Forums and commitments
Aracruz Celulose has participated in the creation of programs, policies and regulations that seek to promote sustainable development. Its part of many national and international councils, and it's committed with various pacts.
The list of pacts that Aracruz has signed and the forums in which the company takes part can be found here.
Pacts
The Global Compact is an initiative of the United Nations for companies all over the world that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally principles in the areas of labour, human rights, environment and anti-corruption.
Atlantic Forest Pact
Aracruz Celulose, CST/Arcelor, ASAMBIENTAL (Association of Environmental NGOs of the State of Espírito Santo), Cesan, Instituto Terra, the municipal government of Mimoso do Sul and Samarco came together to sign the Atlantic Forest Pact. Its main objective is to identify and give due recognition to important measures aimed at revitalizing the remnants of the Atlantic Forest located in the State of Espírito Santo. Among the measures already identified as being important to this revitalization is the implementation, operation and maintaining of Restoration and Conservation Centers.
Click here to read the Pact (content available only in Portuguese).
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) and its member companies, together with environmental groups, have introduced a Pact to Protect the Climate. The objective is to mobilize the Brazilians to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and contribute to the goals of the Global Climate Convention. Among the proposals for practical action in the document, the signers assume the public commitment to work to contain de-forestation, encourage the use of clean and renewable sources of energy in Brazil’s network, and to propose a policy of goals for the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases.
The Business Pact Against the Sexual Exploitation of Children ("Pacto na Mão Certa") is an initiative of the World Childhood Foundation (WCF-Brazil) in partnership with the Ethos Institute and the technical assistance of the International Labor Organization. The program's objective is to encourage people to join in actions against the sexual exploitation of children in Brazil.
Corporate Agreement for Integrity and Against Corruption
The Corporate Agreement for Integrity and Against Corruption is an initiative of the Ethos Institute of Companies and Social Responsibility, UniEthos – Formation and Development of Socially Responsible Management, Patri Governmental Relations and Public Policy, the United Nations Program for Development (Pnud), the United Nations Office Against Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) and the Brazilian Committee for the Global Agreement. This initiative stems from the observation that Brazil can no longer continue to pay the social, economic and political cost of successive cases of corruption that periodically affront the country.
Commitment
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Aracruz follows the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and translates the guidelines of the document into its policies and practices.
Chain of Custody
Aracruz Celulose exclusively uses wood from planted eucalyptus trees. At least 70% of this wood comes from the company's own plantations, while the balance comes from plantations belonging to independent farmers who have joined the company’s Forestry Partners Program.
To demonstrate the traceability of the raw material (wood) of its end product — bleached eucalyptus pulp — as of its origin and to attest that this raw material comes from sustainably managed sources, Aracruz follows the requirements of the ABNT NBR 14790 – Forestry Management – Chain of Custody Regulation, and endeavors to avoid the purchase of wood:
- that is the result of illegal logging;
- whose exploitation implies the violation of civil and traditional rights;
- that comes from high conservation value forests;
- that comes from forests whose lands are being converted into plantations;
- that comes from genetically modified trees.
Forums
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS)
Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (BRACELPA)
Brazilian Association of Forest Producers (ABRAF)
Brazilian Pulp and Paper Technical Association (ABTCP)
Brazilian Human Resources Association (ABRH-ES)
Stakeholders
Aracruz conducts direct or indirect operations in some 150 municipalities in four Brazilian states, has shares traded on stock exchanges and exports its production to customers in nearly 30 countries, thus being present in the lives of millions of people.
Aracruz's involvement with its traditional stakeholders - such as customers, shareholders, employees and suppliers - is marked by a high degree of mutual respect and long-term relationships.
Although relations with many other stakeholders - government, communities, NGOs, the press - also comply with these same standards, our preparation of a sustainability plan demonstrated that there is room to improve interaction with some of them.
Based on this evaluation, Aracruz initiated in 2004 a review of its involvement with stakeholders that consisted in mapping out needs, establishing priorities and defining a structured relationship process.
Among the initiatives already adopted in this sense has been the dialogues with the Forums of Environmental NGOs of Espírito Santo, Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul. In Espírito Santo, the initiative has led to the signature of a term of reference establishing this partnership.
Click here for the term of reference or visit the Forum's web site at http://www.forumdasongs.org.br.
Read some of the main developments in our Sustainability Report.
Updated on May. 15th, 2008
