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ESG Practices

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Innovation, entrepreneurship and socio-environmental commitment.

Even before gaining prominence in the corporate world and relevance to society, Grupo Telles has been recognized for its commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and innovation in management and products, all aligned with respect for humanity. Under the leadership of the fifth generation, social, environmental, and governance issues have always been part of its foundation, drawing on 178 years of the Group’s culture and essence, and occupying a central place in the definition of its purposes.

Permanent concerns for each of its seven companies include socio-environmental care for people and the well-being of the community, as the Group’s businesses trace their origins to Grupo Telles and are directly related to the land.

Respect for nature and life is present, therefore, in all its dimensions, from relationships with partners and clients, to guiding its interactions with employees and society. And, in a more intimate and organic way, with the surrounding communities, inspiring sustainable practices and support for the preservation of the environment and natural resources, in order to create a unique ecosystem in which everyone participates to ensure common prosperity.
Based on the three pillars of ESG—social, environmental, and governance—here are some initiatives and commitments undertaken by Grupo Telles and its companies that align with the organization’s culture and strategy in favor of a better, more sustainable, and fairer world for all.

Social and community actions

In line with Grupo Telles’ corporate vision of developing talents and investing in people, its companies promote a series of actions aimed not only at their employees and collaborators, but also at the external audiences that work and live in the surrounding communities where their industrial and business units are located.

In this way, doors are opened and opportunities are created for children, young people, and adults to develop their potential through the Group’s support for inclusive social and educational projects. For example, this includes the partnership with the NGO Fonte da Vida e Raízes (FDC), a socio-educational project that serves children, adolescents, and families from the São Miguel community through participatory programs featuring artistic activities focused on the environment.

Another example is the Instituto de Educação Portal (IEP), through the Jovem Aprendiz Program, which trains adolescents in situations of risk and social vulnerability for professional practice, preparing them to work in the Group’s companies as well as in the broader job market. From this same perspective, the Mulheres em Ação program—a course to train women as electricians – is offered to residents of communities near the Naturágua industrial unit in Fortaleza.

In addition to other projects and partnerships supported and sponsored by the Group’s companies, such as the Fundação Abrinq, which works to mobilize society on issues related to the rights of children and adolescents; the Associação Estação Luz, a non-governmental organization based in Eusébio (CE), which develops educational, sports, and inclusive cultural projects with a focus on promoting human values and a culture of peace; as well as EDISCA, which has as its central objective the social integration and promotion of human development for children and adolescents through dance.

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Environmental management

Thanks to its innate vocation for reusing and preserving natural resources, along with its recognized sustainability practices, Grupo Telles has pursued a robust environmental management agenda throughout its history. This strategy includes a range of socio-environmental actions and compliance measures, in addition to investments in product innovation and infrastructure, such as achieving energy self-sufficiency through a 100% clean solar matrix, making it one of the leading references in business management in the state, the North and Northeast of the country, as well as on the national stage.

Among the Group’s main initiatives, the preservation and management of Floresta do Curió stand out. Classified as the first Area of Relevant Ecological Interest (ARIE) in Ceará, this green space in the midst of an urban area in the capital of Ceará, located between the neighborhoods of Messejana and Curió, occupies 57 hectares of Atlantic Forest. In this nearly untouched habitat, dotted with streams and springs, more than 90 species of animals live, including mammals, birds, and reptiles.

To preserve nature for current and future generations, a consortium was created, administered, and managed with private resources from Grupo Telles and Naturágua, which promotes public access and interaction with the forest, encompassing programs carried out by Instituto Natureza Viva and the Ceará State Secretariat of Environment. About 20,000 people per year, including adults and children, visit this ecological oasis.

Get to know Floresta do Curió.

A preserved environmental treasure

Floresta do Curió – Located in front of Naturágua headquarters

A lung of Atlantic Forest in the heart of the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza (RMF), featuring a pleasant climate and native, lush vegetation interspersed by small streams and springs. This is what you’ll certainly encounter when entering one of the three trails that make up the 57 hectares of the Area of Relevant Ecological Interest (ARIE) of Curió (Floresta do Curió), between the neighborhoods of Messejana and Curió. This is the first ARIE in Ceará. The space is formed by dense vegetation, composed of the main native and fruit species—such as cashew, timbaúba, cedar, juazeiro, and catandúva—that provides shelter to the Atlantic Forest fauna in the region.

In addition to the flora, the forest encompasses a great diversity of fauna—92 species (seven mammals, 65 birds, 14 reptiles, and six amphibians)—helping to promote contact between the population and nature. There is also a classroom dedicated to visitors, lectures, and practical classes, carried out through agreements with schools and local universities. The place is open to public visitation from Tuesday to Sunday starting at 8:30 AM, with free admission.

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Corporate governance

Ethics, transparency, fairness, and corporate responsibility guide the governance principles of Grupo Telles. Through these values, the companies that make up the Group transparently demonstrate to employees, partners, stakeholders, the market, and society as a whole the organizational methods that ensure sustainable, healthy, and reliable economic growth.

