Maintenance of forest roads
Maintenance of forest roads
Prosperity for people
Community relations
For the third year running, Klabin exceeded the target set for its Impact and Activity Assessment Survey, which was to achieve 80% acceptance in the communities where it operates. The Company obtained an 83.6% acceptance rate, up 2.2 percentage points from 2023, equaling the figure recorded in 2022, the all-time high since the survey began in 2016. Santa Catarina attained its best performance to date, with an approval rating of 87.2%, up 4.3 percentage points from 2023.
The survey is carried out in municipalities in the states of Paraná, Pernambuco, São Paulo and Santa Catarina, based on the Social Progress Index methodology, and assesses eight dimensions: perception of impacts, economic development, environmental preservation, job creation, commitment, image, social support and business support.
Handling of complaints about dust
The number of complaints about dust caused by forestry operations in Paraná increased 139% between 2023 and 2024, from 136 to 326. The reasons for this increase include the expansion of forestry operations, which consequently impacted more communities, and the distance of these operations from plants. In 2024, these routes crossed 261 km of community land, up 125 km from 2023.
Lower rainfall was also a factor in greater perceptions of dust generation on unpaved roads. In Santa Catarina, there was a 22% decrease in complaints compared to 2023, from 74 to 58.
The Company works preventively to eliminate or mitigate impacts related to forestry and wood transportation operations. Before beginning work in a region, alternative routes are studied, aiming, whenever possible, to avoid passing through communities. Along stretches of road with permanent or high-volume operations, we apply aggregate and bituminous binder to reduce the formation of dust, complemented by regular sprinkling.
The roads used for harvesting, transporting wood and replanting are specially prepared by Klabin. To do this, the Company mines certain materials, such as gravel, gravelly soil and rock, which are used to line and maintain the roadbeds.
In 2024, Klabin used 356,394.81 m³ of gravel for the maintenance, graveling and grading of 1,082.90 km of roads. The Company also made gravel available for municipal governments to use on their roads. Of the total gravel used, 48.1% came from Klabin’s own extraction sites, and 51.9% was sourced from third parties.
Klabin at School
In 2024, the Klabin na Escola (Klabin at School) Program visited 14 schools in municipalities in Paraná and São Paulo. This initiative provides students with information about the Company’s forestry operations, the environment and road safety. More than 2,800 students took part in these activities, empowering them to share this information in their homes.
Klabin Social Demands
In 2024, the Klabin Social Demands platform was expanded to include sites in Betim (Minas Gerais) and Jundiaí (São Paulo). Through this system, employees can register demands received in the field, either at site entrances or through official channels like Talk to Klabin. Once submitted, the information follows an internal workflow for evaluation and resolution.
The platform is currently being rolled out with dedicated support teams at 15 sites: Ortigueira and Monte Alegre in Paraná; Angatuba, Jundiaí Tijuco Preto, Jundiaí Industrial District, Piracicaba l and Piracicaba ll in São Paulo; Correia Pinto, Otacílio Costa, Rio Negro and Lages in Santa Catarina; Goiana in Pernambuco; Betim in Minas Gerais; São Leopoldo in Rio Grande do Sul; and Horizonte in Ceará. Other sites can also log demands through the platform, but they do not yet have designated contact points or tailored processes for handling them.
Communities involved in forest expansion
In light of the acquisition of forest areas via the Caetê Project, the Company has been working to understand the profile of the communities in which it will be operating and how it can mitigate possible impacts and contribute to local development. Planned actions for the region include the following:
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Diagnosis of beekeeping and stingless beekeeping;
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Tourism diagnosis;
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Complementary studies to classify traditional communities (find out more below);
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Implementation of infrastructure and logistics improvements along transportation routes;
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Incorporation of new areas into the scope of social and environmental action.
Traditional communities
In 2024, Klabin completed the work of recording and classifying traditional communities (settlements composed of descendants of runaway slaves, known as “quilombos,” and villages in central Paraná that use land communally, known as “faxinal” communities) and indigenous peoples living within 10 km from the Company’s forest management areas. This surveying work is essential for planning measures to uphold the rights of these groups. In all, 177 communities were identified and characterized, distributed as follows:
Based on 2024 survey data and a previous survey carried out in 2019/2020, it was possible to perform a refined analysis of the 15 identified faxinal communities across the region. It was therefore concluded that there are 89 traditional communities within 10 km from Klabin’s forest management areas.
Based on this information, action plans are developed to assess those communities that have indicated that they expect to experience some kind of impact from our operations, and those that use our sites for subsistence or cultural purposes. The Company is also conducting additional studies into the new forest area acquired through the Caetê Project.
Klabin’s relations with traditional communities are based on the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (CLPI - Consentimento Livre Prévio e Informado), which aims to ensure transparency in interactions with communities and respect for their decisions.
