General Information

GRI 2-2, 2-3

The Annual Report by the Electrical Energy Research Center (Cepel) is prepared as per the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) methodology, one of the most renowned and respected organizations of its sort in the world. For the third consecutive year, the report presents the Center’s performance in the topics of governance, economic-financial and socio-environmental, in the period between January 1 and December 31, 2022, having been assessed and approved by the Executive Board.

The most prominent themes were defined from the 2021 Materiality Matrix, maintained in 2022, produced after a broad stakeholder consultation process carried out by Eletrobras, Cepel’s Founding Associate and main maintainer. As in the previous year, to reflect the context of 2022, the theme “Covid-19 Pandemic” was kept in the matrix, once again approved by the Executive Board.

The following pages present, in detail, the way Cepel has been managed in the last year, as well as the challenges and opportunities that were part of the Center’s activities during this period. The main information included in the Annual Report is also disclosed on Cepel’s social networks and communication channels, where it is possible to follow the activities, good practices, and the connection of the business with the sustainable development agenda.

Stakeholder engagement

GRI 2-29

Stakeholder engagement is done primarily through Communication initiatives and the Department of Business and Innovation (DNI), created in 2022, with specific variations according to the nature of the relationship with each of them.

In the following table, you can find some of the initiatives developed.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT – (GRI 2-29)

To strengthen the engagement of its stakeholders, Cepel uses several channels, respecting the traits of each target audience such as institutional website, intranet, profiles on social networks (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook), YouTube channel, e-mail (trigger for lists and individual communication), WhatsApp and corporate communication application (MS Teams). In the Center’s external communication, the monthly Cepel Report submission, with news, calendars of events and other information of interest about the institution, stands out; CEPEL’s LinkedIn page, which has more than 32,000 followers, used to publicize the Center’s activities in constant interaction with the profiles of its employees and partners; and the Annual Report itself, a tool for presenting the management’s actions and results to CEPEL’s associates and partners . In addition to these channels, it uses printed media such as posters, pamphlets, and booklets for offline communication.

It also carries out direct contact initiatives, through technical visits to customers and associates, seeking to improve the understanding of their needs and demands, in addition to ensuring an effective and agile service.

In the Business area, the stakeholder engagement is one of the key factors for the success of projects, technological services, or technical interactions. This continuous and close relationship allows the delivery of value, so as to contribute to the positive result and customer satisfaction.

In 2022, to foster this approach, about 15 visits were made to actual and potential customers. To manage the engagement of external stakeholders, the Project Management Office has created a Project Evaluation channel. In the channel, the company opens space for criticism and suggestions for improvements not only in scope, but also in relation to the project team or the institution itself. During the year, 62 forms were answered by customers.

In the laboratory area at Cepel, which has a Quality Management System implemented based on ABNT/ISO/IEC 17025, customers receive along with each test report a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction. In 2022, 74 responses from 263 questionnaires sent were received and the quantification of the level of customer satisfaction was 4.6, on a scale from zero to five.

Materiality Process

GRI 3-1, 3-2

Cepel often conducts a review of the most significant issues related to its management and the production of sustainability reports. In 2021, for example, this process of engagement and consultancy with external stakeholders was translated into the structuring of the Materiality Matrix, which follows the GRI guidelines. In 2022, the entity chose to use the same matrix.

The process was developed in three stages. The first refers to an internal exercise to map and prioritize the audiences with which the company relates, taking into account the perspective of the relationship dimensions (corporate governance, prosperity, planet, and people) and management needs. With this, eight stakeholder groups were identified, engaged through online surveys and qualitative interviews.

The dialogues with stakeholders were essential to further analyze the GRI principles and guidelines. Thus, the second phase of the process began, which consisted of the comparative analysis of the sectorial assessment and the themes listed in the Cepel 2021 Materiality Matrix.

The third engagement phase, on the other hand, involved the analysis of sectorial benchmarking, with a challenge detected early on: the survey institutions initially suggested by Cepel do not usually show their sustainability practices that go beyond those that are related to their main activity to the audience.

Therefore, the assessment was based mainly on the only survey institution that publishes a report based on GRI standards, the Technological Park of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), but also included other survey institutions, from Brazil and abroad, that present some type of sustainability document or good sustainable practices. Therefore, in the sectorial assessments, the themes addressed by these publications were highlighted.

In accordance with the precautionary principle, Cepel used a dynamic method for stakeholders to classify the issues into “High” or “Very High” levels considering the impacts of the Center. From this information, it was possible to compare and assess the subjects that are appropriate for the institution, listed in nine material themes, including a cross-sectional theme related to the socioeconomic context of the years 2021 and 2022 (Covid-19 Pandemic). The Materiality Matrix of this new cycle was also approved by the Executive Board.

MATERIAL THEMES – (GRI 3-3)