Talent acquisition, development and retention—alongside Employee health, well-being, and safety—are strategic for the sustainability and long-term success of the business. These topics directly affect people’s experience, team performance, and Bracell’s ability to innovate and grow sustainably. For this reason, they are considered material to our approach to sustainability management (learn more about our double materiality assessment in GRI 3-2 List of material topics).

As a growing company, we view human capital as essential for achieving our Bracell 2030 targets and building a safe, healthy, and inclusive workplace.

In 2024, we continued to invest in talent acquisition, development, and retention, with a focus on occupational health and well-being practices and fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (read more about our training and development journey in GRI 404 Training and Education).

Details on our talent acquisition, development and retention practices can be found in the disclosures below, which cover women’s representation in leadership, diversity and inclusion, and employee training and development.

Bracell has significantly expanded its operations in Brazil. Since 2021, with the start-up of our Lençóis Paulista (SP) facility—our highest-capacity plant—we have seen a 151% increase in our direct workforce, totaling 10,235 employees in 2024, including 1,688 at Bracell Papéis.

Internally, we have policies, processes, and standard operating procedures that guide our people management practices. In addition, our Bracell 2030 roadmap includes a commitment to promote equal opportunity for women, with a target to reach 30% of leadership roles held by women.

Women in Leadership

Promoting gender equality is one of the top priorities in the Bracell 2030 roadmap, which sets a target of having 30% of leadership positions held by women by 2030. In 2024, we made significant progress on this front, surpassing our interim target of 27% set for the year. We closed the year with 29.4% of leadership roles held by women, totaling 117 female leaders.

These include six senior managers, 37 managers, and 74 coordinators—a strong female presence across different levels of leadership.

Affinity groups

As part of our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) targets, we also aim to foster a more inclusive work environment for our affinity groups, with a target of achieving 90% positive feedback from these employees on respect and equity in the workplace by 2030.

In 2024, the first year of implementing the Bracell 2030 roadmap, we established a satisfaction baseline for affinity groups and defined the key performance indicators that will guide future progress. This was done through a Diversity & Inclusion Census carried out during the year, which surveyed employees from affinity groups across all business units at the time of the survey. When asked about their overall satisfaction with Bracell, 27% of respondents expressed satisfaction (learn more about our Bracell 2030 targets and commitments).

Bracell’s diversity and inclusion practices (read more in GRI 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees) include measurable targets, a Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and affinity groups focused on gender, race, people with disabilities, LGBTQIAPN+, and generations—the latter launched in 2024 in our Bahia operations. We are a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a UN Global Compact and UN Women initiative providing guidance on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Bracell is also actively involved in industry organizations aligned with this agenda.

Diversity within Bracell 2030

In 2024, we defined key performance indicators to measure “respect” and “equity” and structured a management system to track progress on an action plan to create an inclusive work environment for affinity groups—one of our Bracell 2030 targets. That same year, we also reached 29.4% women in leadership positions, bringing us closer to our 2030 target of 30%.

Training and Development

Bracell offers employees a corporate learning program with a structured training matrix that builds both soft and hard skills. Through our knowledge hub—the Bracell Learning Institute—we offer development tracks tailored to our forestry, mill, logistics, and supporting operations.

Our training programs are a key differentiator in attracting and retaining talent. Training initiatives are directly aligned with Bracell’s business challenges and support employees’ personal and professional growth, while also reflecting our T.O.P.I.C.C values (read more in GRI 2-6 About Bracell).

Training is offered both in person and online. Learn more about each training program under GRI 404-2 Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs).

Impacts and risks

Bracell conducts comprehensive assessments of the potential and actual impacts related to the material topics in our materiality matrix. These assessments address both positive and negative aspects across the economy, environment, and people—including impacts on human rights.

For the topic Talent acquisition, development and retention, the aspects shown in the table below were identified. For each aspect, we work to prevent impacts from occurring and also have measures in place to reduce or mitigate impacts should they occur.

Potential impacts	Actual impacts
No negative potential impacts were identified.	Work-life imbalance: caused by excessive overtime or the lack of a flexible work system.
	Lower employee engagement.
	Higher turnover: due to the rising appeal of other roles in the market offering better benefits, flexibility, and pay.

 

As a growing company, human capital is a strategic resource for the sustainability and longevity of Bracell’s business. In 2024, we continued investing in talent acquisition and retention. We expanded our direct workforce by 22%. This growth was due to team expansion in pulp operations and the launch of our Tissue business unit through Bracell Papéis.

Our employees work across forestry operations (silviculture and harvesting), industrial operations (paper and pulp production), and administrative support functions.

At Bracell Papéis, we had 1,673 direct employees in 2024 working in our mills in São Gonçalo dos Campos (BA), Feira de Santana (BA), Pombos (PE), and Lençóis Paulista (SP). Our pulp business had a total of 8,547 direct employees working in operations in São Paulo and Bahia.

Altogether, we had 10,235 direct employees in 2024 across pulp and paper operations.

