Bracell views biodiversity as a strategic material topic and integrates this topic into policies, commitments, and programs focused on forest preservation, deforestation prevention, and recovery disturbed land. Within our long-term roadmap, Bracell 2030, we have outlined specific targets (learn more on page GRI 2-22 Statement on sustainable development strategy).

These initiatives aim to enhance the positive impacts of our operations while mitigating or minimizing any potential negative effects. Bracell maintains an up-to-date matrix of social and environmental aspects and impacts, actively identifies risks before operations begin, monitors impacts regularly to track progress and determine the need for strategic actions, and evaluates products in terms of safety, health, and the environment.

Our efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss include ecological restoration programs, such as planting native species in protected areas that are crucial for protecting water resources and natural habitats. We also establish and manage wildlife corridors, connecting islanded ecosystems and helping preserve both fauna and flora.

Biodiversity monitoring is conducted periodically to identify the species present in the areas where we operate. The data gathered informs assessments to improve processes and management practices in order to reduce Bracell’s environmental impacts and support biodiversity conservation.

Bracell ensure strict compliance with environmental regulations, implements preventive measures against wildfires, and carries out ongoing assessments of social and environmental aspects and impacts across all operational areas. We also identify and assess potential impacts before starting activities, continuously monitor impacts from operations, and evaluate the environmental and social risks of our products.

Practices as part of our approach to managing risks and preventing potential impacts on biodiversity

Our policies apply not only to internal operations but also to our business relationships, including direct suppliers. They are also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Key practices include:

• Regular monitoring of fauna (annually in Bahia and every three years in São Paulo) and flora (every two years in Bahia and every five years in São Paulo), to detect any changes caused by forest management
• Establishing eucalyptus plantations only in areas previously used for agriculture or pasture, without converting native forests, in line with company policy (see GRI 3-3 Management of material topics: Biodiversity and ecosystems)
• Monitoring for potential impacts in adjacent areas such as protected areas and legal reserves, using satellite imagery, drones, and field inspections
• Not introducing invasive species, pests, and pathogens, and not introducing changes in ecological processes outside the natural range of variation
• Analyzing water quality in representative management units to monitor for any changes in physical and chemical properties and to determine whether these occurred as a result of forestry operations, aiming to prevent, minimize, and mitigate negative impacts on water bodies (see GRI 3-3 Management of material topics: Biodiversity and ecosystems)
• Handling and labeling chemicals in accordance with applicable regulations, regulatory standards, and certification standards
• Identifying activities deemed to have the greatest potential impact on biodiversity, such as forest establishment, harvesting, and transportation, as identified in our Matrix of Environmental Aspects and Impacts (AIA)
• Eradicating exotic plant species to reduce negative impacts on the natural ecological succession of native vegetation on company properties
• Implementing our Degraded Area Recovery Program, using techniques such as nucleation and organic matter deposition to restore native vegetation

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Bracell is committed to sustainability in all our operations and we continuously invest in research and development and deploying advanced technology without harming the environment.

Aligned with this commitment, we use biological control as part of our Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) program. Chemical pesticides are used only as a last resort and applied in minimal amounts, restricted to the specific area of need, by a specialized team. All products, dosages, and recommendations are listed in Bracell’s forestry technical manual.

Bracell also participates in cooperative projects in pest and disease control with leading institutions, such as the university Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) and major research institutes, such as Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa) and Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Florestais (IPEF). These initiatives further reinforce our commitment to sustainable eucalyptus management practices (read more about our chemical product management practices in GRI 3-3 Management of the material topic: Water and effluents).