The Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, supports different projects, framed in the Empleaverde Program, to promote employment and good environmental practices in Cantabria, for a total amount of € 42,067 euros.

Thus, the initiatives of the Healthy Life Association, the National Association of Aggregate Manufacturing Entrepreneurs (ANEFA) and the Association for Spanish Forest Certification (PEFC Spain), will be aimed, in part, at workers in Cantabria.

The project of the Healthy Life Association is aimed at supporting organic agriculture in all its areas, promoting the increase of the area dedicated to agricultural and livestock production, encouraging companies to transform organic products and improving their distribution and sale. In addition, it tries to guide and support agroecological farms and establishments that sell organic products, as well as those who want to start food craft companies.

For its part, the National Association of Aggregate Manufacturing Entrepreneurs will develop its Programme for training, awareness and application of operational procedures compatible with sustainable development among entrepreneurs, professionals and workers in the sector (artillerymen, machinery operators, mechanics, mining technicians and labourers). The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of aggregate production where the mines are located – quarries and gravel pits – by complying with the new regulations.

Finally, the Association for Spanish Forest Certification (PEFC) will carry out the project called “Training and awareness of workers in the forestry sector and companies in the forest value chain. From sustainable forest management to responsible consumption”. Training and advisory tasks will be undertaken on the sustainable use of forest ecosystems and eco-innovation and awareness of workers of SMEs in the sector will be promoted. This project collaborates with the General Directorate of Biodiversity of the Government of Cantabria, which will work, among other aspects, on the adaptation of the project activities to the objectives of the territorial planning of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria.