ESG practices, a set of activities aimed at preserving the environment, responsibility towards society and corporate transparency, continue to be prominent in Brazil and around the world. To this end, a series of large-scale events are taking place throughout the country throughout the year, in anticipation of COP 30. Companies are committed to graduating sustainable practices and results, regardless of political and economic circumstances, in a clear signal that organizational governance has a more ambitious profile.
Initiatives are also moving towards companies that deal directly with mass consumption. The Brazilian Franchising Association, for example, published a report in early February entitled “Climate change and a more environmentally conscious population make sustainable businesses trends for 2025”. The text provides a clear guideline: “Investing in sustainable businesses is not only an ethical choice, but also a consumer demand that generates opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors”.
“In practice, the ESG agenda is on its own, regardless of the circumstances. It is important to emphasize that responsible governance will continue to advance towards the future,” explains Edson Ferreira, director of Ferso.
Scheduled actions
In May, the Brazilian ESG Association will hold one of the largest events in the sector at the National ESG Congress, which will have as its central theme “Visionary Leadership – Connecting Sustainability, Diversity and Artificial Intelligence”. Leading companies and key players in sustainability issues will address more than 24 topics, such as climate change mitigation, energy transition and the integration of ESG goals into the core of organizational operations.
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development, CEBDS, representing 116 large companies in the country, announced the creation of two new leadership positions for the group focused on COP 30. The entity plans to consolidate the participation of the private sector in the sustainability agenda in Brazil and strengthen an international alliance with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, WBCSD, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Switzerland. The entity's objective is to work with the “COP-30 CEO Action Advisory Board”, a group of global leaders selected by WBCSD and CEBDS with a history of business engagement in Brazil.
Investments
For this year, there will still be the second auction of Germany's subsidized green hydrogen purchase program also aimed at projects outside Europe, the H2Global mechanism. The auction will have public funding totaling more than €3 billion and will include projects in South America, structured in regional lots, ensuring a diversified portfolio of suppliers.
In the second half of the year, the Brazilian government plans to hold the first auction of offshore areas for wind power exploration. Wind power has experienced significant growth in Brazil over the past 15 years, rising from a total capacity of 600 Megawatts (MW) in 2009 to more than 33,6 MW in 2024. Over the next five years, another 23,2 MW are expected to come into operation in the country.
