Social inclusion

Material Topics

Relationship with communities: (GRI disclosure: 203-1, 203-2, 411-1, 413-1, 413-2)

Identify and manage the needs and demands of communities, building and maintaining a close and transparent relationship with these audiences.

GRI 203-1 Infrastructure investments and services supported

Bracell’s social investment agenda is carried out through the Bracell Social program.  This program entails initiatives that drive the development of communities, connecting social inclusion and sustainability so that people can hone their skills and have access to opportunities for a better life.

This program reflects the Company’s commitment to carry out its activities in harmony with neighboring communities, respecting their habits, customs, and traditions, building an environment that fosters the development of relationships based on mutual trust.

This requires the company not to rely on preconceived concepts when dealing with communities. Developing these initiatives requires the direct involvement of beneficiaries, the government, and other local partners. In this way, Bracell increases the possibility that these initiatives will deliver social transformation and encourage the sustainable development.

Bracell Social is supported by three pillars – the 3 Es: Education, Empowerment and Enhancement.

1. In 2020, R$ 690,719.23 was paid to beneficiary organizations through Tax Incentives, although execution of the projects took place in 2022, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. 26 social projects took place in 2021, receiving over R$ 4.1 million, benefiting more than 100,000 people and generating over R$ 10 million in income for the participants.
3. The total number of people directly and indirectly benefited by Bracell’s social investment does not include those benefited by donations.
4. Bracell carried out forestry operations in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2022. Given the initial stage of the operation, the company is in the phase of developing Bracell Social’s strategic planning for its operation in the state.

In 2022 Bracell donated R$ 876,828.48 to local communities. The donation requests were evaluated and approved by a donations committee, which analyzed the criteria of positive value creation for the people benefited.

GRI 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

Development programs aimed at the local community

Bracell Social, our private social investment program, entails initiatives that drive the development of communities, connecting social inclusion and sustainability so that people can hone their skills and have access to opportunities for a better life.

The program is based on three pillars – the 3 Es: Education, Empowerment and Enhancement 31 social projects took place in 2022, receiving over R$ 4.4 million, benefiting more than 121,000 people.

 

Programs by Bracell Social pillar

Education

Educação continuada [Continuing education] (Bahia)

This project aims to improve the professional qualifications of public education system managers and educators, helping strengthen the Municipal Continuing Education Policy– a permanent process to improve the knowledge and practices required for educators to perform their activities. The project includes the continuing qualification of the Education Department educators and technical teams, sociopolitical mobilization, and knowledge production and management.

Invests in the continued training of education professionals, as per the National Education Plan (PNE), providing students with qualified and up-to-date education to prepare them for challenges. As a result, the municipalities in Bahia contemplated by the initiative have shown increasing levels of learning. Click here to learn more about the project.

2022 Results

In 2022, the municipality of Santo Amaro joined the project, resulting in a total of 9 participating municipalities for the year: Acajutiba, Alagoinhas, Araçás, Aramari, Cardeal da Silva, Conde, Entre Rios, Santo Amaro and Inhambupe. See the other results: ·         276 participating schools ·         1,801 education professionals impacted ·         1,743 people participated in project activities ·         21,181 students benefited

 

Continuing Education
	2020	2021	2022
Municipalities benefited	8	9	9
Number of participating schools	273	263	276
Number of students benefited	19,754	20,205	21,181
Number of teachers and technical education teams benefited	2,250	2,407	1,801
Participants in project livestreams	23,449	1,909	1,229

Note: in 2021, the project took place in the municipalities of Acajutiba, Alagoinhas, Araçás, Aramari, Cardeal da Silva, Conde, Entre Rios, Esplanada and Inhambupe. In 2022 the project took place in Acajutiba, Alagoinhas, Araçás, Aramari, Cardeal da Silva, Conde, Entre Rios, Santo Amaro and Inhambupe.

 

Environmental Education Center (Núcleo de Educação Ambiental – NEA – BA)

Located at Fazenda Salgado in Inhambupe (BA) as part of Bracell’s forest operations area, the center mainly receives primary education students and teachers from the region, offering recycling workshops, games and lectures on environmental topics, in addition to guided visits to an ecological trail approximately one kilometer in length.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NEA’s activities were suspended in 2021 and will return in 2022.	·         2,553 visitors ·         1,940 students benefited with kits and an Essay Contest ·         34 communities ·         18 municipalities ·         109 schools

 

Eco-community (BA)

Trains people in the communities to work as eco-agents (environmental facilitators) in their geographies, with a particular focus on proper waste disposal and environmental conservation. Participant activities include training meetings, ecological gymkhanas, and recycling workshops. They also get support for implementing socioenvironmental projects in the communities.

 

2022 Results

·         66 Eco-agents involved in project initiatives ·         708 participants in community actions ·         6 communities

 

Eco-community
	2020	2021	2022
Number of participating municipalities	0	3	3
Number of eco-agents	0	66	66
Number of participants	0	260	708

 

Geração + Ambiente [Generation + Environment] (BA)

The Generation + Environment project was created in July 2021 to train people in communities in the vicinity of Bracell’s operations to be eco-agents (environmental facilitators), in addition to encouraging the dissemination of information through qualified networking.

