Aegea signs agreements and supports external initiatives in an effort to orient relations with its stakeholders and in line with best practices. In 2016, the Company became a signatory of the UN Global Compact, a volunteer initiative gathering over 13,000 organizations articulated around the world. The shared principles are aimed at promoting sustainable development and guaranteeing human rights (see chart). G4-15
Population services
G4-DMA Customer health and safety|G4-DMA Product and service labeling|G4-DMA Customer privacity
Investments made in activities undertaken by Aegea at concessions are aimed at user satisfaction. For relations with these stakeholders, the Company maintains brick-and-mortar locations and provides call centers as well as Contact Us channels on concessionaire websites, available 24 hours a day.
The Águas Guariroba, Prolagos and Águas de Timon controlled companies also rely on mobile service units for residents in districts located far from these locations. At these facilities, the public can request bills be transferred to a new person, update their registration, get copies of bills, request water and sewer connections, ask for water meter protection and verify high consumption, among other services.
In 2016, the Company intensified programs for oversight, for renegotiations and payment plans for overdue accounts and for adherence to automatic bill pay. At Águas Guariroba, Prolagos and Águas de Matão, the Company also maintained Social Rates, a program providing a 50% discount on water and sewer rates for low-income families who own just one property and whose monthly consumption is less than 100 kWh of electricity and 20 m3 of water – 9,095 families qualified during the year. This allows for control of the default rate, which was lower in relation to the year before (see “Financial capital”).
The quality of services provided is guaranteed through adoption of strict controls. Every month, water samples are collected from dams and wells and analyzed based on 32 environmental parameters. Furthermore, in compliance with laws, every six months the class II criteria of National Environmental Council (Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente – CONAMA) Resolution No. 357/2005 are revised; this resolution covers conditions and standards of surface water and discharge
of effluents.
During the year, user satisfaction surveys were carried out at the Águas Guariroba and Prolagos units, showing positive rates of 84% and 88%, respectively. A similar study was done by Serra Ambiental to assess people’s perception of the new operation – over 92% rated it as good or excellent. G4-PR5
Community development
G4-DMA Local communities|G4-SO1
All concessionaires undertake efforts to promote health, environmental education and democratization of access to water and treated wastewater. This work shows exercise of institutional values – such as accessibility, collaboration and social responsibility – as well as the Company’s respect for the population it serves.
During the fiscal year, Aegea made advances in managing social investments, with the creation of the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) department. In addition to reinforcing concern with employee safety (see “Human capital”), this area will be tasked with setting up initiatives aimed at fostering income generation in communities.
For instance, in 2016, Águas Guariroba held a Hackathon, a marathon for software development and programming. The event awarded the two best projects with R$10,000 and R$3,000. The winners also negotiated their products with Aegea for adoption. This is an initiative geared towards entrepreneurship in the basic sanitation industry.
Social responsibility programs
Grade A Health | An environmental education program carried out in partnership with municipal and state secretariats in order to instill in students the importance of water and treated wastewater in environmental conservation and public health. In 2016, the initiative completed 10 years, with 56,325 students benefitted. The public takes part in talks and is involved in activities, notable among which are cultural contests and distribution of educational materials developed especially for the program, in addition to the “Adventures in the Enchanted World” theatrical production. With incentives from Instituto Equipav (see below) and support from the Rouanet Act, this play aims to provide knowledge on health, sustainability and sanitation. During the year, there were 150 presentations in 16 municipalities, which included an audience of around 45,000.
An Eye on Oil | Young people who take part in the Grade A Health Program are challenged to bring in used cooking oil. The goal of the initiative is to raise awareness about correctly disposing of oil by warning of the environmental damage that results from dumping oil into the wastewater system. At Águas de Mirante, the initiative is also promoted at supermarkets in various districts of Piracicaba (SP). In 2016, it was held at business establishments and at educational institutions, which resulted in the recycling of 1,980 liters of oil.
Affluents Program | Aimed at strengthening relations with community leaders and community associations. This allows the Company to identify public needs and opportunities to enhance services. Every month, managers and directors welcome the public at concessionaires to discuss investments, answer questions and fulfill requests. During the year, the program served 8,966 people.
Supportive Water | A program carried out by Águas Guariroba that provides flexible debt payment plans and rectification of legal situation to families living in extremely impoverished and socially vulnerable locations.
Knowledge Station | Located at the largest WTS in Águas Guariroba, this space is aimed at educating visitors about the water cycle, conservation of water resources, the concessionaire’s work and the history of basic sanitation in Campo Grande (MS).
Sweater Drive | An initiative carried out by Águas Guariroba, Prolagos and Águas de Matão to mobilize volunteer employees at concessionaires, private companies and public agencies as well as community leaders and the population as a whole to donate sweaters, footwear and blankets to service posts and partner establishments. There is also a Supportive Dragnet – a convoy that goes through every district in the city with the aim of boosting contributions. Since it was created, the program has delivered 9,729 tons of items to people living in extreme poverty.