Workforce by region and gender

Region	2022			2023			2024
	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total
Bahia	1,342	436	1,778	1,434	470	1,904	1,479	490	1,969
São Paulo	3,412	715	4,127	4,501	986	5,487	5,265	1,313	6,578
Southeast Paper Operations	0	0	0	0	0	0	476	143	619
Northeast Paper Operations	0	0	0	0	0	0	834	235	1,069
Total	4,754	1,151	5,905	5,935	1,456	7,391	8,054	2,181	10,235

Note: Bracell Papéis, our paper business, started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

Workforce by employment contract and gender

Employment contract	2022			2023			2024
	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total
Permanent employees	5,094	1,232	6,326	5,897	1,421	7,318	7,847	2,003	9,850
Temporary employees	123	86	206	38	35	73	195	175	370
Non-guaranteed hours employees	1,845	152	1,997	4,683	1,033	5,716	509	192	701
Full-time employees	4,963	1,215	6,178	5,735	1,387	7,122	7,934	2,028	9,962
Part-time employees¹	72	58	130	17	23	40	108	150	156

Note: to ensure greater alignment with the GRI Standards, we refined our definition of non-guaranteed hours employees, which led to a decrease in the figure reported for 2024. This category includes direct employees holding roles such as specialist, coordinator, manager, senior manager, and C-suite (for more details, see GRI 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees).

Total remuneration at Bracell is based on the employee’s role as well as their skills and competencies. We also apply variable compensation criteria linked to results, alignment with, and dissemination of our T.O.P.I.C.C. organizational values.

Our compensation structure is compliant with current labor laws and all collective bargaining agreements. We also benchmark our compensation practices so we remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent to support Bracell’s strategies and goals.

Internally, compensation is determined based on a role’s grading and/or its relative importance in the organizational structure, internal pay equity, the knowledge and competencies required for each role, the defined organizational structure, available budget, and both individual and company performance.

The salary table is updated annually based on market benchmarks. Benchmarking assessments cover variables such as competitor compensation, regional benchmarks, labor availability, unemployment rates, and turnover.

For executive-level positions, Bracell’s Compensation Policy includes fixed and variable pay, signing bonuses and hiring incentives, retirement benefits, and severance-related policies.

For leadership positions, variable compensation includes bonuses linked to achieving organizational goals, including commitments outlined in Bracell 2030 (read more under Bracell 2030).

Variable compensation consists of two components:

Performance Contract (PC): individual contracts outlining employee-specific performance targets, as part of a corporate bonus program. This model aligns individual with organizational objectives and drives high performance and talent retention.

Core Values Evaluation Form: in this component, payment is tied to performance assessed through our Profit-Sharing Program (PPR), which is agreed annually by the company, an employee committee, and the labor union to match compensation with overall business performance.

Contract terminations follow the guidelines established by Brazilian labor legislation.

Bracell conducts annual salary adjustments through collective bargaining negotiations with the unions representing each employee category. These processes foster dialogue and respect for the unions representing our employees.

In addition to fixed salaries, we offer Profit-Sharing Program (PPR) payments. These amounts are defined annually through agreements between the company, a committee elected by employees, and the employee category’s union. For employees at the specialist, coordinator, manager, and senior leadership levels, the PPR is calculated under individual performance contracts, with awards governed by our corporate bonus program.

Collective bargaining agreements cover 95% of direct employees in our pulp operations and Southeast and Northeast paper operations, and 97% of direct employees in our Bahia pulp operations.

The agreements include the following employee categories by business unit:

1. Bahia pulp operations: excludes managers and above
2. São Paulo pulp operations: excludes coordinators and above
3. Southeast paper operations: excludes coordinators and above
4. Northeast paper operations: excludes specialists and above

Learn more in GRI 2-19 and 2-20.

Bracell’s Compensation Policy applies to all employees. This policy establishes a minimum wage that is higher than the local minimum wage. The Policy is guided by inclusive principles that promote equal opportunity and diversity across dimensions such as gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, geographic origin, social class, and personal values, while recognizing individual strengths and talents.

Salaries are determined based on several factors, including current labor laws and collective bargaining agreements, the role’s weight and importance within the organizational structure, market practices, internal pay equity, external competitiveness, the expertise and skills required for each position, organizational strategies, available budget, and the company’s financial position.

The salary table is updated annually based on compensation surveys conducted by specialized consulting firms, taking into account factors such as competition, region, labor availability, unemployment rates, and market turnover. The total compensation package offered by the company includes basic salary, bonuses, variable compensation, and benefits, and is designed to be competitive within the market.

A significant portion of workers who are not employees but are engaged in our activities are paid according to the rules established for the local minimum wage.

Bracell offers employees a defined contribution benefit plan, which is based on monthly contributions made equally by both employee and employer. This is a voluntary plan with nationwide coverage. The purpose of the benefit is to encourage employees to build financial reserves throughout their careers, providing greater financial security in retirement and supplementing the public pension system.

Under the current model, no liabilities are generated, as monthly contributions are immediately allocated to a dedicated fund for each enrolled participant. Our strategy fully ensures coverage of the plan through monthly deposits matching employee contributions. Because it is a defined contribution structure, the organization does not require or set a vesting period, as coverage is already guaranteed under the current model.

For confidentiality reasons, Bracell does not disclose financial information.