The objective is to raise awareness by carrying out actions and projects of a socio-environmental nature as a way of contributing to the territories regarding environmental preservation and improving the local community’s quality of life.

Eco-agents are trained to develop socio-environmental projects aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, and to participate in environmental workshops that focus on waste reuse, measures to strengthen participative citizenship and engagement in collective causes.

2021 Results

2022 Results

Over the course of 10 months, sustainable solutions were developed in six communities in Bahia (in the municipalities of Santo Amaro and São Sebastião do Passé), such as the installation of evapotranspiration basins (banana pits), rainwater harvesting systems and soap making and natural cosmetology workshops.   Generation + Environment promotes the dissemination of social technologies that aggregate methodologies to the training of eco-agents that can be replicated at low cost and that bring improvements to the quality of life of families.

In 2022, we expanded the scope to 245 people in the municipalities of Santo Amaro da Purificação and São Sebastião do Passé.   Among the initiatives developed are the implementation of sustainable social technologies such as banana pits, rainwater harvesting systems and medicinal gardens, among others.

 

LideraJovem [Youth Leadership] Institute – ILJ (São Paulo)

Bracell is one of the sponsors of the LideraJovem Institute, a civil society organization that helps adolescents and youth in and around Lençóis Paulista, SP develop life projects and strengthen their leadership and collaboration competencies to prepare them for the job market and the broader challenges of life. In 2022, ILJ addressed six projects took place that directly benefited 3,893 young people and indirectly benefited 116,947 individuals. The institution also trains adult facilitators in active methodologies to work with young people.

Youth Leadership Institute
2020	In 2020, the Institute implemented various projects that benefited 1,229 young people and adolescents and indirectly benefited around 45,000 individuals. The projects are Youth Congress, Solidarity Challenge, Facilitators Training, Leadership Development and Profituro.
2021	In 2021, five projects took place that directly benefited 6,405 young people and indirectly benefited around 70,000 individuals. The institution also trains adult facilitators in active methodologies to work with young people.
2022	In 2022, six projects took place that directly benefited 3,893 young people and indirectly benefited 116,947 individuals. The institution also trains adult facilitators in active methodologies to work with young people.

 

Mentes Brilhantes [Brilliant Minds] (SP)

In 2022, Bracell began the Brilliant Minds project, in the municipality of Macatuba, which aims to develop socioemotional skills of public school students through dynamics, readings and dramatization of situations and problems experienced by students at school or at home, such as bullying. The project also offers tools that prepare students to overcome life’s challenges.

Three professors, professionals residing in Bracell’s region of influence, were hired to conduct the classes’ diagnosis and execution stages. Two schools in Macatuba received the project in 2022 – EMEF CAIC Cristo Rei and EE Fernando Valezi. In each, a classroom was completely renovated and decorated to better accommodate the students in their theatrical dynamics. All furniture and resources placed in the room will remain at the school even after the project was completed. This initiative benefited around 243 students.

Brilliant Minds
2022	Two schools in Macatuba received the project in 2022 – EMEF CAIC Cristo Rei and EE Fernando Valezi. In each, a classroom was completely renovated and decorated to better accommodate the students in their theatrical dynamics. All furniture and resources placed in the room remain at the school even after the project was completed. In total, the project benefited around 243 students.

 

Vivências Ambientais [Environmental Experiences] (SP)

Initiated in 2022, the project had participation from around 137 children aged 9 to 10, students from three municipal elementary schools in Duartina and Borebi, in São Paulo, who participated in the Environmental Experiences project conducted by Bracell in partnership with the Industry Social Service (Sesi) and with support from local governments.

The course, integrated into the school curriculum, has four modules: Citizenship and Environment, Water and Energy, Soil and Solid Waste, Earth Charter and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The participants received pedagogical material and, during the four months of the project, they had access to practical workshops with various activities including dynamics, games, design and painting activities, elaboration of sentences and texts, field research, storytelling, video exhibitions, and construction of toys from the reuse of recyclable materials. Other activities included encouraging non-waste and ensuring new destinations for what would normally be discarded and the creation of new gardens to revitalize land and open areas at the schools that host the project, among other activities.

Experiences
2022	Around 137 children aged 9 to 10, students from three municipal primary schools in Duartina and Borebi, in São Paulo, participated in the Environmental Experiences project conducted by Bracell in partnership with the Industry Social Service (Sesi) and with support from local governments.

 

Empowerment

Developed for productive groups and entrepreneurs or for would-be entrepreneurs, Empoderamento [Empowerment] programs aim to provide training to encourage associativism and entrepreneurialism, and strengthen certain productive, management and trade activities. In this way, it contributes to promoting people’s autonomy and income generation.

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, the projects in the Empowerment pillar supported the generation of over R$ 10 million for the program participants benefited.	In 2022, the projects supported the generation of over R$ 10 million for program participants.   10 special production groups were assessed.   Funding of R$ 250,000.00 for the Green Pharmacy Project in a Tender conducted by UNDP Brazil and the Ministry of the Environment.