Cinema Prolagos | Held since 2009, Prolagos brings cinema to the fisherman communities in which it operates. Outdoor sessions are free of charge and feature themes related to environmental conservation. In partnership with municipal education secretariats, students are also involved in activities held later in the classroom.
Water Run | In commemoration of World Water Day, Águas Guariroba challenges the people of Campo Grande (SP) to various races – men (5k), women (5k), men (10k) and women (10k) – and a walk (5k). The goal is to call attention to preserving water resources.
Knowledge is Good | Prolagos volunteer employees visit schools, universities, community associations, churches and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), where they give talks on the water cycle, the stages of treatment and the importance of conscientious consumption. The concessionaire also opens the doors to the Water and Wastewater Treatment Stations for public visits. In 2016, 849 took part in monitored visits.
Sanitation for Life | Since 2009, Águas Guariroba and the Municipal Secretariat of Education of Campo Grande (MS) have provided orientation to public school teachers on covering subjects related to basic sanitation in the classroom. Faculty are invited to take part in talks and learn about the concessionaire’s operations. They are also challenged to develop class plans that join this topic with educational content. The best projects are awarded and published on the concessionaire’s website. During the year, 122 teachers were benefitted by the program.
Social and environmental grant | Prolagos initiative in partnership with the State Secretariat of Environment, the Municipal Secretariat of Environment and Fishing of São Pedro da Aldeia and the Lagos São João Consortium for underwriting of a monthly social and environmental grant as compensation for a defensive period (prohibition on fishing) at Araruama Lake, an environmental conservation area (see “Natural capital,” on page 66). The initiative is carried out under the auspices of the Sentinels of Araruama Lake Program, developed by the Technical Chamber of Fishing of the São João Lake Basins Committee. During the year, it involved 250 fishermen.
Instituto Equipav
The Company also works in synergy with Instituto Equipav, an arm that coordinates social investments for Grupo Equipav. Projects supported are regularly monitored to identify opportunities for improvement and review the focuses of actions. During the year, the Institute invested R$3,018,391.74 among cash and incentive funds. Among the initiatives undertaken in the municipalities where Aegea maintains operations are:
Arts Treasure Chest | With the support of the Rouanet Act, municipal public schools in São Francisco do Sul (SC) receive cabinets with games, costumes, puppets, percussion instruments, toys and art materials, in addition to 300 children’s books for educational support.
Cinema in the Forest | Fostering production of videos with themes related to environmental preservation and encouraging professional training of young people ages 14 to 20 in the audiovisual area. The initiative is the result of a partnership between Águas de Primavera, a concessionaire controlled by Nascentes do Xingu, and Ponto de Cultura. During the year, the program began to receive support through the Rouanet Act, with students taking part in classes on script construction, handling of filming equipment, cast preparation, filming, art direction, video editing and general production.
For Real | Through photography workshops, young people in Matão (SP) are invited to observe the beauty and details of the city where they live. This conveys to them the importance of preserving it. The project is coordinated by Instituto Cairbar Schutel and supported by Instituto Equipav through the Municipal Fund for Child and Adolescent Rights (Fundo Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente – FUMCAD). In 2016, work produced resulted in an exhibition using mobile panels that were shown in various locations.
Being Young | A project to train public school students for the job market, structured using three stages: human education, for development of behavioral skills; digital inclusion, to bring young people closer to information technology; and corporate world, with classes on financial education, administration and math, among others. The course is administered by Instituto Cairbar Schutel and supported by Instituto Equipav through the FUMCAD.
Living Station | An initiative held at Águas do Mirante to encourage employees to participate in volunteer work. Initiatives include social assistance, culture, education, health, senior citizen social initiatives, blood donations and storytelling.
Sustainable Schools | An environmental education program held in São Francisco do Sul (SC), through which municipal public schools are advised on development of actions aimed at respecting biodiversity, conscientious water consumption and healthy eating, among other topics.
Travelling Museum | In 2016, São Pedro da Aldeia (RJ) hosted the “Art/Water: Essential for Life” exhibit, with works by artists such as Edgard Degas, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Di Cavalcanti and José Pancetti. This initiative is part of the Travelling Museum, which seeks to guarantee the right to art to those that normally do not have access to museums, which are frequently located in large urban centers.
Community Surfing | A project of Instituto Unimed Santa Catarina, which received incentives from Instituto Equipav in 2016. The initiative provides classes in physical fitness, environmental education and water sports at sea for public school students ages 7 to 16 in Penha (SC). Funds are contributed from the Incentive for Sports Act.
Free Kick | Carried out by the Educating through Sports Athletic Association (Associação Atlética Educando pelo Esporte), this initiative uses soccer and futsal to contribute to improving academic performance and health among children and adolescents in Piracicaba (SP). The project also promotes digital inclusion and other educational actions outside of regular school hours.
