ESG Journey guides sustainable development at BP Bunge

BP Bunge Bioenergia,one of the Brazilian leaders in ethanol, bioelectricity and sugar, has the issue of sustainability as a central axis of its long-term strategy, since the nature of the company’s business is intrinsic to themes such as the circular economy, the low carbon agenda and the development of local communities.

Therefore, the company continuously develops actions that keep its operations in line with this premise, with initiatives whose results were disclosed in its most recent Sustainability Report, referring to the 22/23 harvest, released this November.

The publication shows the company’s progress in achieving the goals set out in the “Our Commitments 2030” agenda, released in 2021, which, in line with the business strategy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlined a path to guide sustainable growth for the company’s first 10 years.

Environment

On the environmental front, for example, water resource management achieved an 8% reduction in the volume of water abstracted for industrial operations in the 22/23 harvest, coming close to the 10% reduction target set by 2030. One of the initiatives that favored this result was the use of vinasse (a by-product of sugarcane processing) in the process of fertirrigation of the sugarcane fields, a process which, in addition to reducing the need for water abstraction, also contributes to soil health, reducing GHG emissions and waste. It is also worth mentioning the reuse of water in closed circuits in the industrial process, such as sugarcane washing, gas scrubbers, boilers and water cooling.

In scope 1 emissions, the company presented in 22/23 a significant reduction, in absolute values, of around 34% in relation to the previous harvest, mainly due to initiatives to reduce diesel consumption and the large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, which replace nitrogen fertilizers with biological ones.

As for biodiversity, during the same period the company planted more than 177,000 seedlings of native species, most of which were produced in a nursery at the Ituiutaba (MG) unit, which has an annual production capacity of 200,000 seedlings of more than 100 species. With this, the company has reached the milestone of more than 600,000 seedlings planted over the last three years, advancing its goal of planting a total of 2.3 million by 2030.

“The results of BP Bunge’s third harvest demonstrate that we have achieved the consolidation of the company in a sustainable manner and we will continue to be committed to good management practices to guarantee the generation of value for all our stakeholders,” explains Mara Pinheiro, the company’s Communications, Institutional Relations and ESG Director.

Human Capital and Communities

In terms of Human Resources highlights, the company recorded a 50% increase in the volume of training hours per employee, rising from an average of 23.86 hours a year to 35.92, including leadership programs, coaching, mentoring and 180º and 360º assessments. In addition, in the last harvest, 70% of job vacancies were filled through internal promotions, reinforcing the company’s commitment to valuing its human capital.

In its relationship with the communities, BP Bunge made progress on 22/23 in its strategy of supporting projects with the potential to generate a positive impact in the regions where it operates. In line with its Social Responsibility Policy, the company began to allocate tax incentives to foster initiatives linked to the pillars of education, the environment and support for community development through the Incentive Laws for Culture, Sport and the Child and Adolescent Funds.

“We invest in culture, sport and education to contribute to the training of children and young people from different communities, encouraging creativity, critical thinking, access to different forms of artistic expression and healthy practices”, comments the Director.

By the end of 2023, around 24 thousand people were impacted by such projects, in five Brazilian states, whose sponsorship values totaled around R$2.4 million.

About the Sustainability Report

The BP Bunge Sustainability Report, which is published annually, highlights the company’s main financial and non-financial results, its premises, strategic direction, as well as its commitments and progress in the ongoing construction of the company’s ESG Journey.

The publication is prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), in its 2021 version, in the “with reference” option. The material was subjected to external verification by a multidisciplinary team from BVQI – Bureau Veritas, including verifiers with expertise in the environmental, social and corporate governance areas.

To check the report in full, click here.