GRI 413-2 Operations with significant actual and potential negative impacts on local communities
In 2024, we carried out engagement and relationship-building activities with communities in 115 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, 14 in Minas Gerais, 2 in Goiás, and 2 in Paraná. In the Northeast, our initiatives reached 42 municipalities—39 in Bahia and three in Sergipe—including towns such as Acajutiba, Alagoinhas, Camaçari, Feira de Santana, Pojuca, and Rio Real in Bahia, and Cristinápolis, Santa Luzia do Itanhy, and Indiaroba in Sergipe.
In the Midwest, Southeast, and South, operational impacts identified included noise pollution around our industrial sites and, in forestry operations, excessive dust, road damage or blockages, speeding, chemical drift, and property damage—all of which were mitigated. In the Northeast, the main issues involved damage to neighboring properties in areas where we operate in Bahia.
Our preventive efforts helped reduce the number of incidents of operational impacts, which dropped from 71 in 2023 to 60 in 2024.
However, the number of complaints filed in São Paulo increased from 117 in 2023 to 363 in 2024. This increase was due to the expansion of forestry operations, which led to more complaints related to third-party property damage, dust from truck traffic, road maintenance issues, service road damage, and speeding. Complaints related to fence maintenance decreased. The rise in reported cases was also influenced by our efforts to advertise reporting channels and by the stronger relationships we have built with local communities.
Complaints | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Damage to third-party property | 33 | 41 | 88 |
Airborne dust caused by trucks and machinery | 51 | 37 | 101 |
Road maintenance | 0 | 63 | 113 |
Road damage | 0 | 0 | 28 |
Maintenance of roads, bridges and culverts | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Speeding | 19 | 0 | 26 |
Fence maintenance | 0 | 27 | 6 |
Total | 139 | 168 | 362 |
Total mill and forestry | 141 | 171 | 363 |
Complaints | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Property damage | 8 | 12 | 14 |
Roads | 8 | 14 | 6 |
Dust (forestry operations only) | 12 | 8 | 2 |
Contractors (complaints from contractors directed to their contracting companies) | 11 | 14 | 18 |
Dangerous driving | 12 | 11 | 9 |
Noise | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Other | 6 | 16 | 11 |
Total – forestry and mill operations | 58 | 77 | 60 |