Main projects of the Empowerment pillar:

 

Conexão [Connection] (SP)

Since 2021, this project helps social organizations develop management competencies to help them become sustainable, focusing on mobilizing and optimizing financial and human resources, thus strengthening civil society organizations.

This initiative also promotes dialog across organizations in several regions of São Paulo state to encourage the exchange of knowledge, favoring the development of a collaborative network of local NGOs.

Connection
2021	In 2021, 29 participants in 18 civil society organizations were trained.
2022	From 2021 to 2022, there was a restructuring of the Connection Project. In 2023, the project will be executed again in a new format to benefit local institutions from Lençóis Paulista region in São Paulo state.

 

Cultura.Rec (Bahia)

The Cultura.Rec project is Bracell’s first cultural initiative in Bahia state. It was created in July 2021 to help strengthen and make more dynamic the cultural movements and manifestations in the so-called Recôncavo Baiano, mobilizing and strengthening youth and local cultural associations to work together.

There is also institutional strengthening work with youth collectives based on the training of their members in themes such as the management and execution of cultural projects and accountability, among others.

 

Cultura.Rec
2021	Initiated in July 2021, the Cultura.Rec project contributed to the citizenship training and self-organization of young people in the municipalities of São Sebastião do Passé, Santo Amaro da Purificação and their districts, focusing on the implementation of projects or artistic-cultural interventions in their territories in an articulated and collaborative way.
2022	In 2022, Cultura.Rec 2.0 continued the process of strengthening groups, collectives and movements led by young people from São Sebastião do Passé and Santo Amaro, encouraging the re-edition of art and culture initiatives aimed at revealing to the territories the cultural potential of the local youth. The project also prioritized the construction of a free public arena in partnership with  public institutions and other civil society organizations that develop the cultural policies of the municipalities.

 

Dona Della [Her Own Boss] (São Paulo)

This program aims to boost women’s financial autonomy and female entrepreneurship, assisting women who do not yet have a business but wish to be entrepreneurs, as well as those who lead their own business and seek support to develop their ventures.

In 2022, a diagnosis was conducted with the aim of mapping women entrepreneurs in municipalities where Bracell has forestry operations, priority in the forestry base. This was carried out with a view to implementing the second edition in 2023, covering the following municipalities: Agudos, Álvaro de Carvalho, Alvinlândia, Avaí, Bauru, Borebi, Botucatu, Cabrália Paulista, Duartina, Getulina, Iaras, Itapeva, Itatinga, Lençóis Paulista, Macatuba, Marília, Oriente, Paulistânia, Pederneiras, Pirajuí, Piratininga, Pratânia, Presidente Alves and Vera Cruz.

Her Own Boss
2021	In 2021, the program’s agenda addressed topics such as self-knowledge, entrepreneurial leadership, socioemotional skills and gender violence. As well as training, and mentoring, the project rewarded five entrepreneurs with R$ 10,000 and contributed to the organization of a women’s collaborative network. A total of 162 participants from Lençóis Paulista (SP) and Macatuba (SP) benefited from the initiative.
2022	In 2022, a diagnosis was conducted with the aim of mapping women entrepreneurs in priority municipalities where Bracell operates with a forestry base, with a view to implementing the second edition in 2023.

 

Fostering Impactful Businesses (BA)

We support ten productive groups on the Northern Coast and Interior of Bahia, providing them with technical support in the tax, administrative, accounting, and inter-institutional relations areas, enabling them to participate in tenders and consolidate agreements to expand their business. The program also provides training in production and product shipment, regularization and certification advice.

One of the highlights of the year was the participation of the Green Pharmacy initiative from the Cangula community in Alagoinhas, and the Fábrica de Fardamentos from Inhambupe, at ExpoFavela 2022 in São Paulo, an event that brought together social investors from around the country. The Green Pharmacy’s Soap Center also opened, dedicated to the production and sale of handmade and medicinal soaps.

Groups supported: Fábrica de Fardamentos; Farmácia Verde Cangula; Artesãs de Massarandupió; Viveiro de Mudas do Imbé; Riquezas do Pindobal; Delícias do Mato Limpo; Delícias do Quilombo; Delícias da Prata; Associação de Afrodescendentes e Remanescentes das Comunidades de Quilombos da Região de Cachoeira do Ninízio; Associação da Comunidade do Estevão.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021 a total of R$ 107,500.00 was raised in public and private tenders.	In 2022, the income generated by the productive groups exceeded R$ 140,000.00 R$ 250,000.00 was also raised by the Green Pharmacy Project through a tender conducted by UNDP Brazil and the Ministry of the Environment.

