolidated, continues to obtain good results and is valued by the teachers and management teams of the institutions advised. 

During the 2019 financial year, the program taught in different establishments had a direct impact on 1.674 students and 49 teachers. The program generates internships in Finland, granting scholarships to professionals who stand out for their results and commitment to their students.

For the third consecutive year, SQM develops in conjunction with the Municipality of San Pedro de Atacama through its Office of Labor Intermediation (OMIL), the Study Validation and Leveling Program, which gives the possibility to people from the town of San Pedro from Atacama, Camar, Peine, Río Grande, Toconao, Talabre, and Socaire, leveling and finishing their studies at basic and intermediate levels, being an important tool to opt for better possibilities to enter the world of work.

During recent years, the SQM Salar Operator Apprentice training program prepared new professionals from the surrounding communities to perform a new job with high standards of management, efficiency, quality and sustainability. The company has prepared a program supported by the know-how, knowledge, innovation and experience of SQM workers. The program considers four thematic axes: Raising awareness about safety regulations and organization of operational work; Understanding of the productive stages and technical processes for the development of operational work; Field knowledge of good practices in Lithium operational or production processes; and Knowledge of quality standards that allows working around the Continuous Improvement of processes.

This program summons apprentices, men and women from the communities of Toconao, Calama, Peine, Socaire, Camar and San Pedro de Atacama. The participants have acquired soft skills and technical tools that were crowned with their permanent hiring and entry into different areas of SQM at their Salar de Atacama site.