Employment
Job Creation
There are very few people living within our operational area. Historically, employment mainly consisted of drug trafficking and extensive low input cattle farming. We have created permanent employment for many members of the community, who are both men and women and some of whom are over 40 years of age.
We estimate we employ about 74% of the local community. For many of our employees this is their first-time full employment with all the associated benefits.
At the end of 2024, our workforce consisted of 180 employees, all of whom were hired directly by FFC in accordance with the
requirements of Colombian law. Depending on investor commitment and ultimate scale, there is the opportunity for job creation of over 1000 positions.
Empowering Women
At FFC, we are committed to training and empowering women in the workplace and through education. We firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce not only enriches our company but also helps reduce inequality gaps. We actively promote gender equity and equal opportunities.
Currently 19% of our direct employees and 35% of our management positions are female.
Housing and Food
FFC provides housing and meals for our employees. All housed staff receive three free meals per day, while those living in the local village get two meals per day. Meal services are provided by local contractors, some of whom started their businesses with the support of FFC. Staff from the local village are transported to and from FFC’s operations daily.
Formalized Work
FFC ensures that all employees have contracts, get paid monthly and that all social benefits, accounting for 35% of the daily wage are paid. These include health insurance policies, life insurance, and subsidies for medication and eyeglasses.
A Commitment to Staying Local
Most of our staff have family in the town of Puerto Carreño or surrounding areas. We ensure that labour used in the nursery and silviculture operations are recruited locally. We also employ young college graduates and technicians with diplomas from the National Training Institute (SENA) into the operating teams. They are interested, informed and motivated, which will enable us to leapfrog the technological gap in the Colombian forestry sector. Even though core management functions will remain with FFC, our intention is to outsource most other operational functions to local businesses. For example, we have been able to outsource all silvicultural contracts and catering to local businesses and construction work to local individuals.
Training
At FFC, we view training and development as key pillars in human talent management. Therefore, we are committed to training our employees throughout their professional journey, implementing methodologies and content that motivate them, foster self-development, and allow for continuous evolution.
In terms of sustainability, we have focused our training for direct employees and contractors on key topics such as human rights, relations with indigenous groups, environmental conservation, biodiversity, and solid waste management. These training sessions follow established training plans and focus on risk and impact mitigation.
We have offered specialized training in operational aspects with an emphasis on prevention. In this way, we promote a safe and responsible work environment aligned with the best sustainability practices.
