Starting Ventures project “Vitrine Suvinil” creates business opportunities for Brazilian painters

September 18, 2018

The starting ventures project “Vitrine Suvinil” – launched by the BASF brand Suvinil for decorative paints in Brazil in March 2016 – aims at training professionals in the painting business and preparing them as entrepreneurs. The “Vitrine Suvinil” website further offers a platform for job opportunities: Here, customers can find a trained professional in their area for a paint job at their homes.

Brazil’s construction industry provides employment but faces some major challenges in the painting business: Often, workers aren’t well trained and labor skills are not sufficiently available. This results in cases of irresponsible use of material, low safety standards on work sites and a high number of work accidents.

Vitrine Suvinil: Developing professional painters’ skills in a sustainable way

The BASF brand Suvinil launched the project “Vitrine Suvinil” in March 2016 to improve painters’ professional skills and to make it easier for customers to reach out for professional painting services. The project also aims at increasing job opportunities for painters and enabling their long-term success in the painting business. During the project, training courses develop the workers’ painting skills and raise awareness for entrepreneurial aspects. The 64-hour courses are offered online on the network “Clube Amigo Suvinil.” There, painters learn about painting techniques and material use, customer relationship management and administration. They are also trained in awareness for work safety issues. Very engaged members of the community receive supplementary training at the Suvinil training center in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Building a bridge between professionals and consumers

BASF additionally set up the associated “Vitrine Suvinil” website as a platform for professionals and consumers. With the job opportunities, painters can apply their obtained skills and further develop their business experience. The customers, in turn, receive a booking portal through which they can conveniently choose from different colors and find a formally trained professional in their area to support with the painting.

Project success and social impact

As part of BASF’s social engagement strategy for South America, the Vitrine Suvinil project contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) “Good Health and Well-being” and “Decent Work and Economic Growth”. As of May 2018, the platform consists of 2025 consumers and 1392 registered painters. The lively network has already opened up chances for its members: “I have already received over 60 requests via Vitrine. I closed a deal with most of them and as a consequence I was recommended to further customers because of this network. Many people avoid conducting business over the internet, but when you have a brand like Suvinil behind it, things are different,” says painter Anraldo dos Santos Pereira who is part of the project. Next steps of the project include the assessment of the social impact of the measurements.