Below are some of the initiatives included in the Fostering Impactful Businesses program:

 

• Vocational Training Actions (BA)

Developed in partnership with the National Service for Rural Learning (SENAR), professional training initiatives were resumed in 2021, subject to compliance with all Covid-19 prevention recommendations.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
Courses in olericulture, beekeeping, tractor and backhoe operations, among others, aimed at income generation, were attended by 408 people. In all, 936 hours of courses were offered in eight municipalities: Alagoinhas, Aporá, Araçás, Cardeal da Silva, Esplanada, Jandaíra Rio Real and Sátiro Dias.	Courses on drone piloting for precision agriculture, tractor and backhoe operations, olericulture, beekeeping, cassava derivatives, among others, aimed at income generation, were attended by 421 people. In all, 748 hours of courses were provided in municipalities in the company’s area of influence.

 

• Fábrica de Fardamentos [Uniform Factory]

Located at Fazenda Salgado, Bracell’s area in the municipality of Inhambupe, Fábrica de Fardamentos is a cooperative of women, industrial seamstresses, from four communities in Bahia. The building where the atelier operates is located in a company space, so that, in addition to technical and administrative support, Bracell offers the necessary infrastructure to the Work Cooperative of Seamstresses in Inhambupe and Region (Coopecir), which manages and operates Fábrica de Fardamentos.

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, 11 people participating in the project benefited from the generation of R$ 70,000 in income.	In 2022, people from Fábrica de Fardamentos attended ExpoFavela 2022 in São Paulo, an event that brought together social investors from around the country.

 

• Fábrica de Biscoitos [Biscuit Factory] (BA)

This program is aimed at generating income in the Mato Limpo (Araçás) and Mandacaru (Inhambupe) maroon communities through the production and sale of biscuits and cookies.

 

2021 Results

2022 Results

In 2021, 20 women were part of the Delícias do Mato Limpo group and received technical, administrative and accounting advice, in addition to support for the sale of their products.

The group obtained all the local permits and licenses (Operating, Sanitary and Environmental Inspection) needed to obtain State and Federal Family Farming seals. Another highlight in 2022 was the group’s participation in the 13th Bahia Family Agriculture Fair in Salvador. At the event, participants from Delícias do Mato Limpo were able to sell their biscuits and sequilhos, in addition to exchanging experiences with productive groups from all over the state.

 

• Viveiro Comunitário de Mudas [Community Seedling Nursery (BA)

The Imbé community in Entre Rios produces seedlings and native, fruit-bearing and ornamental species in a nursery developed to meet this objective. Bracell supports the group through tax, administrative and accounting advice, in addition to supporting participation in public tenders to expand and strengthen the business.

 

2021 Results

2022 Results

The initiative benefited 20 women. They also participated in Projeto Quintais Produtivos (Productive Backyards Project) financed by the Regional Development and Action Company (CAR), a public company linked to the Rural Development Secretariat (SDR), through a tender public notice.   The emergency tender was an initiative of the Bahia State Government, the Rural Development Secretariat (SDR) and Regional Development and Action Company (CAR) as an incentive to produce food to meet the needs of families during the initial period of the pandemic. In addition to supporting the preparation and submission of the project to the public tender, Bracell hired a specialized consulting firm to provide technical and rural extension (ATER) assistance for a period of two years.

The productive activities of Viveiro de Mudas do Imbé resulted in an income of R$ 8,400. The community continued with actions under Projeto Quintais Produtivos in partnership with the Regional Development and Action Company).

 

• Farmácia Verde (Green Pharmacy)

This program promotes health, well-being and the preservation of local traditions through the promotion of phytotherapy. The project encourages female empowerment, local development, social entrepreneurship and income generation by promoting the use of medicinal and aromatic plants in production chains. Residents of the maroon communities of Cangula in the municipality of Alagoinhas and Gamba in the municipality of Entre Rios, as well as members of the rural community Assentamento Ana Rosa in Pojuca, participated. The project aims to promote health and well-being, and preserving local tradition, through the promotion of phytotherapy. It stimulates woman empowerment, local development, social entrepreneurship, and income generation through the promotion of medicinal and aromatic plants in the production chain.

The project provides incentives and support for the commercialization of production, in addition to continuously investing in training and improvement of production practices. Among the items produced by the groups, handmade and/or medicinal soaps stand out.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, 28 participants of the project completed the University Extension Course in Naturotherapy.	In 2022, the Green Pharmacy initiative attended ExpoFavela 2022 in São Paulo, an event that brought together social investors from around the country. In addition, the Soap Center was unveiled, dedicated to the production and sale of handmade and medicinal soaps.

 

Mulheres em ação [Women in Action] One of Bracell’s measures to promote female empowerment and income creation is our Women in Action Program, developed in partnership with the maroon community of Cangula, in Alagoinhas (BA). This initiative trained 27 women to make medicinal and artisanal toilet soap, and received the Sustainable Management Practices award in the 13th edition of the Sustainable Bahia Industry Awards, sponsored by FIEB, in 2021, the State of Bahia Federation of Industries. These women also received advice on how to deal with domestic violence, entrepreneuralism, and matters of gender and race. This project also enjoyed the support of the 2020 Afro-descendant Decade awarded by the government of Bahia through SEPROMI, the Department to Promote Racial Equality.

