Sustainability Report 2021
SUMMARY
Presentation
Message from
Management
The Águas do
Brasil Group
Integrity and
Transparency
Fostering
Universal Access
to Sanitation
Water Security
and Climate
Change
Efficient
Water
Cycle
Our Utility
Companies
About this
Report
GRI
Summary
Corporate
Information
Message from
Management
102-14
Strategy developments and sustainability
By providing our services, we become
part of the lives of millions of people, and,
inevitably, the 2020 and 2021 exceptional
periods confronted us with challenges
never faced before. The soundness of
our business and our ability to learn and
adapt were fundamental attributes for
us to overcome obstacles and maintain
excellence in our work.
In 2021, we had another year of assertive
budgeting and earnings very much in
line with forecasts, with an 11% growth in
Ebitda compared to the previous year. We
maintained cost discipline and managed
our investments intelligently, in full
compliance with contracts and attainment
of goals. Fitch's reaffirmation of our AAA
rating keeps us as the only sanitation
company to have this distinction.
We have further strengthened our focus
on sound environmental, social, and
governance (ESG) practices by formally
developing our ESG Strategy. We brought
together the initiatives already part of our
portfolio and structured projects, actions,
indicators, and targets to continue
improving our reliable performance
regarding critical resources for the
planet and services fundamental to the
population's dignity.
We strengthened our governance
structure and maintained ISO 37001 and
ISO 19600 certification, demonstrating
our commitment to ethics and compliance
requirements. The publication of our first
report using the GRI model is another
step on the path to organizational
transparency. Our commitments were
recognized, in December 2021, by our
adhesion to the United Nations (UN)
Global Compact Network Brazil.
We believe that the search for sustainability
cannot be treated sporadically. On the
contrary, it is a journey that involves the
uniformity of procedures and the sharing
of knowledge to reduce losses and impacts,
preserve water security, and establish
fair and lasting relationships among all
stakeholders. These elements are directly
related to our growth strategy, which is
aligned with a crucial issue for Brazilian
society: universal basic sanitation.
For that matter, we are technically
prepared and financially healthy to be
part of this country's transformation.
In this spirit, we celebrate our victory
in the auction for the second phase of
the basic sanitation concession in Rio de
Janeiro. Cedae's Block 3 involves 19 cities
in the state of Rio de Janeiro, including
22 districts in the city of Rio de Janeiro,
adding 2.7 million consumers to the
group, and should receive investments
of BRL 4.7 billion over a 35-year contract
period. In this area, universal sanitation
will be reached as early as 2033.
These achievements result from effective
management and especially the
dedication of our employees, who make
daily efforts to impact the lives of the
population positively. In 2021, Águas do
Brasil Group was certified by Great Place
to Work (GPTW), which recognizes the
best work environments in 109 countries.
Satisfaction with our advances in the year
does not suspend our care for what is yet
to come. We are attentive to economic
movements and the worsening of
climate change, and we remain vigilant
to the unfolding health crisis caused by
the pandemic. Consequently, we have
not renounced the responsible and
sustainable growth strategy: our business
continues to be driven by execution and
delivery of excellence.
João Pedro Backheuser
Chairman of the
Board of Directors
Sustainability Report 2021
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