Only 16% of Brazilian companies are committed to forest preservation, says study

Deforestation is being ignored by most Brazilian companies in their environmental commitments. Of all the companies listed on B3, the Brazilian Stock Exchange, only 16% include the preservation of forests in their climate goals, while in Europe the percentage is 90%.

This is what a survey by the consultancy Luvi One shows, which analyzed the reports published by 384 publicly traded organizations in the country.

According to the data from the study, the numbers get even worse when specific targets are considered — which detail the deadline and percentage of deforestation reduction to be achieved. Only 5% make such commitments.

The best positioned sectors are paper and wood, with 67% of companies presenting targets on the topic, and electric energy (53%). Among agribusiness companies — a segment directly linked to the problem — half are committed to preserving forests.

The sectors with the worst performance are: products for personal use and cleaning; footwear and clothing fabrics; computers and equipment; and industrial goods.

ARARA

A new American startup wants to be the first fintech to encourage sustainable supply chain financing in Brazil. Arara.io, which arrived in the country in February, will provide a platform to connect companies and financiers, based on environmental, social and governance criteria.

The startup allows a company’s various suppliers to be analyzed using its own taxonomy, which measures ESG performance. The classification obtained can give different conditions to funders previously registered in the system, such as lower rates and anticipation of receivables.

According to Felipe Gutterres, founder of Arara.io, fintech aims to facilitate credit for small and medium-sized companies, while stimulating the sustainable transition of the supply chain of large companies.

FLYING HIGH

Last Wednesday (23), Senai (National Service for Industrial Learning) announced that it will start producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The project will be carried out in partnership with the German Technical Cooperation for sustainable development.

According to Senai, more than R$ 4.5 million will be invested by 2023 to adapt the reactors and existing equipment to produce the fuel, which will be made from glycerin — a co-product of biodiesel.

Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation, the project will last for two years, during which the researchers will be able to estimate when the new SAF should reach the market.

PLANTS DO THAT?

Ambipar, an environmental management company, has developed a new technology for mass reforestation. Capsules that would otherwise be discarded in the process of manufacturing vitamins and drugs are now filled with seeds from native plants.

The idea is for drones to launch in hard-to-reach areas. According to the company, in a single flight it is possible to load from 1,000 to 3,000 biocapsules.

In contact with water, the containers melt quickly and are able to germinate more easily, especially in soils where there has been deforestation, burning or other erosion.

ZERO PORTFOLIO

The Canadian pension fund, CPP Investments, announced that all the companies in its investment portfolio have committed to zeroing their net carbon emissions (net zero) by 2050.

The fund is responsible for managing more than US$550 billion (approximately R$2.7 trillion) on behalf of contributors and beneficiaries of Canada Pension Plan funds.

The CPP has also committed to increasing investment in green assets from the current US$67 billion to at least US$130 billion by 2030.

GREEN PALLET

PepsiCo, which owns brands such as Doritos, Pepsi and Lay’s, will start using pallets made from organic waste in its distribution centers. The initiative comes after a partnership with an Israeli startup that produces sustainable plastic.

The first phase of the project includes the manufacture of 830 pallets, used to transport cargo in two of the company’s logistics centers.

According to PepsiCo, only in this first stage, the implementation of the material can avoid the emission of 6,500 kg of greenhouse gases. In addition, more than 739 kg of waste will be removed from landfills and transformed into useful material.

AMAZON OFFICE

The Global Compact Network Brazil, an initiative of the United Nations, launched an ODS Hub in Amazonas. The idea is to regionalize the actions of the pact and engage state companies and organizations with the Sustainable Development Goals.

This will be the first Hub in the North of the country, which already has a presence in Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina.

Through the program, the Pact seeks to expand its network, which already has more than 1,500 signatories, and to better understand the needs of each part of the country.

PANTANAL SUN

Energisa completed the first phase of Ilumina Pantanal, a program to bring electricity to remote regions of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Aneel and the Government of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, the initiative has already ensured access to energy for riverside dwellers and producers in the Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul and has now reached indigenous communities.

According to Energisa, which invested R$134 million in the program, 2,167 consumer units benefited from the program, with 77 families served by the conventional distribution network and 2,090 customers by means of solar sources.

By Thiago Bethônico on 26/02/2022

Source: 1. https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/mercado/2022/02/empresas-ignoram-desmatamento-em-metas-ambientais-veja-mais-sobre-esg.shtml