Total workforce and new hires in the period, by age group

Bahia

Age group	Total workforce	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Under 30	421	168	39.9	95	31.24
30 to 50	1,304	115	8.82	140	9.78
Over 50	244	7	2.87	18	5.12
Total	1,969	290	14.73	253	13.79

 

São Paulo

Age group	Total workforce	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Under 30	1,564	794	50.77	350	36.57
30 to 50	3,430	1,523	35.44	1,057	37.61
Over 50	1584	234	14.77	169	12.72
Total	6,578	2,551	38.78	1,576	31.37

 

Southeast Paper Operations

Age group	Total workforce	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Under 30	196	71	36.22	14	21.68
30 to 50	273	136	49.82	23	29.12
Over 50	150	7	4.67	8	5
Total	619	214	34.57	45	20.92

Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

 

Northeast Paper Operations

Age group	Total workforce	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Under 30	320	109	34.06	81	29.69
30 to 50	627	201	32.06	139	27.11
Over 50	45	6	13.33	5	12.22
Total	992	316	31.85	225	27.27

Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

Total workforce and new hires in the period, by gender

Bahia

Gender	Total employees	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Men	1,479	189	12.78	168	12.07
Women	490	101	20.61	85	18.98
Total	1,969	290	14.73	253	13.79

 

São Paulo

Gender	Total employees	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Men	5,635	1,961	34.8	1,199	28.04
Women	1,357	656	48.34	409	39.24
Total	6,992	2,617	37.43	1,608	30.21

 

Southeast Paper Operations

Gender	Total employees	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Men	476	150	31.51	38	19.75
Women	143	64	44.76	7	24.83
Total	619	214	34.57	45	20.92
Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

 

Northeast Paper Operations

Gender	Total employees	New hires	New hire rate (%)	Terminations	Turnover rate (%)
Men	781	177	22.66	177	22.66
Women	211	238	112.8	48	67.77
Total	992	415	41.83	225	32.26
Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

 

Pay packages for direct employees are developed based on benchmarking assessments and internal performance reviews, which are conducted twice a year, while also complying with relevant labor legislation. Our compensation and variable compensation policies (which are tied to performance reviews) align with the compensation and evaluation policies of the RGE Group (read more in GRI 2-20).

Employee compensation also includes a benefits package aligned with our corporate policies to promote health and well-being. We are a responsible corporate citizen. We offer extended maternity and paternity leave of 180 and 20 days, respectively. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, meal and food allowance cards, pharmacy benefit, health and wellness services (nutrition, psychological counseling, gym access, other sports activities, and health and wellness programs), private pension plans, payroll-deductible loans, Profit-Sharing Program (PPR), dependent allowance for children with disabilities, life insurance, daycare assistance, and year-end benefits (read more in GRI 401-3).

We are a responsible corporate citizen. We offer extended maternity and paternity leave of 180 and 20 days, respectively.

	BAHIA	SÃO PAULO	SOUTHEAST PAPER OPERATIONS	NORTHEAST PAPER OPERATIONS
Total number of employees that were entitled to parental leave
Men	1,479	5,635	476	822
Women	490	1,357	143	232
Total employees who took parental leave during the current year
Men	44	32	2	64
Women	8	39	1	15
Total employees who returned to work during the reporting period after parental leave ended
Men	46	33	2	0
Women	10	31	1	0
Total number of employees that returned to work after parental leave ended that were still employed 12 months after their return to work
Men	17	36	2	0
Women	18	9	0	0
Return rate
Men	100	100	100	0
Women	100	100	100	0
Retention rate
Men	89.47	76.60	100	0
Women	81.82	60.00	0	0

The averages include all employees who received training, including those who were terminated during 2024.

Average hours of training for employees during the period covered by this report, by gender

Bahia

Gender	Total number of employees			Hours of training			Average hours of training
	2022	2023	2024	2022	2023	2024	2022	2023	2024
Men	1,343	1,434	1,479	85,221.18	62,016.72	47,988.43	63.46	43.25	32.45
Women	436	470	490	10,538.12	10,618.32	12,222.28	24.17	22.59	24.94
Total	1,779	1,904	1,969	95,759.30	72,635.04	60,210.71	53.83	38.15	30.58

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

São Paulo

Gender	Total number of employees			Hours of training			Average hours of training
	2022	2023	2024	2022	2023	2024	2022	2023	2024
Men	3,617	4,718	5,265	119,051.00	314,123.00	246,771.00	32.91	66.60	46.87
Women	818	1,064	1,313	13,040.00	50,479.00	45,036.00	15.94	47.40	34.30
Total	4,435	5,782	6,578	132,092.00	364,603.00	291,807.00	29.78	63.10	44.36

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

Southeast Paper Operations

Gender	Total number of employees	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Men	476	54,789.00	115.10
Women	143	9,541.00	66.72
Total	619	64,330.00	103.93
Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024. Training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

Northeast Paper Operations

Gender	Total number of employees	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Men	834	6,418.00	7.70
Women	235	1,206.83	5.14
Total	1,069	7,624.83	7.13
Note: Bracell Papéis, our paper business, started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024. Training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

Average number of training hours completed by the organization’s employees during the reporting period, by job category

Bahia

Employee category	Total number of employees	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Executive Board	2	23.5	11.75
Senior Management	14	395.25	28.23
Middle Management	40	1,163	29.07
Coordinator	76	3,230	42.5
Specialist	64	2,385.55	37.27
Technical/Supervisor	152	5,960.93	39.22
Administrative	365	10,038.85	27.5
Operational	1,253	36,587.63	29.2
Trainee	3	426	142
Total	1,969	60,210.71	30.58

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

São Paulo

Employee category	Total number of employees	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Executive Board	12	609	50.75
Senior Management	25	1,752	70.08
Middle Management	86	9,234	107.37
Coordinator	153	23,543	153.88
Specialist	134	5,304	39.58
Technical/Supervisor	820	45,045	54.93
Administrative	882	31,355	35.55
Operational	4,446	172,821	38.87
Trainee	20	2,144	107.2
Total	6,578	291,807	44.36

