The process of building relationships with surrounding communities has two main purposes: the first is to keep Suzano's Social License to Operate, and the second is to strengthen territorial development. To attain these objectives, it is essential to ensure constant and transparent communication with local associations and cooperatives, NGOs, remote neighbors, unions, municipalities, states and other companies, thereby maintaining a mostly positive perception of Suzano within the territory.
Besides the aspect of communication, a crucial aspect is to be willing to jointly build solutions with the community to address local issues, which can be environmental, social, cultural, economic, structural or even emergency-related. Both dimensions (communication and development of collaborative solutions) are fully intertwined in our relationship strategy, as they are mutually reinforcing.
Nowadays, our relationship strategy covers all areas within the influence of Suzano¹s 13 manufacturing units and 1 under construction, the forestry network that supports these units and also the port operations in Brazil. In global figures, these operations directly or indirectly affect the daily lives of 1,608 localities in more than 200 municipalities in 9 Brazilian states.
Operational units engage in relationships and communication with surrounding communities as a result of the operationalization of our community relations strategy. These include the following instruments: Operational Dialogue, investment programs/projects and social management processes, along with those for socio-environmental impacts.
In order to identify, prevent and mitigate potential impacts caused by its operations, Suzano proactively and continuously promotes the process of Operational Dialogue in the surrounding communities where operations are scheduled to begin, such as forestry, harvesting and wood transport operations, as well as dialogue in the localities surrounding its plants.
Also as a way of engaging and identifying the territories in which it operates, the company applies an instrument known as the Social Inventory, through consultative discussions with communities in order to gather information aimed at characterizing and, consequently, prioritizing the relationship process. The information gathered includes basic infrastructure, such as access to energy, access to water, schools and health facilities, the dynamics and model of local development, among other data. It is applied according to a schedule.
Other models of engagement are the processes of identifying, classifying and monitoring High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs) and Sites of Special Significance (SLSs) of interest or the uses and access by communities in the company's areas. Also noteworthy are the face-to-face agendas and monitoring of social programs and projects in the strategic areas of Relationships, Poverty and Education.
The process described above is applicable to new operations (a new mill, for instance) or even to the acquisition of new farms, when the aforementioned actions are preceded by social due diligence, carried out before a new farm is included in Suzano's portfolio through acquisition, lease or just the purchase of wood. This process is a prior social risk analysis, which characterizes the neighborhood and identifies possible social liabilities/risks related to the property. Depending on the risk, the social area may recommend not closing the deal.
The following information is available in the tables below:
- Number of projects under implementation/development in consultation stage with local communities;
- Percentage of operations with implemented local community engagement processes, impact assessments and/or local development programs, by region and type of initiative;
- Percentage of operations requiring a local community consultation process, by region.
Note:
- The following are considered operational units: Aracruz and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (ES), Belém (PA), Eunápolis and Mucuri (BA), Imperatriz (MA), Jacareí, Limeira, Mogi das Cruzes, Rio Verde and Suzano (SP), Maracanaú (CE) and Três Lagoas (MS). The Eunápolis unit is a joint operation where Veracel is responsible for social action. The Ribas do Rio Pardo unit (Cerrado) currently under construction is considered.
Number of projects under implementation/development in consultation stage with local communities¹
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| número total | número total | número total | número total | |
|
São Paulo |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mato Grosso do Sul² |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Espírito Santo |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bahia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Maranhão |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
- This indicator only considers consultation regarding the implementation of new manufacturing ventures. Community consultation is an ongoing process, planned and customized according to the specifics of each project. At Suzano, consultation is considered a process of qualified, " both-way" dialogue, providing information and possible impacts of the project, but also bringing demands from the communities. Thus, the consultation process provides opportunities for the company to learn from the experience and knowledge of communities, identify their needs, vocation, economic potential and concerns, as well as manage the mitigation of the impacts of operations.
- Suzano is implementing its new plant in Ribas do Rio Pardo (MS): the Cerrado Project. The new mill has gone through several stages of consultation with the surrounding communities, stakeholders and public authorities. Learn more about the project here: https://www.suzano.com.br/projetocerrado.
Percentage of operations with local community engagement processes, impact assessments and/or local development programs in place, by region and type of initiative¹
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Paulo | Mato Grosso do Sul | Espírito Santo | Bahia | Maranhão | Total | São Paulo | Mato Grosso do Sul | Espírito Santo | Bahia | Maranhão | Total | São Paulo | Mato Grosso do Sul | Espírito Santo | Bahia | Maranhão | Total | São Paulo | Mato Grosso do Sul | Espírito Santo | Bahia | Maranhão | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
|
Social, including gender, impact assessments based on participatory processes² |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Environmental impact assessments and continuous monitoring |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Public disclosure of the results from environmental and social impact assessments |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Local development programs based on local community needs |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Stakeholder engagement plans based on stakeholder mapping |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Committees and processes for extensive consultation with the local community, including vulnerable groups |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Works councils, health and safety committees and other employee representatives to discuss impacts |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Formal complaints from local communities |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
- These initiatives are all related to the operationalization of the relationship strategy with communities and the mitigation of social impacts, which includes the following processes Operational Dialogue, socio-environmental investment programs/projects, community engagement processes, and socio-environmental impact management processes.
- Under the item "Social, including gender, impact assessments based on participatory processes", the social impacts influenced by Suzano in the territories have no impact on their gender context, considering the company's operational perspectives and business model.
Percentage of operations requiring a local community consultation process, by region¹
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | |
|
São Paulo |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Mato Grosso do Sul |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Espírito Santo |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Bahia |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Maranhão |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
|
Total |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
100,00% |
- In order to identify, prevent and mitigate potential impacts caused by its operations, Suzano continuously engages in the Operational Dialogue process with all surrounding communities in areas where operations are expected to begin, such as forestry, harvesting and wood transport operations, as well as in the localities surrounding its plants.
Informações complementares
Engagement represents a deeper, more inclusive and continuous structured relationship that establishes Suzano as a partner in local development. According to the company's Social and Environmental Investments and Donations Policy (PC.00.0007), Suzano's social and environmental investments must be primarily the result of community engagement processes. Its methodology considers the specificities of the different realities and stakeholders involved, prioritizing and valuing the role of the entire community, the development of legitimate leaders, the building of social capital and the recovery of citizenship and self-esteem.