Community

Consistent with its sustainability ethos, Jamalco’s corporate responsibility model, has the overriding objective of advancing community development and building lasting partnerships. This underscores the company’s philosophy that its social licence to operate is derived from its host communities.

The company’s community development activities revolve around a strategic six pillared model as follows:

What are we proud of

Awards Received

2023 Award

Bronze Award

Jamalco received a bronze award for contributing $100,000 in April 2023 to support the United Way of Jamaica’s COVID-19 Response and Relief efforts

2014 Award

Highest Corporate Donor & Jupiter Awards

Jamalco was recognized at the a special Nation Builders' & Employee Awards Ceremony for contributing over $10 million to UWJ during 2014

our Six pillared model for

Community Development

01. Capacity Building

Jamalco invests heavily in capacity building through multiple sponsorships of educational initiatives. Over the last five years, the company has spent in excess of J$60 million in educational support to local communities.

Technology in Schools

Our educational initiates include our Computers and Tablets in Schools Programme where Computers and tablets are distributed to schools in our operating areas. We also refurbished the Garvey Maceo Computer Lab. There is also the Jamalco in Schools Programme under which Jamalco personnel, actively participates in the enhancing of the school curriculum.

With the aim to bolster students' access to online learning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamalco spent some $2 million to procure 100 Samsung computer tablets for students attending schools in its operating areas in Clarendon and Manchester in 2021.

Free WI-FI Access points were also established to enable online learning and Jamalco partnered with local community-based organizations to establish WI-FI access points at several areas in its operating areas in Clarendon and Manchester. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and reports of connectivity issues or lack of internet access by students who were engaged in online learning, Jamalco undertook this initiative to improve the students' internet connectivity while enabling community members and parents to stay connected and support the students in online learning and research.

The presentation of the computer tablets and the WI-FI Access Points are an important aspect of Jamalco's Community Development Programme.

Education Assistance

Jamalco supports educational development in its host communities through sponsorship of annual scholarships, bursaries, and grants for more than 200 students attending basis, primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions each year.

To date, Jamalco has awarded son $50 million in scholarships, bursaries, and grants for more than 200 students attending basic, primary, secondary, and tertiary level students in Clarendon and Manchester.

Advancing Childhood Education Programme (ACEP)

In 2013-2018, the company invested J$80 million in a flagship Advancing Childhood Education Programme, ACEP, under which 500 local basic schoolteachers were targeted for specialist training in early childhood education. The five-year programme also provided parenting instructions for 1000 parents. The initiative was aimed at increasing the grade 1 literacy profile among six-year-old children in the parishes of Manchester and Clarendon where the company operates. Assessments have pointed to a significant improvement in the children's performance since the inception of the programme which has been endorsed by the Ministry of Education.

Jamalco Career Enhancement Programme (JCEP)

The Jamalco Career Enhancement Programme (JCEP) is a continuing education initiative for high school dropouts. The programme received funding of US$14,000 between 2013 and 2014. It is administered by the United Way of Jamaica and allows 60 at risk youths to complete their secondary education every year, by entering Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) courses or skills training in evening classes at three local high schools.

School Wardens Programme

The location sponsors a School Crossing Wardens program to promote road safety at seven schools located in heavily trafficked areas in Clarendon and Manchester at an annual cost of US$34,000.

Mentorship

The Jamalco Mentorship targets at risk youths at three local high schools in its operating areas in Clarendon and Manchester.

Other educational initiatives include a Book Distribution Programme under which thousands of books are distributed to schools island wide each year and a Jamalco in Schools Programme under which Jamalco personnel actively participate in enhancing school curriculum.

02. Alternative Economic Opportunities

In an effort to reduce the high unemployment in its host communities, the company actively sponsors several initiatives designed to create alternative economic opportunities.

Jamalco's Bee-keeping Programme

Jamalco's bee-keeping programme is designed to boost social enterprise in Jamalco's operating communities and increase the economic prospects of the residents living in its operating areas. Community Council members have been equipped with he requisite information, training, and resources to successfully operate bee-keeping businesses.

The sponsorship of ongoing beekeeping projects to boost social enterprises in the community is now a standard income generating activity for some Community Councils.

Jamalco Entrepreneurial Development Programme (JEDP)

This is a J$20million revolving fund sponsored by Jamalco and administered by the C&WJ Cooperative Credit Union. Under this initiative, community groups of no less than five persons can access up to J$500,000 to start small businesses.

Mined-Out Lands

Under this programme, the company makes mined rehabilitated lands available to residents for farming.

Green Houses

The company is investing in the construction of green houses on mined rehabilitated lands to introduce new technologies to farming and help farmers increase the yield from their crops.