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

Southeast Paper Operations

Employee category	Total workforce	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Executive Board	2	67	33.5
Senior Management	4	83	20.75
Middle Management	18	539	29.94
Coordinator	6	219	36.50
Specialist	12	624	52.00
Technical/Supervisor	128	12,096	94.50
Administrative	104	3,572	34.35
Operational	345	47,130	136.61
Trainee	0	0	0
Total	619	64,330	103.93

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

 

Northeast Paper Operations

Employee category	Total workforce	Hours of training	Average hours of training
Executive Board	0	0	0
Senior Management	4	0	0
Middle Management	20	143.5	7.18
Coordinator	26	262.33	10.09
Specialist	3	6	2
Technical/Supervisor	51	581	11.39
Administrative	193	975.67	5.06
Operational	772	5,656.33	7.33
Trainee	0	0	0
Total	1,069	7,624.83	7.13

Note: training data includes all employees who attended training and development activities during the year. The GRI 2-7 figure refers to the total number of direct employees as of December 31, 2024.

Bracell offers employees a corporate learning program with a structured training matrix that builds both soft and hard skills. Through our knowledge hub—the Bracell Learning Institute—we offer development tracks tailored to our forestry, mill, logistics, and supporting operations. Training is delivered in both in-person and virtual formats, covering:

1. Leadership Development:

1. Lidera and Líderes em Ação: our Lidera program is designed for coordinators, while Líderes em Ação is geared to supervisors—with both aimed at building leadership capabilities.
2. Manager Training Program (MTP): delivered across all RGE Group companies, this program provides a learning track covering strategic topics such as Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources, with sessions led by company executives.
3. Plant Lead Development: a targeted program that prepares high-performing operators to move into leadership positions.

2. Managerial skills & soft skills:
   training to build interpersonal, emotional, and behavioral competencies, helping create a more collaborative and efficient workplace.
3. Gateway Program:
   tailored development tracks for young apprentices, interns, and trainees to support onboarding, cultural integration, and long-term professional growth. Bracell offers Apprentice, Technical Internship, University Internship, and Trainee programs to support early career development, and maintains a talent pool focused on business and operational roles.
4. Technical and Role-Specific Training:
   Programs designed to ensure compliance with regulations, internal policies, and legal requirements, while fostering employee safety and well-being.
5. Passport Program:
   A learning track for employees in mill, forestry, and logistics operations, focused on boosting productivity and enhancing performance.

Adding to these programs are the following initiatives:

• Academic partnerships: scholarships for graduate courses in Pulp and Paper Technology (offered by the Brazilian Pulp and Paper Technical Association) and for an MBA in Forest Management (offered by the Federal University of Paraná).
• Financial Support for External Training, including grants for a range of educational opportunities, such as:
  • English
  • Trade programs
  • Undergraduate programs
  • Graduate and MBA programs
  • Master’s degrees
• Induction events: Floresta em Foco and Indústria em Foco highlight key aspects of Bracell’s forestry and mill operations, supporting technical and strategic learning.
• MULTI Assessment Center: this tool evaluates employees’ behavioral skills for leadership positions, supporting strategic decision-making and professional development.
• Organizational culture initiatives: these include podcasts featuring company leaders, quizzes, lectures, and the T.O.P.I.C.C. Award, which honors employees who embody the company’s values.

Bracell also provides training focused on gender equity, inclusion of people with disabilities, and inclusive leadership, reinforcing our commitment to a fairer and more respectful workplace.

In 2024, we carried out extensive Inclusive Leadership training for all managers, supported by an external consulting firm. The goal was to raise awareness of how diverse environments tend to be more inclusive, innovative, and productive, as they value different perspectives, foster creativity, and contribute to better organizational outcomes.

Additionally, affirmative-action initiatives at our Bahia operations, such as the English for Women program—designed to accelerate women’s careers—led to a year-over-year increase in training hours for female employees.

During the year, trainees logged the highest average number of training hours, driven by a comprehensive onboarding and development process throughout the 18-month trainee program. Coordinators and Specialists also actively participated in initiatives like the Lidera Program and in-company English classes. Technicians and Supervisors benefited from the Líderes em Ação program, while administrative employees had full access to a Soft Skills Learning Track. In addition to mandatory and compliance-related training, operational employees also took this learning track, supporting their continued development.

For employees nearing the end of their careers, we run a Retirement Preparation Program (learn more under GRI 201-3 Defined benefit plan obligations and other retirement plans).

Bracell Learning Institute

Bracell operates a dedicated knowledge and training hub called the Bracell Learning Institute (BLI). BLI embodies our commitment to employee development and to fostering a culture of continuous learning. Through the institute, we create opportunities to share knowledge via formal training and development activities—both in person and online— as well as hands-on field training.

The BLI delivers learning programs aligned with the needs of our business and operations. These cover regulatory standards, technical and operational topics such as workplace safety, corporate values, company policies and guidelines, leadership development, as well as community training initiatives for prospective operations employees.

Percentage of employees receiving performance reviews by region (%)

Region	2022		2023		2024
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Bahia	77	23	76	24	92	90
São Paulo	82	18	81	19	89	84
Southeast Paper Operations	–	–	–	–	92	85
Northeast Paper Operations	–	–	–	–	4	4
Total by gender	81	20	80	20	81	77
Note: Bracell Papéis started operations in 2023 and is reporting its sustainability performance indicators for the first time, for year 2024.

