Hydro, as a partner of the Ethos Institute, participated on September 18th in the second face-to-face edition of the Ethos 360° Conference, in Belém. The event promoted a day of debates on the social and economic development of the Amazon, with the aim of seeking ways to develop the circular economy and bioeconomy in the region, in addition to discussing the challenges of keeping the forest standing, while protecting its communities.

Spread across three simultaneous stages, the Ethos 360° Belém Conference program began with the opening panel led by Caio Magri, CEO of the Ethos Institute and also included the participation of the mayor of Belém, Edimilson Rodrigues.

The debate tables addressed, among other topics, the role of social organizations in protecting the Amazon, the responsibility of the private sector in protecting agents who defend the forest and the impacts of inequality in this context.

Hydro's Dialogue and Engagement manager, Eduardo Bustamante, who participated in the panel on social and environmental development projects for the Amazon region, presented the strategy and actions of Hydro's Sustainability and Social Impact area. He stated that Hydro's main strategy is focused on people, nature and a more viable society. “Aluminum is the metal of the future and, therefore, our operations are important, but they need to be focused on a more viable society for a fair transition. Our products, such as aluminum and renewable energy, are part of the more sustainable future we aspire to and we are investing heavily in reducing carbon emissions to achieve the targets set in 2021, in the use of bauxite waste and in social investment, which also is an important pillar of Hydro's sustainability goals. I highlight that, in addition to the Hydro Sustainability Fund that invested 5.5MBRL in 2022, we have another 20 social initiative projects, benefiting thousands of people who are at the center of this expected transformation”, highlighted Bustamante.

Bustamante also highlighted the importance of strengthening intersectoral relations, the role of the Public Power, civil society organizations and companies. This space for dialogue in a structuring way is essential. Furthermore, he highlighted the inclusion of communities in the territories where Hydro operates in environmental strategies. “Hydro has been investing in social programs, in presence and creation of spaces for dialogue. Our Human Rights policy is the basic pillar for this relationship. We believe that the connection between companies and communities needs to be fluid, direct and peaceful,” said Bustamante.

Another issue raised in the debates was the strength of women's leadership in Amazonian communities. “This is clear in most of the communities we operate in and it is also Hydro’s commitment to strengthen these rights”, stated the executive.

The afternoon program resumed with the table Guardians of the standing forest – struggle, threats, challenges and conquest, which was attended by Jaciara Borari, indigenous leader of Tapajós, and Neidinha Suruí, Project coordinator of the Kanindé Ethno-environmental Defense Association. The mediation was carried out by Caetano Scannavino, coordinator of the NGO Projeto Saúde & Alegria (PSA), which has been operating for over 35 years in the Amazon region.

In a simultaneous format, Hydro offered a debate on sustainability in the value chain: challenges and opportunities in promoting human rights, with the participation of Eduardo Kaiser, Hydro's Supplier Governance and Quality manager. On the occasion, it was possible to learn about the initiative to support the development of sustainability themes in different links in the production chain. The panel explored challenges and opportunities in this management and the ways for companies to be prepared to implement ESG and human rights promotion actions in their daily operations.

About the Ethos 360° Conference

The Ethos 360° Conference promotes debates for reflection on social, political and economic topics related to sustainable development and the search for equity, diversity, inclusion and transparency. Held since 1998, the Ethos Conference is the largest event of its kind in Latin America and one of the largest in the world. Among its objectives are:

• Gather cutting-edge knowledge on the main global sustainability trends in a concentrated and dynamic way, understanding them in the Brazilian context;

• Understand and treat sustainability as a business strategy and competitive differentiator for companies;

• Debate and build business strategies that contribute to increasing the competitiveness of companies and the country;

• Synthesize trends and guide the sustainability and social responsibility movement in Brazil.