Community engagement is a material topic for Bracell encompassing identifying and managing community needs, and building and maintaining close and transparent relationships with stakeholders.

In 2023, Bracell announced its set of long-term sustainability targets and commitments titled “Bracell 2030”, which includes specific Empowering Lives target:

Promoting women’s entrepreneurship in communities

Our approach to stakeholder engagement includes informing communities and neighbors near our forestry and mill operations about the actual and potential impacts of our operations. As part of these practices, we:

• Inform neighboring communities about upcoming forestry operations in their vicinity, including potential risks and both positive and negative impacts from these operations;
• Strengthen our relations with communities and neighbors;
• Enhance communication with our communities and neighbors;
• Support local initiatives and help to address local needs;
• Identify, prevent and minimize potential impacts caused by operations on these communities and neighbors;
• Mitigate the risk of potential community issues that could affect our operations;
• Address inquiries and concerns regarding operational aspects and the company as a whole.

Bracell’s Integrated Management System (IMS) includes a standard, available to all employees, on relations with communities and traditional peoples and communities.

The standard outlines criteria and requirements for establishing an integrated management process for engaging with communities neighboring Bracell’s forestry and mill operations. It also contains guidance on relations with traditional peoples and communities, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The objectives of the standard are to establish continuous two-way communication, provide up-to-date and transparent information, identify and evaluate social aspects, establish measures to control and mitigate potential negative impacts, and identify positive impacts.

Read more about our local community engagement practices in GRI 413-1.

Our Community Relations guidelines are informed by an exercise to identify and review social aspects and impacts in our operations, requests and concerns raised through our communication channels, and assessments conducted by Bracell.

In São Paulo, the Araribá Indian Reservation, located in Avaí (SP), is the only indigenous community within a three-kilometer radius of Bracell’s forestry operations. The community comprises four villages—Tereguá, Ekeruá, Kopenoti and Nimuendaju—with a population of approximately 600 people.

Bracell did not develop protocols for consulting with indigenous peoples in 2023; however, dialogues were initiated with the leaders of these communities. The agenda included discussions about forestry operations that could affect people living on indigenous reservations.

These dialogues are conducted before the start of operations. During these meetings, we provide relevant information about the company’s activities, providing an opportunity for indigenous representatives to express any concerns. All concerns are taken into account. The stakeholder engagement process is inclusive of the entire community, including women and elders, and allows sufficient time for the community to be informed about issues and for Bracell to address the needs, aspirations and concerns shared by indigenous peoples during interactions with the company.

Meetings with indigenous communities are documented in minutes that record the agreements reached with community leaders. All villages are consulted through their leaders, and 100% have chiefs or vice-chiefs as representatives.

In 2023, meetings with villages were scheduled by the Brazilian Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI), which attempted to schedule meetings during hours that accommodated indigenous communities’ routine activities and informed them in advance of the start and end times of meetings, as well as the topics to be discussed. Government representatives were also involved, as one of the topics of discussion was indigenous peoples’ concern over increased risks on the region’s roads. Bracell did not invite city residents to participate in these meetings.

During the year, the Company identified and mapped the actual and potential impacts of its operations on the indigenous community. Bracell also began the process of identifying and selecting qualified and specialized consultants to conduct the study on indigenous land and to prepare the action plan and recommendations to guarantee the human and customary rights and safety of indigenous people when accessing the fishing area bordering Bracell’s forestry operations. Bracell also continued its relationship with indigenous people to formalize authorization from the leaders of the Araribá Indigenous Land to conduct fieldwork.

Bracell documented the agreements and decisions formalized with indigenous communities, implemented a communications process mediated by FUNAI, sought to avoid or resolve conflicts amicably, mapped identified risks and created prevention and mitigation measures for potential impacts, and carried out initiatives to improve relations with indigenous communities.