 

Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews (%)

	Bahia		São Paulo		Southeast Paper Operations		Northeast Paper Operations
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Executive Board	50	–	100	–	100	–	–	–
Senior Management	55	75	95	100	100	100	–	–
Middle Management	90	92	97	96	100	83	100	100
Coordinator	100	100	96	93	100	100	100	100
Specialist	87	71	97	95	91	100	0	0
Technical/Supervisor	89	97	95	92	94	85	0	0
Administrative	82	82	94	97	97	92	0	0
Operational	89	94	87	73	89	81	0	0
Trainee	0	0	100	100	0	0	0	0
Total	96	91	89	84	92	85	4	4

The Sustainability Steering Committee is the highest corporate governance body responsible for sustainability topics. This committee oversees sustainability performance and supervises the company’s environmental, social, and governance practices (see GRI 2-9 Governance structure and composition and GRI 2-18 Evaluation of the performance of the highest governance body for more information).

The committee comprises six members, all holding executive positions. Bracell does not have any independent or advisory members on its governance bodies or committees (learn more about the roles and credentials of the Sustainability Steering Committee members under GRI 2-17: Collective knowledge of the highest governance body).

Women in Leadership

Promoting gender equality is one of the top priorities in the Bracell 2030 roadmap, which sets a target of having 30% of leadership positions held by women by 2030. In 2024, we made significant progress toward this target, exceeding our interim goal of 27% set for the year, and closing the cycle with 29.4% of leadership roles held by women, representing 117 female leaders within the company.

As part of our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) targets, we also aim to foster a more inclusive work environment for our affinity groups, with a target of achieving 90% positive feedback from these employees on respect and equity in the workplace by 2030.

In 2024, the first year of implementing our Bracell 2030 roadmap, we established the baseline satisfaction levels within these groups and identified key performance indicators by which we will measure our efforts in the years ahead.

Number of leaders in pulp business operations, by gender and role – 2024¹

Position	Men		Women
	São Paulo	Bahia	São Paulo	Bahia
Director2	12	2	0	0
Senior Manager	22	7	3	3
Manager	61	25	25	12
Coordinator	95	57	58	16
Total	190	91	86	31
Total by gender	281		117

¹ Includes only Bracell’s direct employees. Bracell Papéis employees are not included.

² Including the positions of president, director, head and vice president.

Percentage of women in leadership roles directly involved in pulp operations – 2024¹ 

	Bahia	São Paulo	Total
Total people in leadership positions	122	276	398
Total women in leadership positions	31	86	117
Percentage of women in leadership positions	25,4	31.2	29.4

¹ Includes only Bracell’s direct employees. Bracell Papéis employees are not included. The women in leadership target in our Bracell 2030 roadmap is based on the number of female leaders working directly in our pulp operations.

As of yearend 2024, women in leadership positions at Bracell included 6 senior managers, 37 managers, and 74 coordinators—making up 29.4% of all leadership roles.

In 2024, we carried out the following initiatives as part of our Diversity & Inclusion 2030 roadmap:

1. Conducted a company-wide Diversity & Inclusion Census across all Bracell operations
2. Ran a survey on respect and equity, targeted at affinity group members, as part of the D&I Census
3. Launched a Women’s Talent Acquisition and Retention Program—which includes mapping women in succession tracks for leadership roles, opening affirmative job postings for women, creating a women-focused talent pool, and providing leadership training on bias awareness and inclusive leadership
4. Rolled out a Women’s Career Acceleration Program—focused on women identified as future leaders—which also includes creating affirmative-action leadership positions for women.

 

Number and percentage of individuals within the organization’s governance bodies – by gender¹

Governance bodies	Bahia		São Paulo		Southeast Paper Operations		Total
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Number of governance body members	2	0	3	0	1	0	6	0
Percentage of governance body members by gender	100	0	100	0	100	0	100	0

¹ There are no individuals in governance bodies in our Northeast paper operations.

Number and percentage of individuals within the organization’s governance bodies by age group¹

Governance bodies	Bahia		São Paulo		Southeast Paper Operations		Total
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Under 30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
30 to 50	0	0	2	66.67	0	0	2	33.33
Over 50	2	100	1	33.33	1	100	4	66.67
Total	2	100	3	100	1	100	6	100

¹ There are no individuals from minority and/or vulnerable groups serving on the organization’s governance bodies. The data excludes our Northeast paper operation, as this data has not been tracked for this operation.

Total workforce by employee category and gender¹

Employee category	Bahia		São Paulo		Southeast Paper Operations		Northeast Paper Operations		Total
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Executive Management1	2	0	12	0	2	0	0	0	16	0
Senior Manager	11	3	22	3	3	1	4	0	40	7
Middle Management	27	13	61	25	12	6	15	5	115	49
Coordinator	59	17	95	58	4	2	20	6	178	83
Specialist	52	12	95	39	11	1	2	1	160	53
Technical/Supervisor	120	32	732	88	108	20	41	10	1,001	150
Administrative	168	197	505	377	68	36	82	111	823	721
Operational	1,039	214	3,737	709	268	77	670	102	5,714	1,102
Trainee	1	2	6	14	0	0	0	0	7	16
Total	1,479	490	5,265	1,313	476	143	834	235	8,054	2,181

¹ Including the positions of president, director, head and vice president.