Community Employment Policy

The company has developed a community employment policy which gives preference to locals for unskilled jobs. A random selection process from a data bank, ensures equity in work distribution.

03. Social Renewal

Theorganization's social renewal efforts are geared at promoting values and attitudes improving community infrastructure in schools, hospitals, police stations and sporting facilities.

School Wardens Programme

Jamalco sponsors a School Crossing Wardens programme to ensure road safety and safe passage for students at ten schools located in heavily trafficked areas in Clarendon and Manchester.

Health and Dental Fairs

Jamalco hosts health information fairs for residents in its operating communities in Clarendon and Manchester. We continue to coordinate these Fairs because a large percentage of the residents do not have the resources to access well needed health care.

Special Projects at Health Facilities

Refurbishing of the Manchester Infirmary
Renovation of the Mile Gully and Raymonds Health Centres
The refurbishing of the Prattville Health Centre
A new health center is under construction at Windsor Forest in South Manchester

In 2022 Jamalco donated $3.2 million dollars to support the construction of a Surges Deployable Facility (COVID-19 Field Hospital) at the May Pen Hospital. Jamalco was approached to support the effort by building the Lavatory.

Jamalco has also procured and donated Blood Pressure Machines and other equipment for Hospitals. Blood pressure and blood sugar machines were donated recently to several health centres in and around its operating communities.

Centres of Excellence

The Company has sponsored two multipurpose resource centres at Wembley in the refinery area and in the Harmons Valley mining area during the last two years. A third centre is currently under construction at Mocho. The centres are outfitted with community meeting halls, internet café, homework, counseling and skills training centres; as well as sports facilities.

Sports

The company invests heavily in sports as part of its strategy to promote social harmony and develop local talent. Just over US$40,000 is spent annually to develop netball through a school programme in Clarendon and Manchester. The company also sponsors a national Jamalco Netball Team. In addition, some US$100,000 is invested annually in the sponsorship of the Jamalco Football League and the Jamalco Football Team. These programs place heavy emphasis on inculcating discipline in scores of young people from communities located in Jamalco’s operating areas.

Jamalco Indigent Support Programme

In 2016, Jamalco introduced the Jamalco Indigent Support Programme (JISP) which offers monthly support to elderly and indigent persons in our operating areas. This is coordinated through the Community Councils.

The JISP provides care / assistance for low-income elderly and indigent residents who lack access to health and medical care and associated support services in its operating communities in Clarendon and Manchester. Under the JISP programme the following activities are undertaken:

Delivery of Care Packages
Construction of Housing Solutions
Providing wheelchairs for elderly / indigents with disability
Enabling the elderly / indigents to rest comfortably on a supportive mattress
Link these needy residents to other community resources and support organizations

As a direct result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the community, Jamalco donated Care Packages to over 650 needy residents in its operating communities in Clarendon and Manchester. This was done to relieve challenges that residents including students were facing as they struggled to satisfy their daily needs during the Pandemic.

Water Distribution

Jamalco provides water via trucks to residents in Harmons Valley, Mocho, Port, South Manchester, and sub-divisions as well as community institutions such as schools, community tanks, health centres, and households located primarily in its mining operation area weekly and as needed in some cases. Annually the cost of water distributed to communities is J$100 million. or approximately US$660,000.

Tank Distribution

In an effort to reduce the volume of water Jamalco delivers to its operating communities monthly, the company embarked on a tank distribution programme. Water tanks are strategically placed in operating communities where residents do not have access to potable water.

04. Volunteering

Jamalco has a strong culture of Volunteering as employees give back to their communities as individuals and in teams. Over the years, they have assisted schools at all levels of the education system, as well as health facilities and local NGOs. The employees have constructed and painted buildings, created play areas, cleaned local beaches and planted trees. The company has been recognized on several occasions and is a multiple recipient of the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) Corporate Volunteer Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

05. Civic Partnerships

In keeping with its accountability, Jamalco hosts regular meetings with business leaders and other stakeholders to provide updates and receive their feedback.

The company also holds regular meetings with community leaders as needed to discuss community development initiatives. In addition, Jamalco is represented at the regular monthly meetings of all community councils and at meetings of other civic organizations in its operating areas.

06. Charity

The organization provides charitable donations and sponsorships to community institutions that are in need and which meet the established guidelines for receiving such grants. In addition, the company provides water via trucks to schools, community tanks, police stations, health centres and households located primarily in its mining operation areas during periods of severe drought.

Why We Do What We Do

It is Jamalco’s Policy to operate in a safe responsible manner which respects the environment and the health of our workforce, our customers and the communities in which we operate. We continually improve our Environment, Health and Safety Management System and support pollution prevention strategies. As a policy, Jamalco does not compromise environment, health or safety values for profit or production.