The Industrial Center of Rio de Janeiro (whose original name is "Centro Industrial do Rio de Janeiro" or simply "CIRJ") is a private organization that represents more than four thousand other organizations (industrial, commercial or service providers) of various sizes. The Center keeps close contact with its associates, offering customized treatment, services and permanent networking.
CIRJ was born in August 1941, originated from Firj (Industrial Federation of Rio de Janeiro), what "represents the consolidated and modern historical phase initiated in 1827 with Helper Society of the National Industry (Sain)." Today it is one of the entities that integrate the FIRJAN System.
The services offered by CIRJ include:
Defense of business’ behalf - The Center works together with the public Power, impetrates collective court injunctions and represents organizations, regionally, in business counsels and forums. One example is the court injunction impetrated by CIRJ against the National Agency of Sanitary Vigilance (Anvisa). Due to a strike in the autarchy, Anvisa had apprehended pharmaceutical products in places of goods entrance, such as ports and airports. That measure harmed companies from the sector when made it difficult to distribute medicine and caused damage regarding warehouse charges and fines.
Technical advisement - In areas such as foreign commerce, security, environment, health, social responsibility, culture, infrastructure, technological innovation and legal issues (tributary law, environmental law, labor law, civil law, legislation, agreements and bargaining). One company that needs to know more about labor law, for instance, could have participated in one of the entity´s action: a free speech about labor rescinded;
Strategic information - CIRJ also provides strategic information to the business community. Punctual case: in 2014, the Funding of Studies and Projects - Finep (a kind of funding organization for studies and projects) and Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research Support of Rio de Janeiro State - Faperj (a foundation that promotes researches in Rio de Janeiro state) were fomenting small and medium sized business through “Technova Programme - Rio Innovation 2013”. In the occasion, the Center scheduled a workshop aimed at entrepreneurs in order to teach them how to conquer the desired funding. The provided information may be about salary survey, legal themes, events, corporate publications, investments, social and economic indicators, etc.;
Discount for companies, employees and their dependents - In IEL Rio, SENAI Rio and SESI Rio, as well as in the locations for business meetings and events;
Other services - Supplying of information in general, such as instructions on the correct way of requiring, to the Federal Police, the operating license for companies that use controlled chemical products and raw materials.
Companies that wish to benefit from these services offered by CIRJ must participate with a monthly associative contribution. The fee varies according to the amount of employees and the type of enterprise: it may be an “industrial enterprise” (the profit one, that transforms raw materials in finished products or that performs industrialization operations, generating taxed products) and it also may be a “non-industrial enterprise” (organization that doesn´t perform activity of this nature, such as financial institutions, commercial enterprises and service delivery companies).