 

Mulheres Produtoras [Women Farmers] (Bahia)

The Women Farmers project strengthens individual and collective empowerment in the development of the links in the production chains, and the institutional strengthening of groups of family farmers to nurture autonomy and female and youth entrepreneurialism, with a view to developing collaborative solutions that enable product advertising and sales, as well as funding via access to processes.

The initiative’s main activity is training women and young people in organic hydroponic farming, an organic agricultural initiative that produces more productive foods and increased profitability.

2021 Results	2022 Results
In July 2021, the project reached 10 communities in the municipalities of Santo Amaro and São Sebastião do Passé in Bahia.	In 2022, five bioponic systems were implemented in communities in Santo Amaro and São Sebastião do Passé. In addition, the project entered into a partnership with the Federal University of Recôncavo Baiano to research techniques linked to practice.

 

Nós do Campo (In the Field) (Bahia and São Paulo)

A program to encourage family farming through activities that foster food security, job creation, income and stronger networks.

In Bahia, the focus was on disseminating agroecology techniques to contribute to healthy nutrition and higher income from the sale of surplus farm output. For this, it is necessary to invest in the implementation and maintenance of Agroforestry Systems (SAFs), composed of food species intercropped with eucalyptus. People from Alagoinhas, Cardeal da Silva, Esplanada, Itanagra, Mata de São João in Bahia participated in the project, as well as students from the Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA).

In São Paulo, smallholders from Agudos, Paulistânia, Borebi and Macatuba were trained in workshops about property management, crop planning, and planting techniques for fruits and  olericulture.

The 2021 edition lasted until April 2022, with training workshops for farmers and individual consultations with and visits by beneficiaries to Agrishow, with the aim of learning about the new technologies, equipment and inputs that are being used in the agribusiness segment. Around 850 people were positively impacted in 2021 – 680 in Bahia and 170 in São Paulo. In 2022, 417 people were impacted in Bahia and 106 in São Paulo. In 2022, two agroforestry systems were deployed at the Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA) in Alagoinhas.

 

Pollinators (Bahia and São Paulo)

This program is a partnership between Bracell and the beekeepers and honey producers in the areas where the company operates in the states of Bahia and São Paulo. Its goal is to contribute to the development of bee keeping and promote the multiple use of eucalyptus forests.

In other words, Bracell authorizes accredited beekeepers to set up hives in its areas of forestry operations. The bees use the flowering Eucalyptus and native plants to make honey and other beekeeping products, helping increase the income of participating beekeepers.

In São Paulo state, nine associations participated, representing the municipalities of Agudos, Avaré, Bauru, Borebi, Botucatu, Cabrália Paulista, Itatinga, Lençóis Paulista and Marília. In Bahia, the project involves seven associations from the cities of Alagoinhas, Entre Rios, Inhambupe and Ribeira do Pombal.

In addition to training for the advanced management of bees and creation and distribution of queens, the training also covers other aspects that contribute to increasing income from the initiative, such as honey-based cuisine and cosmetology from bee products.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, over 330 beekeepers in both states participated, generating combined income of over R$ 1 million.	In Bahia, in 2022, the project involved 67 beekeepers and contributed to the generation of over R$ 1 million in income.   involved 114 beekeepers and contributed to the generation of R$ 75,000.00 in income.

 

Ponteira Sustentável [Sustainable Leftovers] (BA)

In 2022, this program benefited associations and cooperatives in 59 communities in 14 municipalities in Bahia by donating eucalyptus waste left over from harvesting, generating an additional source of income and funds for those living in these communities.

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, we ran a pilot project to reorganize five associations in Cardeal da Silva, BA, focusing on associations for pickers, and productive inclusion of women.	In 2022, a study was conducted to reveal the degree of maturity of the associations participating in the project to analyze the feasibility of implementing a cooperative to provide various services, especially for the collection of wood residues.

 

Enhancement Pillar

Developed to promote well-being and citizenship in the communities around our facilities, the Enhancement pillar provides people with free leisure, culture, health promotion, and citizenship activities. In 2021, it supported the generation of over R$ 1 million for the people involved in year one of the program. In 2022, 71,715 people were benefited from its projects.

See the main results of the projects of the Enhancement pillar of Bracell Social.

 

Mais Cidadania [Increased Citizenship] (BA)

Conducted in partnership with the municipal departments of municipalities in Bahia close to Bracell’s  geographies. Through this initiative, citizenship, vaccination, nutritional guidance, legal advice and  job market guidance services, in addition to environmental education workshops, are offered free of charge to the population.

In 2022, Bracell resumed community service actions under the Increased Citizenship program. The apogee was the special edition called Increased Citizenship SOS Rainfall, which took food parcels and personal care products to populations blighted by the torrential rains in Bahia in early December. In previous years, the program focused on helping minimize the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on communities in Bahia, located in our geographies. In 2022, we also donated to these local communities, including food parcels.

