FS's business is connected to new energy.
Given our commitment to transparency, and to show how we achieve our goal to add socio-environmental benefits to the biofuels production chain, we disclose annual sustainability reports with our socio-environmental, operational and financial results.
To ensure this commitment translates into consistent actions, we have a Social and Environmental Responsibility Policy and an Integrated Management System (IMS) to guide both the management of environmental aspects in our direct operations and the proactive engagement and partnerships with suppliers and customers, increasing positive impacts across the entire value chain.
Our commitment to sustainability includes building ethical and responsible relationships with suppliers and customers operating in the agribusiness industry. Beyond managing specific social and environmental aspects, we require suppliers and customers to fully align with our corporate values and Code of Ethics and Conduct, in addition to ensuring strict adherence to human rights clauses, including their commitment to actions aimed at eradicating child labor and forced labor.
This operational approach is governed by our Social and Environmental Responsibility Policy for Supply Chain and Sales, which establishes guidelines for assessing and monitoring socio-environmental impacts in the agribusiness industry.
A system that covers Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality, reinforcing a commitment to operational excellence and business sustainability.
Through the IMS model, we continuously improve our processes, risk prevention, protection of people and the environment, and compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. This model consolidates ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, reflecting an operational approach guided by responsibility, ethics, and safety.
Learn more about our IMS Policy.
We are focused on promoting economic development through better use of natural resources, optimization of processes, reuse of water and effluents, and recycling of materials.
Our production model enables us to use 100% of the corn processed in our operations.
Water and effluents
We utilize groundwater for cooling towers, boilers, and administrative facilities. All our industrial units operate with artesian wells that are fully authorized and licensed by competent state environmental authorities.
Water withdrawal volumes are continuously monitored, and water quality is rigorously tested in full compliance with applicable regulations, with sampling frequencies ranging from monthly to annually based on regulatory requirements.
Driven by ongoing innovation and strategic investments, we continually enhance our environmental performance. Our industrial units feature closed-loop systems, enabling water to be reused throughout the production process. Optimizing these systems further reduces total water withdrawal.
The effluents we generate consist primarily of sanitary wastewater and blowdowns from boilers and cooling towers.
Unlike traditional industries, we upcycle waste and residues by transforming them into high-value products, such as animal nutrition co-products like distillers dried grains (DDGs).
Technical Corn Oil (TCO) is a valuable co-product generated during our manufacturing process. It serves as an ideal feedstock for biodiesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), displacing virgin vegetable oils that carry higher environmental footprints. Furthermore, TCO holds strong potential for animal nutrition, reducing the demand for alternative feed sources and fostering complete circularity across the agricultural value chain.
Additionally, ash generated from biomass combustion in our boilers is channeled into composting operations and transformed into biofertilizers, which are returned directly to cropland to enhance soil health and displace synthetic chemical fertilizers.
In terms of waste and residue management, we have rigorous environmental controls to mitigate impacts and prioritize sustainable treatment options with a core focus on recycling. We strictly adhere to a “Zero Landfill” policy, ensuring that no operational waste or residue is ever sent to landfills.
This is a global challenge, and countries have mobilized themselves to reduce, mitigate, and replace greenhouse gas emissions that have a devastating effect on the Earth’s climate.
Here at FS, we understand we play an important role in this mobilization, including the supply of renewable energy and producing animal nutrition products originating from a supply chain that is free of deforestation.
We contribute to the national decarbonization program through our Renovabio certification, therefore avoiding greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuel with ethanol. We provide renewable energy that is co-generated with biomass, and our energy sources are certified by iRec.
Our operations, combined with responsible socio-environmental actions, contribute to an increasingly cleaner energy matrix in Brazil. And, to further contribute with the low carbon economy, we are developing a carbon capture project through an ethanol fermentation plant that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The expansion of our Company and implementation of new industries in the countryside region of the state of Mato Grosso generates positive social impacts. The opening of new job positions, both directly and indirectly, contributes to the local economy and creates opportunities for local development.
Social responsibility through dialogue
In 2021, we made important efforts to structure FS’ social action strategy. As a result of the dialogues with communities, and listening to their demands, we created our Social Investment Policy. The objective was to understand what local communities need, focusing on the population surrounding our industrial units, and connecting them to the identity, purpose and expertise of our business, that is, connecting what is important for these communities with what is important for FS.
Through this effort, we identified the main pillars and focus points for the Company’s activities on the topic:
- Knowledge
- Inclusion
- Income generation
Click here to access our Social Investment Policy.
To amplify the positive impact of our products, we strive for maximum environmental efficiency and operational excellence in managing natural resources, waste, and effluents.
Our operations are governed by a dedicated Environmental Policy that embeds sustainability principles directly into our corporate governance.
Our Policy establishes, as a foundational commitment, full compliance with environmental legislation and conformity with the legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to the operation of our industrial units.
To track and manage these obligations, we utilize a specialized digital platform (LEMA) that continuously organizes and updates environmental regulations according to federal, state, and municipal legislation.
One of our most important operational fronts is the environmental licensing of our operations. We maintain full compliance with environmental requirements across all our industrial units and have never incurred any significant environmental fines or sanctions.