Percentage of employees by job category and gender (%)

Employee category	Bahia		São Paulo		Southeast Paper Operations		Northeast Paper Operations		Total
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Executive Management1	100	0	100	0	100	0	0	0	100	0
Senior Manager	70	30	88	12	75	25	100	0	85	15
Middle Management	68	32	71	29	67	33	75	25	70	30
Coordinator	78	22	62	38	67	33	77	23	68	32
Specialist	81	19	71	29	92	8	67	33	75	25
Technical/Supervisor	79	21	89	11	84	16	80	20	87	13
Administrative	46	54	57	43	65	35	42	58	53	47
Operational	83	17	84	16	78	22	87	13	84	16
Trainee	33	67	30	70	0	0	0	0	30	70
Total	75	25	80	20	77	23	78	22	79	21

¹ The data includes the positions of president, director, head and vice president.

Number of employees by employee category and age group

	Bahia	São Paulo	Southeast Paper Operations	Northeast Paper Operations	Total
Executive Board
Under 30	0	0	0	0	0
30 to 50	0	8	1	0	9
Over 50	2	4	1	0	7
Total	2	12	2	0	16
Senior Manager
Under 30	0	0	0	0	0
30 to 50	11	20	3	0	34
Over 50	3	5	1	0	9
Total	14	25	4	0	43
Middle Management
Under 30	0	0	0	0	0
30 to 50	35	67	12	17	131
Over 50	5	19	6	0	30
Total	40	86	18	17	161
Coordinator
Under 30	1	6	0	5	14
30 to 50	64	101	3	16	182
Over 50	11	46	3	2	62
Total	76	153	6	23	258
Specialist
Under 30	10	8	1	0	24
30 to 50	42	95	8	3	143
Over 50	12	31	3	0	46
Total	64	134	12	3	213
Technical/Supervisor
Under 30	11	192	33	7	245
30 to 50	108	436	62	42	646
Over 50	33	192	33	1	259
Total	152	820	128	50	1,150
Administrative
Under 30	151	312	25	113	616
30 to 50	187	389	55	74	690
Over 50	27	181	24	3	235
Total	365	882	104	190	1,541
Operational
Under 30	245	1,027	137	194	1,642
30 to 50	857	2,313	129	532	3,792
Over 50	151	1,106	79	45	1,381
Total	1,253	4,446	345	771	6,815
Trainee
Under 30	3	19	0	0	22
30 to 50	0	1	0	0	1
Over 50	0	0	0	0	0
Total	3	20	0	0	23
Total
Under 30	421	1,564	196	319	2,563
30 to 50	1,304	3,430	273	684	5,628
Over 50	244	1,584	150	51	2,029
Total	1,969	6,578	619	1,054	10,220

 

Percentage of employees, by job category and age group (%)

	Bahia	São Paulo	Southeast Paper Operations	Northeast Paper Operations	Total
Executive Board
Under 30	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
30 to 50	0%	67%	50%	0%	56%
Over 50	100%	33%	50%	0%	44%
Total	100	100	100	0	100%
Senior Manager
Under 30	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
30 to 50	79%	80%	75%	0%	79%
Over 50	21%	20%	25%	0%	21%
Total	100%	100%	100%	0%	100%
Middle Management
Under 30	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
30 to 50	88%	78%	67%	100%	81%
Over 50	13%	22%	33%	0%	19%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Coordinator
Under 30	1%	4%	0%	22%	5%
30 to 50	84%	66%	50%	70%	71%
Over 50	14%	30%	50%	9%	24%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Specialist
Under 30	16%	6%	8%	0%	11%
30 to 50	66%	71%	67%	100%	67%
Over 50	19%	23%	25%	0%	22%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Technical/Supervisor
Under 30	7%	23%	26%	14%	21%
30 to 50	71%	53%	48%	84%	56%
Over 50	22%	23%	26%	2%	23%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Administrative
Under 30	41%	35%	24%	59%	40%
30 to 50	51%	44%	53%	39%	45%
Over 50	7%	21%	23%	2%	15%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Operational
Under 30	20%	23%	40%	25%	24%
30 to 50	68%	52%	37%	69%	56%
Over 50	12%	25%	23%	6%	20%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Trainee
Under 30	100%	95%	0%	0%	96%
30 to 50	0%	5%	0%	0%	4%
Over 50	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Total	100%	100%	0%	0%	100%
Total
Under 30	21%	24%	32%	30%	25%
30 to 50	66%	52%	44%	65%	55%
Over 50	12%	24%	24%	5%	20%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

 

Number of employees in minority and/or vulnerable groups, by employee category

	Bahia	São Paulo	Southeast Paper Operations	Northeast Paper Operations	Total
PwDs
Executive Board	0	0	0	0	0
Senior Manager	1	0	0	0	1
Middle Management	1	2	0	0	3
Coordinator	1	1	0	1	3
Specialist	0	1	0	0	1
Technical/Supervisor	4	13	0	0	17
Administrative	29	7	0	2	38
Operational	38	39	1	14	92
Trainee	0	1	0	0	1
Total	74	64	1	17	156
Black individuals1
Executive Board	–	–	–	0	0
Senior Manager	–	–	–	0	0
Middle Management	–	–	–	0	0
Coordinator	–	–	–	5	5
Specialist	–	–	–	0	0
Technical/Supervisor	–	–	–	7	7
Administrative	–	–	–	34	34
Operational	–	–	–	173	173
Trainee	–	–	–	0	0
Total	–	–	–	219	219

¹ Data on employees in minority and/or vulnerable groups (black and LGBTQIA+) by employee category are not tracked for our pulp and paper operations in São Paulo or our pulp operations in Bahia. The number of black employees is currently tracked only for our Northeast paper operations.