 

2021 Results	2022 Results
In 2021, the Increased Citizenship program focused on instructions for preventing Covid-19 in the municipalities of Alagoinhas, Aramari, Cachoeira, Camaçari, Catu, Entre Rios and Inhambupe, Bahia state, reaching 8,025 people (7,412 adults and 613 children).	In 2022, the program reached a total of 13,716 people. The Increased Citizenship SOS Rainfall initiative was rolled out, which took 1,004 food parcels and 737 personal care kits to populations blighted by the torrential rains in Bahia.

 

Circuito Digital de Artes Bracell Alic [Bracell Alic Digital Arts Circuit] (São Paulo)

Working with the Lençóis Paulista (SP) municipal government and Associação Lençoense de Incentivo à Cultura [The Lençóis Paulista Association to Incentive Culture] (ALIC), since 2021 Bracell sponsors this initiative that takes entertainment and culture to residents, with cultural programs at the Adélia Lorenzetti Municipal Theater. In 2022, the Bracell ALIC Arts Circuit offered 25 cultural attractions for an audience upwards of 15,000 spectators. This year, the project included online and in-person attractions.

Bracell Alic Digital Arts Circuit
2021	In 2021, 25 online and in-person plays were performed at  Adélia Lorenzetti Municipal Theater in Lençóis Paulista, benefiting more than 28,942 people with cultural attractions.
2022	In 2022, 25 plays were performed at Adélia Lorenzetti Municipal Theater in Lençóis Paulista, benefiting more than 15,000 people with cultural attractions.

 

Correndo para Vencer [Running to Win] (SP)

Held in 2022 in partnership with INELUR (the Edson Luciano Ribeiro Institute), Bracell sponsored the  Running to Win project. The program’s activities serve children and teenagers from Lençóis Paulista and Borebi and its goal is to promote the practice of athletics as a tool to encourage citizenship.

In 2022, the Running to Win project benefited 136 people by offering athletics activities and enabling children and adolescents to practice sports, encouraging the development of skills and values such as collaboration, citizenship, resilience, discipline, commitment, etc.

 

Uma EcoAventura na Cidade [An EcoAdventure in the City] (SP)

Held in 2022 in Lençóis Paulista (SP), An EcoAdventure in the City is a leisure, cultural and environmental awareness event sponsored by Bracell in partnership with Aprel. Free and open to the community, three days of activities were provided at Parque do Povo – in Lençóis Paulista, receiving more than 2,430 people, with the first day being exclusive to public schools in Lençóis Paulista.

 

Vem Quem Quer [Come Whoever Want – SP]

Held in 2022, Come Whoever Wants is a project sponsored by Bracell in partnership with Aprel. The project provided two days of leisure, culture and environmental awareness for the population of Macatuba. Free. Open to the community, the event was held at CART – Centro de Apoyo e Recreação do Trabalhador and was attended by more than 1,500 people.

 

Volunteering

The Bracell volunteering program – Mãos Dadas (Holding Hands) – encourages workers to participate in activities and campaigns that benefit local communities.

 

Founder’s Day

In 2022, the annual RGE Founder’s Day campaign mobilized Bracell employees through various activities including donations of food, toys, shoes and school kits, in addition to interpersonal interactions through volunteer activities. The last activity was offered for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Significant results in collections and beneficiaries were achieved thanks to the solidarity, dedication and passion of our collaborators.

 

Highlights of the 2022 volunteer program

129 mobilizers working in different areas of the state of Bahia, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul states;

1,048 children sponsored by Bracell volunteers in the activities carried out;

4,900 Bracell employee volunteers took part in volunteering actions:

2,202 kg of food collected

14 municipalities benefited in the state of Bahia, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul

11 institutions served

R$ 22,000.00 raised

GRI 411-1 Incidents of violations involving rights of indigenous peoples

In São Paulo, the Araribá indigenous community in Avaí (SP) is the only indigenous community within Bracell’s area of influence, located within a radius of three kilometres from the area where our pulpwood operations take place. The community comprises four villages (Tereguá, Ekeruá, Kopenoti and Nimuendaju), with a population of approximately 600 people. No cases of violations involving rights of indigenous peoples were registered by the company. Bracell’s operations in Bahia and Mato Grosso do Sul do not have indigenous communities in the areas covered by the company’s operations.

In 2022, forestry, harvesting and transportation operations took place near the villages. For the transportation operations, there was a record of the real impact of the operations on the local population. The transportation used a side road that passes in front of the villages and the identified impacts were intense vehicle traffic, instances of truck speeding and damage to the local road.

Among the prevention, mitigation and remediation measures promoted were the replacement of road signs, improvement of access to villages, donation of asphalt for pothole repairs, and implementation of electronic fences to control the speed of trucks. Recommendations for safety and good operating practices were reinforced to the teams of employees and service providers to respect the speed limit, not to stop any type of Bracell or outsourced vehicle on the side road or access taper to the villages, not to use a horn in the indigenous area during the night, to avoid convoys of trucks on the roads and to take extra precautions on commemorative dates.

Periodic on-site monitoring of the impacts and mitigation measures was conducted. For the forestry operations, a potential (not real) impact of power outages was identified.

