In São Paulo, the Araribá Indigenous Territory is located in Avaí (SP), and the Tekoa Nhanderu Porã village is in São Miguel Arcanjo (SP), both within a three-kilometer radius of Bracell’s forestry operations. The Araribá Indigenous Land, demarcated by the Government of São Paulo in 1910, comprises four villages (Tereguá, Ekeruá, Kopenoti and Nimuendaju), covers 1,900 hectares, and is home to 671 people. The Tekoa Nhanderu Porã village covers 34.55 hectares and has 20 residents who have lived there since 2022. There are no other indigenous communities located near Bracell’s other operational sites. 

In 2025, Bracell did not develop any formal consultation protocols for indigenous peoples. Seven meetings were held during the year between Bracell representatives, FUNAI, and indigenous leaders from the Araribá Indigenous Territory. The purpose was to present and provide updates on operational activities carried out by Bracell in the area surrounding the indigenous land, including activity schedules, operational details, the complaints channel, and preventive and mitigating measures for potential impacts on the community. These meetings were also an opportunity to elicit the perceptions of the indigenous community regarding Bracell’s activities, helping to enhance the effectiveness of implemented measures. Additional topics addressed included complaints and related follow-up actions, a project for the restoration of protected areas, and donations. 

These discussions are held prior to the start of operations through culturally appropriate engagement, in which information about Bracell’s activities is presented in clear language. This approach provides an opportunity for indigenous representatives to express their concerns, which are then reviewed and addressed by Bracell.

All meetings were documented through attendance lists, photographs and minutes, with prior permission being sought for data collection from participants, totaling 34 individuals, including 15 representatives from Bracell, 11 from the indigenous land, six from Consultoria Synergia and two from the indigenous authority, Funai. Villages are consulted through their leaders, and 100% have chiefs or vice-chiefs as representatives.

The stakeholder engagement process is inclusive of the entire community, including women and elders, and allows sufficient time for the community to be informed about issues and for Bracell to address the needs, aspirations and concerns shared by indigenous peoples during interactions with the company.

In 2025, the meetings with villages were scheduled by the Brazilian indigenous authority, Funai, which attempted to schedule meetings during hours that accommodated indigenous communities’ routine activities, and informed them in advance of the start and end times of meetings, as well as the topics to be discussed. These meetings included the participation of individuals residing in urban areas (representatives of the company, Funai and Consultoria Synergia).

A separate meeting was also held between representatives of Bracell, Funai, indigenous leaders and Consultoria Synergia to present the Work Plan for conducting a study in the Araribá Indigenous Land. Synergia was engaged due to its expertise in the field, and because it was recommended by indigenous leaders.

The study included a social and environmental assessment of the Araribá Indigenous Land, identification of legal and customary rights of the indigenous population, identification and characterization of sites of special significance and containing High Social Conservation Value for indigenous peoples, assessment of the impacts of Bracell’s forestry operations on the indigenous land, and a work plan for Bracell’s activities in the territory. The study did not identify any cases of violation of indigenous peoples’ rights.