Percentage of employees in minority and/or vulnerable groups by employee category (%)

	Bahia	São Paulo	Southeast Paper Operations	Northeast Paper Operations	Total
PwDs
Executive Board	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Senior Manager	7.14%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	2.10%
Middle Management	2.50%	2.33%	0.00%	0.00%	1.80%
Coordinator	1.32%	0.65%	0.00%	3.85%	1.10%
Specialist	0.00%	0.75%	0.00%	0.00%	0.50%
Technical/Supervisor	2.63%	1.59%	0.00%	0.00%	1.50%
Administrative	7.95%	0.79%	0.00%	1.04%	2.50%
Operational	3.03%	0.88%	0.29%	1.81%	1.30%
Trainee	0.00%	5.00%	0.00%	0.00%	4.30%
Total	3.76%	0.97%	0.16%	1.59%	1.50%
Black individuals1
Executive Board	–	–	–	0.00%	0.00%
Senior Manager	–	–	–	0.00%	0.00%
Middle Management	–	–	–	0.00%	0.00%
Coordinator	–	–	–	19.23%	19.23%
Specialist	–	–	–	0.00%	0.00%
Technical/Supervisor	–	–	–	13.73%	13.73%
Administrative	–	–	–	17.62%	17.62%
Operational	–	–	–	22.41%	22.41%
Trainee	–	–	–	0.00%	0.00%
Total	–	–	–	20.49%	20.49%

¹ Data on employees in minority and/or vulnerable groups (black and LGBTQIA+) by employee category are not tracked for our pulp and paper operations in São Paulo or our pulp operations in Bahia. The number of black employees is currently tracked only for our Northeast paper operations.

Total workforce by region and gender

Region	Men	Women	Total
Bahia	1,479	490	1,969
São Paulo	5,265	1,313	6,578
Southeast Paper Operations	476	143	619
Northeast Paper Operations	822	232	1,054
Total	8,042	2,178	10,220

 

Workforce by region and gender (%)

Region	Men	Women	Total
Bahia	75	25	100
São Paulo	80	20	100
Southeast Paper Operations	77	23	100
Northeast Paper Operations	78	22	100
Total	79	21	100

Diversity & Inclusion

Our Diversity Journey follows common guidelines for all RGE group companies in Brazil, adapted to the specific nature and needs of each business unit. The Journey is structured around five pillars:

1. Gender
2. People with Disabilities
3. Race
4. LGBTQIA+
5. Generations

Across these pillars, we work to:

1. Promote inclusion and equity, creating opportunities for growth and a sense of belonging for everyone, regardless of identity or background
2. Increase awareness and education by engaging employees and raising awareness around the importance of diversity and inclusive policies
3. Strengthen initiatives through partnerships and certifications, positioning Bracell as a leader in diversity
4. Expand representation by expanding affirmative action initiatives and recruiting talent from underrepresented groups
5. Ensure a psychologically safe environment by fostering a culture of respect, appreciation, and psychological safety.

In 2024, we made consistent progress in our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) efforts through structured initiatives that helped build an inclusive workplace culture and foster equity across all levels of the organization. Key initiatives carried out during the year are outlined below.

1. Advancing Women in Leadership

• We continued to track progress on our target to reach 30% women in leadership roles by 2030, as part of our commitment to gender equity. In 2024, we made significant progress toward this target, exceeding our interim target of 27% set for the year, and closing the cycle with 29,4% of leadership roles held by women, representing 117 female leaders within the company (learn more under Bracell 2030). The women in leadership target in our Bracell 2030 roadmap is based on the number of female leaders working directly in our pulp operations.
• We launched a Women’s Career Acceleration Program, with 50% of positions reserved as affirmative-action opportunities to help build a strong pipeline of future female leaders (learn more about women in leadership on page XX).

2. Harassment Prevention and Response

• Bracell provided training on workplace and sexual harassment for coordinators, managers, and supervisors across the organization.
• We ran an internal awareness campaign featuring posters, practical leadership guides, and a refresher on our Code of Conduct.
• Key Personnel—including business partners, internal auditors, and HR teams—were trained in investigation techniques to strengthen internal reporting and response mechanisms.

3. Strengthening D&I Governance

• We unified our affinity groups, which began meeting monthly in June to discuss relevant topics and assess ongoing initiatives.
• Strategic departments such as Health, Communications, and Recruitment were also trained to support the effective rollout of D&I strategies.

4. Education, Awareness, and Engagement

• We introduced the Bracell Diversity & Inclusion Guide, which defines key concepts, outlines commitments, and shares good practices to foster a more inclusive environment.
• We hosted our 1^st D&I Corporate Week, with expert-led discussions on disability, LGBTQIAPN+, generations, race, and gender.
• We also launched inclusive leadership training focused on respect, belonging, and building diverse, collaborative teams.