In 2022, the company was notified by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office requesting clarification regarding certain demands from the indigenous villages: 1) protocol for the licensing of plantations; 2) non-authorization of consulting work on indigenous land while the licensing protocol is not granted; 3) presentation of mitigation measures for impacts resulting from the company’s operations.

In response, the company informed that its activities in the region were exempt from environmental licensing and, furthermore, that it suspended field studies to identify and map indigenous land in order to map the real and potential impacts of the company’s operations in the areas of influence of indigenous land located close to its forestry operations. The company also communicated to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office that preventive and mitigating actions were carried out ed for the identified impacts, such as road maintenance, respect for the speed limit of the highway, and other actions that are already safety procedures in the company’s forestry logistics operation.

A potential (and unrealized) violation was identified in 2021 during an in-person meeting held on the Araribá indigenous land. The company became aware of a fishing point customarily used by the indigenous community, located in an area bordering Bracell’s forestry operation. The company is developing an action plan under which community residents will be registered and provided with safety training, and the trail leading to the spot will be cleared and signposted to guarantee community access to the area, consistent with their customary rights (indigenous peoples are entitled to the use of land and resources they have traditionally occupied or used). However, due to the worsening Covid-19 pandemic, the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI) instructed the company to postpone fieldwork as part of the action plan to 2022.

As part of Bracell’s fire risk prevention policy, in 2022 the company made investments in actions and procedures to prevent and fight fires. To ensure the safety of the Araribá indigenous lands and prevent potential impacts from possible fires, we donated 40 firefighting backpacks and 40 fire extinguishers.

We also provided training to form a fire brigade for 28 indigenous people, teaching them how to use the equipment, administer first aid and tackle fire outbreaks. The action was carried out with the support of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI) and the Municipal Government of Avaí.

GRI 3-3 (413) Management of the material topic Community engagement

Bracell has a Community Relations procedure that defines parameters and criteria for establishing an ongoing dialog with communities that live around the company’s forest management areas and the industrial unit.

The objective is to create a permanent relationship channel and transmit information in an up-to-date and transparent manner. The company also conducts a process of identifying, evaluating, and monitoring social aspects and impacts, as well as defining measures to control and mitigate possible negative impacts, in addition to identifying aspects and positive impacts generated by its forest management operations.

The Community Relations guidelines are based on the results of this identification process and a critical analysis of the social aspects and impacts generated by its operations and the demands received through the company’s communication channels, in addition to diagnoses and studies conducted by Bracell.

Goals of relationship actions

• Enable communities and neighbors to learn about forest operations that will be carried out near them and the possible risks and positive and negative impacts of these operations;
• Strengthen the bond between communities, neighbors and the company;
• Improve communications between communities, neighbors and the company;
• Strengthen local actions and demands;
• Identify, prevent and minimize potential impacts caused by our operations on these communities and our neighbors;
• Reduce risks associated with possible problems in the community that may affect operations;
• Respond to questions and doubts regarding operational aspects and the company as a whole.

In addition to maintaining a continuous dialogue with stakeholders that are impacted or may come to be impacted by the company’s activities and defining measures to prevent impacts, Bracell has programs aimed at the development of local communities as part of Bracell Social, the company’s private social investment program (read more in the GRI 203-2 content).

GRI 413-1 Operations with local community engagement, impact assessments, and development programs

All Bracell’s operations entail engagement actions, impact assessments, and development programs focused on the local community. The company maps the main impacts, risks and opportunities related to its activities, indicating the level of relevance of different themes for the sustainability of the business.

In Bracell’s operations, risk identification, monitoring and management takes place pre-operation, during operation and post-operation, to manage social and environmental risks and to prevent and mitigate impacts.

Bracell has a matrix of environmental aspects and risks that meet the requirements of ISO 14001 (for the industrial operations in Bahia and São Paulo and forestry operations in Bahia) and Cerflor (for the company’s forestry operations in Bahia and São Paulo). Risks are managed with a focus on prevention and the impacts are evaluated based on their incidence.

Potential impacts of its operations are:

• alteration in the availability of natural resources;
• alteration in the quality of soil;
• alteration in the quality of soil water, fauna and flora;
• perception of odor;
• perception of noise from machinery and equipment at the factory;
• precipitation of dust on roads (transit of trucks and equipment); and
• degradation or obstruction of roads.

Click here and read more in the management plan summary and GRI 2-27 content.

Impact monitoring and mitigation

Through the Risk Management Program (RMP), the company continuously monitors potential risks to operations, communities and the environment based on processes in accordance with international methodologies. This work encompasses information management, training, equipment and emergency response processes, among other areas.

 

Among the regulations of Bracell’s Integrated Management System (IMS), available to all employees, are the guidelines for Community Relations. The regulations define criteria and parameters to:

• establish an integrated process of community relationship management for communities neighboring our forest management and industrial areas, so as to set up a permanent relationship channel;
• report updated and transparent information;
• identify and evaluate social issues;
• define control and mitigation measures for possible negative impacts; and
• identify positive impacts generated by forestry management operations.

See more in GRI 2-29.

 

To minimize actual impacts on communities surrounding the mill, we use an approach that includes community mapping, advertising official communication channels, and managing and addressing community concerns.

