Hydro’s Corridor program expands with new partners to advance inclusive growth and biodiversity protection in the Brazilian Amazon

Three new partners, from left: Arinobu Hashimoto (Mitsui & Co), Marcelo Pereti (Belterra), Gabriela Savian (Ipam), Eduardo Figueiredo (Hydro), Hayato Yanagisawa (Mitsui Foundation), Birgit Euba (Mercedes), Anderson Baranov (Hydro), John Thuestad (Hydro). (Photo: Tim Oliveira/Hydro)

(IN BRIEF) Hydro’s Corridor program, launched in 2024, has welcomed three new partners – Belterra Agroflorestas, Mitsui & Co., and Mitsui Foundation – during New York Climate Week 2025. The initiative, co-led by Hydro, Mercedes-Benz, and NGOs such as IPAM and Imazon, covers 4.7 million hectares across Pará and is dedicated to promoting low-carbon growth, social progress, and biodiversity conservation. With projects co-designed by local communities, the program empowers Indigenous, Quilombola, and riverside groups while strengthening nature-based economies. The new partners add expertise in regenerative agriculture, global finance, and social impact, further scaling efforts to transform development in the Brazilian Amazon by 2035.

(PRESS RELEASE) OSLO, 25-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Through the “Corridor” program, Hydro and its partners are deepening their commitment to inclusive and sustainable development across the Brazilian Amazon. Announced during New York Climate Week 2025, three new organizations – Belterra Agroflorestas, Mitsui & Co., and Mitsui Foundation – have officially joined the initiative, bringing expanded expertise and global reach to the alliance.

The Corridor program, launched during Climate Week in 2024, is a pioneering collaboration co-led by Hydro, Mercedes-Benz, and respected NGOs including IPAM, CEA, and Imazon. Covering seven municipalities across the state of Pará, the program spans 4.7 million hectares – an area comparable in size to Switzerland – and directly impacts 650,000 people. At its core, the initiative is designed to support low-carbon growth, community well-being, and biodiversity protection along the 244-kilometer Paragominas-Barcarena corridor.

“Partnerships turn ambitions into impact. We are excited to welcome new partners into this collaboration, enhancing our ability to create opportunity and a positive future for people and communities along the corridor,” said Eivind Kallevik, President and CEO of Hydro.

Mitsui & Co. emphasized the global significance of the initiative. “Joining the Corridor Program reflects Mitsui’s long-standing commitment to sustainable development and inclusive growth. Through this partnership, we aim to support resilient value chains and promote socioeconomic progress while safeguarding biodiversity and cultural heritage,” said Akinobu Hashimoto, General Manager of the New Metals & Aluminium Division at Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

The program is built around three main pillars:

• Economic development, strengthening nature-based value chains in the region
• Social progress, addressing basic needs, education, well-being, and capacity building
• Environmental conservation, focusing on reforestation, biodiversity protection, and climate-smart territorial planning

Unlike traditional top-down programs, the Corridor initiative co-designs projects with local communities, empowering them to set priorities and shape sustainable solutions. This participatory model supports Indigenous, Quilombola, and riverside populations while fostering livelihoods grounded in the bioeconomy.

The founding members of the Corridor program include Hydro and the Hydro Fund, Mercedes-Benz, IPAM, Imazon, Centro de Empreendedorismo da Amazônia, and BCG. The three new partners bring unique expertise – Belterra Agroflorestas in regenerative agriculture, Mitsui & Co. in global financing and trade, and the Mitsui Foundation in social impact investment. Together, they will help attract new investments and expand the program’s scale by 2035, aiming to create a transformative model for inclusive growth in the Amazon.

Hydro has invested more than BRL 260 million (€47 million) in social and environmental programs in Pará over the past seven years, including grassroots initiatives such as the Peace House (TerPaz) project and the Hydro Fund. The Corridor program builds on these efforts, linking climate goals with socioeconomic development to deliver long-term, positive change for both people and ecosystems in the region.

About the Corridor program

Media Contact:

Anders Vindegg
Head of Media Relations, Group Communication
anders.vindegg@hydro.com
+47 93864271

SOURCE: Norsk Hydro ASA