5. Data-Driven Assessment and Planning

• We conducted a Diversity and Inclusion Census, mapping inequalities related to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and other factors.
• The findings informed our first structured D&I action plan, set to begin implementation in 2025.

Recognition

Bracell’s communication and sustainability initiatives were recognized in 2024 with the Jatobá Public Relations Trophy. We received a special award as Company of the Year, a category that celebrates communication efforts combining innovation, strategy, and impact. We presented three case studies: “Bracell 2030 Roadmap,” a documentary, and an internal campaign against harassment and discrimination called Não é MIMIMI (“It’s Not Whining”).

Diversity, the central theme of the campaign awarded the Jatobá Trophy, is also a key element in our ESG strategy and is reflected in the Bracell 2030 commitments. We strive to promote equal opportunity for men and women and foster an inclusive work environment for all affinity groups. As a company operating in a sector with human capital challenges, we aim to lead the industry through initiatives that enhance quality of life, turning them—along with training, development, and recognition programs—into factors in attracting and retaining talent.

Affinity groups

Bracell fosters diversity and inclusion through affinity groups that design initiatives tailored to the unique challenges and contexts of each business unit. These groups play a vital role in raising awareness and educating our workforce, helping to build a more inclusive and equitable workplace environment. We currently support five active affinity groups: Race, LGBT+, People with Disabilities (PwDs), Generations, and Gender.

In 2024, we reached key milestones in our diversity journey across four focus areas: representation, training, partnerships, and affirmative action:

• Representation: we currently have 75 allies at our Alagoinhas (BA) and Camaçari (BA) sites, actively promoting our D&I agenda.
• Training and Awareness: we delivered 27 hours of diversity training, 26 hours of awareness events, and 9 hours of Toolbox Talks, reaching more than 300 employees in our operations.
• Partnerships and Recognition: We formed three new partnerships with consulting firms specializing in inclusive practices. We received the Lilac badge from the Government of Bahia, recognizing gender inclusion initiatives, and we maintained our LGBT+ and racial equity certifications.
• Affirmative Action: we established our first all-women forestry team. Twenty-three contractors were hired to work in our forestry operations in Bahia. We also launched another edition of Indica PcD, a referrals program for people with disabilities.
• Development programs: we launched an English Development Program for Women and a Development Track for People with Disabilities.

Guidance Handbook

In 2024, we published our Diversity & Inclusion Guide, shared with all employees. The Guide, available to all employees, provides straightforward, plain-language definitions of key terms and concepts, along with practical tips for cultivating an inclusive mindset and fostering a supportive, psychologically safe workplace.

At Bracell, employee compensation is based on their roles and responsibilities, ensuring there is no gender bias or any other form of discrimination. For confidentiality reasons, we do not disclose individual salaries or details on salary composition.

Bracell’s Compensation Policy, applicable to all employees, uses an inclusive and equitable approach that values diversity and provides equal opportunity for everyone. This policy embraces differences and recognizes individual talent and potential, covering diversity across gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, geographic origin, social class, disability, physical appearance, and world views.

Bracell’s total compensation package includes financial elements based on each employee’s role, contributions, and achievements.

Our compensation structure is compliant with current labor laws and all collective bargaining agreements. We also benchmark our compensation practices so we remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent to support Bracell’s strategies and goals.

Internally, compensation is determined based on a role’s grading and/or its relative importance in the organizational structure, internal pay equity, the knowledge and competencies required for each role, the defined organizational structure, available budget, and both individual and company performance.

The salary table is updated annually based on market benchmarks. Benchmarking assessments cover variables such as competitor compensation, regional benchmarks, labor availability, unemployment rates, and turnover.

For the highest governance body and C-suite positions, Bracell’s compensation structure includes fixed and variable pay, signing bonuses and recruitment incentives, retirement benefits, and severance-related policies.

For leadership positions, variable compensation includes bonuses linked to achieving organizational goals, including commitments outlined in Bracell 2030 (read more under Bracell 2030).

Total compensation structure

Total compensation is composed of:

• Basic salary
• Allowances
• Variable compensation
• Benefits.

Our salary table is reviewed annually against market-specific or general benchmarks from research published by specialized consultancies. Based on this benchmarking research, adjustments may or may not be made. Salary adjustments consider factors such as:

• Market fluctuations
• Competitiveness
• Region
• Labor availability
• Unemployment rate
• Market turnover

Variable compensation

Variable compensation is structured into two main groups:

1. Performance Contract (PC):
   • Based on an individual contracts setting specific targets
   • The award is governed by a corporate bonus program tied to target achievement
2. TOPICC Core Values Assessment Form (CVAF):
   • Based on scores from the employee performance review process
   • Payments are governed by a Profit-Sharing Agreement (PPR), established annually between the company, a committee elected by employees, and the relevant union

In 2024, two discrimination cases were reported at our pulp operations in São Paulo. These cases are still under review and have not yet been concluded. In our Southeast paper operations, also located in São Paulo, one discrimination case was reported. Following an investigation, we implemented action plans to address findings. Action outcomes are being monitored through routine internal management review processes. The case was deemed resolved following the implementation of necessary administrative measures.

In our pulp operations in Bahia, a case of discrimination related to sexual orientation was reported through Bracell’s whistleblowing channel. We investigated the report, implemented action plans, and have been monitoring results through our routine management review process. The case was independently investigated and properly addressed based on the outcome of the investigation.

In our Northeast paper operations, no instances of discrimination were reported through our whistleblowing channel.