With the commissioning of our two new flexible lines at our Lençóis Paulista (SP) site, Bracell has expanded its forestry operations in the region and some local residents have been resettled as a result.

This process is monitored in compliance with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standard 5 – Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement. Within this front, Bracell also manages and works to prevent and/or mitigate the social risks to which workers and their families may be exposed.

Every six months, on average, Bracell undergoes an independent external audit process to evaluate compliance of the company’s practices with socio-environmental standards, including the IFC’s Performance Standards.

413-2 Operations with significant actual and potential negative impacts on local communities

In Bracell’s operations, risk identification, monitoring and management is a three-phase process involving an operational dialogue: pre-operation, during operation and post-operation. Our goal in risk management is to prevent risks from materializing and, if they do occur, to implement mitigation measures in order to minimize impacts to the extent possible.

Before initiating pulpwood operations, Bracell conducts a social and economic assessment in neighboring communities within a 500-meter radius, for harvesting and forestry; 100 meters from unpaved transport routes; and three kilometers for pest control activities. During this period, teams from the Community Relations department monitor these areas and pulpwood haulage routes on the ground.

Forestry extension With the commissioning of our two new flexible lines at our Lençóis Paulista (SP) site, we have expanded our forestry operations in the region and some residents have been resettled as a result. This process is monitored in compliance with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standard 5 – Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement. Within this area, Bracell also manages and works to prevent and/or mitigate the social risks to which workers and their families may be exposed.

To minimize actual impacts on communities surrounding the mill, we use an approach that includes community mapping, advertising official communication channels, and managing and addressing community concerns.

Among the real impacts to the communities close to Bracell’s management and industrial areas, the following stand out:

• perception of odor;
• perception of noise from machinery and equipment;
• emission of dust from truck traffic and circulation of machinery in neighboring areas; and
• potential cases of truck speeding.

 

In turn, the potential impacts involve:

• truck traffic;
• damage or obstruction to access roads;
• cut in electricity supply;
• risk of accidents due to the use of roads and firebreaks by the company, neighbors and/or communities;
• health risks from exposure to dust; and
• degradation of roads by freight vehicles.

For forest operations, the real and potential negative impacts are identified and published in the company’s management plan. Click here to view it.

Mechanisms for seeking advice and raising concerns

Bracell Escuta bracell_escuta@bracell.com   Bahia and Sergipe 0800-006-6012   São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul 0800-033-3384   Bracell Escuta is a whistleblowing channel available to all stakeholders—both internal and external—for reporting misconduct and noncompliance with laws and regulations, the Bracell Code of Conduct or company standards.

Contact Us   Bahia and Sergipe 0800-284-4747 faleconosco@bracell.com   São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul 0800-709-1490 faleconoscosp@bracell.com   A Contact Us channel is available to submit questions, suggestions, compliments, and complaints (see more in GRI 2-29). Calls are logged and referred to the areas responsible for addressing each case. Whistleblowers receive feedback on the handling of each case. Case investigation and resolution is also documented.

In São Paulo, a total of 141 complaints were received from local communities in 2021. In Bahia, a total of 58 complaints were received in 2022 from local communities related to forestry and industrial operations. In Mato Grosso do Sul, three complaints were received relating to forestry operations.

 

Industrial Operation – São Paulo
2021		2022
Complaint	Number	Complaint	Number
Road accidents risk	10	Odor	1
Disturbance in the community (complaints about loud music and crowds in the housing for employees of third-party companies contracted for the work to expand the São Paulo site)	135	Piping maintenance	1
Speeding	1	Speeding	0
Damage to highways and local roads	3	Damage to highways and local roads	0
Total industrial	149	Total industrial	2

 

Forestry operations – São Paulo
2021		2022
Complaint	Number	Complaint	Number
Damage caused to third-party structures	32	Dust from Truck Traffic or Machinery	51
Dust from truck traffic or machinery	16	Damage caused to third-party structures	33
Road maintenance	6	Maintenance of roads, bridges and animal gates.	36
Damage to highways and local roads	6	Speeding	19
Total forestry	104	Total forestry	139
Total milling and pulpwood	253	Total milling and pulpwood	141

 

Forestry Operations – Mato Grosso do Sul
2022
Complaint	Number
Dust from Truck Traffic or Machinery	2
Speeding	1
Total forestry	3

Note: Bracell began expanding its forestry operations to the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in 2022. The company has no industrial operations in the region. Bracell’s factories are located in the Industrial District of Lençóis Paulista (SP) and in the Industrial Complex of Camaçari (BA).

 

Industrial and forestry operation – Bahia
2021		2022
Complaint	Number	Complaint	Number
Damage to property	20	Damage to property	8
Roads	24	Roads	8
Dust (pulpwood operations only)	18	Dust (pulpwood operations only)	12
Third parties	21	Third parties	11
Imprudence in traffic	7	Imprudence in traffic	12
Noise	0	Noise	01
Other	0	Other	6
Total milling and pulpwood	100	Total milling and pulpwood	58