Therefore, the convergence of talents and opportunities for people and businesses is the objective of a series of actions that guide the Group’s companies, aimed at their growth, strengthening, and an even more promising future. One of the most emblematic examples of this management model and the high degree of commitment from the Group’s companies is Naturágua, which has invested heavily in governance initiatives. These range from executive specialization programs and succession plans, to certifications such as ISO 22000 and the Great Place to Work (the “Best Companies to Work For” Award), as well as promoting diversity, fairness, inclusion, and a culture of well-being through innovative initiatives, such as psychological care and legal guidance plans for its employees.

From the perspective of professional growth and development, the Leaders in Action Program, for example, is aimed at mid-level leaders and talented individuals with potential for management positions. The program accelerates skill development and the sharing of knowledge, with the transfer of learning from leaders to their teams.

Additionally, the company maintains a well-established Scholarship Program, which benefits every employee with at least one year of service, covering undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The objective is the ongoing qualification and knowledge development of employees, aligned with strategic projects and the professional and human competencies of the teams—an unwavering commitment of Grupo Telles to establishing innovative, more efficient, and sustainable processes.

National ESG Champion by Fundação Dom Cabral

For nearly a decade, Grupo Telles has maintained a successful partnership with Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC), considered one of the top ten business schools in the world, through the PAEX program (Partners for Excellence). Targeted at medium-sized private organizations in Brazil, the program provides, through technical monitoring, an intensive networked learning experience aimed at broadening strategic vision and expanding the managerial competencies of executives in participating companies.

In 2022, Naturágua was one of five companies selected by FDC to participate in the pilot project for its ESG monitoring. This selection represents recognition from the institution of the company’s strong practices in social, environmental, and governance management, grounded in the innovative and sustainable vision pursued by Grupo Telles. The goal is for this experience to help other companies in the future develop strategic plans based on the three pillars of ESG.

To access Naturágua’s complete ESG report, click here

Naturágua, innovation and environmental leadership

Aligned with the culture and sustainability strategy of Grupo Telles, Naturágua holds a prominent position in innovation and environmental leadership. From solar energy to waste reuse practices, along with community support, employee development, and the creation of biodegradable packaging, the mineral water manufacturer of Grupo Telles has a series of commitments and effective actions in favor of the environment.

In addition to the Floresta do Curió, Fonte da Vida e Raízes (FDC), Water Residual Treatment Station (ETAR) and Effluent Treatment Station (ETE) projects, the company has directed its investments toward ecological matrices to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

Since 2022, Naturágua’s industrial units have operated with 100% clean energy produced by a solar power plant with 10 thousand photovoltaic panels, inaugurated in the municipality of Horizonte (CE). With investments of around R$ 25 million – the second largest amount made by the Group in the last five years – around 10 new solar panel fields of 1 meter by 1.80 meter each were installed, in an area of 90 thousand square meters, with a generation capacity of 5 megawatts (MW). With this, both the company as headquarters of Grupo Telles and Yplastic, in Fortaleza, will have energy self-sufficiency 100% clean and renewable.

In addition to these achievements, Naturágua continuously invests in innovative initiatives – such as its newest line of superlight bottles, weighing just 9 grams, which use 30% less plastic in their manufacture – with the objective of reducing environmental impacts while expanding its product mix, making it more aligned with international trends that today value products obtained through the conscious use of materials, resources, and energy efficiency.

Best Companies to Work For Award

Great Place to Work is a global consulting firm focused on companies that place people at the center of their business strategy. Its goal is to help organizations from various sectors achieve better results through a culture of trust, high performance, and innovation. GPTW awards a seal to those who are on the right path.

In its very first year, Naturágua earned the GPTW Brasil seal. The evaluation is known for its rigor and relies on the company’s own employees. After all, they are the ones who experience the corporate culture and their work environment firsthand. These impressions are gathered through a questionnaire that measures the organizational climate.

In 2021, Naturágua’s score increased by 6 percentage points compared to the previous year. The satisfaction index was 83%. In 2022, Naturágua achieved 24th place in Ceará and ranked among the 50 best industries to work for in Brazil, securing the 46th position in the national ranking.

Santelisa, pioneering and ecological commitment

Another important contribution from Grupo Telles is the processing of approximately 2,500 tons of recycled paper collected monthly for the production of packaging by one of its seven companies – Santelisa. With a vigorous and active sustainability and environmental management policy, it is a pioneer in the production of packaging from recycled paper in Ceará. With a daily production capacity of 100 tons of cartons, it is also the first company in the state to obtain the Green Seal, a socio-environmental certification by the State Government for companies that use over 90% recycled raw material in their products.

By maintaining such leadership with fully sustainable production, which takes into account respect for the environment and the valorization of human beings, Santelisa has contributed directly, since its foundation in 1992, to the preservation of Ceará’s biomes and the Northeast region and to the global CO2 reduction goals.

The packaging that comes out of the factory’s production line, in Aquiraz, is 100% recycled from used paper scraps. The environmental issue, after all, is a basic concern and permanent of the company. Since its inauguration, the factory, which emerged from the shortage of packaging in the late 1980s, during a crisis in the sector, started production from sugarcane bagasse and paper scraps.

In 2016, the year in which an energy crisis began to unfold in Brazil, Santelisa inaugurated the largest private solar energy plant in the Country, between the municipalities of Aquiraz and Pindoretama. Its installed capacity, which was 3MW, was later expanded to 5MW, becoming energy self-sufficient and reaffirming once again its essence and vocation for sustainable practices with low environmental impact and ecologically responsible processes.