Sumário
Annual Report
2022 Sustainability
2022 Sustainability
- PT
- EN
Innovation is part of a culture disseminated and encouraged within MRS. Since 2020, the company has an area to orchestrate the innovation movement on a corporate basis, two departments with their own innovation hub, a team of innovation ambassadors, and the direct support of the Innovation Management Department. Currently, there are 50 ambassadors in the areas of maintenance, operations, sales, finance and human resources, all duly trained in the subject and who work to identify needs in the different areas of the Company.
Based on the setting of an innovation flow, MRS identifies problems, assesses the solution possibilities, starts with the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to test hypotheses and solutions, performs tests and/or builds prototypes and, if value is generated for the Company, the solution scales as a mature project. Currently, 63 initiatives in the innovation flow are in progress, 6 of which are under analysis, 30 are being tested, 24 have been completed and 3 are being escalated to other areas of the Company. In 2022, innovation projects received a contribution of R$ 1.2 million from the Company. Projects in partnership had a contribution of more than R$ 3.5 million from partners who share cost, risk and return. The Company’s projects on P, D&I raised record returns under the so-called “Lei do Bem” in 2022, adding R$ 4.7 million of tax benefit from the Law.
Most of the projects developed by the area are focused on efficiency (doing what is already done faster, with less cost and safely); but also encompass the employee’s quality of life and reduction of environmental impacts.
As a result of the execution of the new operation concession agreement (learn more here), in 2022, a management front was established for projects in technological development, which will support the initiatives to be implemented regarding innovation and technology.
Aiming to promote the continuity of the dissemination and strengthening of the innovation culture, MRS promoted 350 hours of content on the subject, with more than 1,300 employees impacted, in addition to leadership training. The Innovation Framework Workshop was also held, which brought together teams from different regions and areas of the Company, in Juiz de Fora (MG), with the purpose of updating the basic guidelines that will govern MRS innovation efforts in the coming years. Over two days, six multidisciplinary groups were created for discussions on six main macro-themes associated with the subject: Processes and Management, Innovation Governance, Innovation Ambition, Technology & Infrastructure, People and Ways of Working and Culture for Innovation.
In 2022, the Innovation Value Map was developed, a framework based on the methodology of the Integrated Report, which will bring the results of the MRS innovation movement.
The map was built so that results and values generated by innovation were measured through material indicators, reducing subjectivity. A further goal of the map is to provide visibility beyond the financial return on innovation and thus change the culture that return needs to be expressed in monetary values.
The map proposes that results are presented in their actual measures. For example, the increase in asset availability will be expressed in hours/machine available when there is no direct financial effect, so as to avoid showing a financial return with no cash effect on the Company.
Seven capitals are considered (images below) that generate values measured by more than 50 indicators. All innovation actions, from projects to culture actions and awards, will have their results listed on this map.
The tool will be key to measure the efforts and impacts of the innovation movement in the company.
All renewable and non-renewable environmental resources and environmental processes that provide goods or services to support an organization’s past, present and future prosperity. This includes water, land, minerals and forests; biodiversity and ecosystem quality.
Set of resources available to an organization to be used in the production of goods or in the provision of services. Obtained through financing, such as debt, equity or grants, or generated through investments.
Non-natural manufactured physical objects available to an organization for use in the production of goods or provision of services (buildings, equipment, roads, ports, bridges…). Generated by other organizations or not. Assets for sale, or for own use.
People’s skills, abilities and experience and their motivations for innovating, including alignment with and support of the governance structure, risk management and ethical values. The ability to understand, develop and implement an organization’s strategy. Loyalty and motivation to improve processes, goods and services, including the ability to lead, manage and collaborate.
Knowledge-based organizational intangible assets, including intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights, software, rights and licenses. It also includes tacit knowledge, systems, procedures and protocols.
Set of resources available to an organization or generated by it capable of ensuring operational and personal safety for the organization. Risk reduction.
Institutions and relationships with communities and other stakeholders. The ability to share information to improve individual and collective well-being. It covers common values and behaviors. Key stakeholder relationships and the trust and commitment that an organization develops and seeks to build and protect with external stakeholders. Intangible assets associated with the brand and reputation developed by an organization.
In 2022, a new governance structure for innovation projects was set up. The so-called Big Projects aim to ensure the internalization of new technologies on a corporate basis at MRS, taking advantage of the synergy between the demands.
These projects are carried out by diverse and multidisciplinary groups (squads) with representatives from different areas of the Company.
Encouraging innovative ideas is one of the guidelines set by MRS since 2001, when the Company created the Ideas in Action Program. Through it, solutions that ensure productivity and internal process improvement are tracked. The program is now one of the protagonists of the innovation culture disseminated by MRS, with improved results year after year.
In 2022, 98 ideas were implemented, 21 measurable and 77 non-measurable. In addition to financial return, the program provides benefits related to safety, agility and other gains for the Company.
Financial records stand out. In 2022, measurable gains from implemented ideas reached a level close to R$ 9.1 million. If we consider an assessment of the ideas with financial gains from previous years, inflation adjusted by the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA – acronym in Portuguese), the program’s annual gain already amounts to R$ 47 million.
“Ideas in Action” Program
(In millions of Brazilian reais)
| Project | What | For what | How | Expected / generated values | Next steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Monitoring of Level Crossings | computer vision solution for capturing critical events (run over, collisions, accidents, incidents) in Level Crossings | data generation on critical Level Crossings for future risk mitigation actions and investigation of incidents | market solution test | - decrease in railway accidents in Level Crossings - better interaction with neighboring community | solution escalation to 15 Level Crossings |
| Yard Capacity | development of intelligence for dimensioning the capacity of railway yards through optimal planning of maneuvers | ensure yard capacity studies considering demand (transport volume) in the medium and long term. Enable yard expansion and optimization strategy | project supported by the MCTI through the IA² public notice developed with the startup Data Machina. | Transport cycle optimization - increased efficiency in rail yards | Partnership assessment to scale the solution |
| Locomotives auto download | development of hardware and software for online capture of locomotive information | daily monitoring of the machine health, reduction of the time of the asset stopped in the workshop for data capture, possibility of predictive maintenance | development carried out by contracting a service from institution SENAI MG | - increased locomotive availability for production - lower need to purchase a locomotive Maintenance optimization | pilot execution in 2023 and start scaling in 2024 |
| OPTIN | development of intelligence capable of identifying intervals in the Operation planning to be used by Maintenance | use natural intervals of operation to reduce the need for scheduled maintenance intervals | intelligence and app development | - optimization of maintenance and operation Financial return (R$ 2.5 million in year 1) | scale solution via app |
| Asset tracking | development of asset tracking system in yards | ensure transport predictability, optimize maneuvers and cycle | development of hardware and software using RFID sensor | - digitalization of asset movements - monitoring of fleet and trainset; - optimization of maneuvers; | pilot implementation in Piaçaguera |
| Autonomous vehicle for inspection | development of autonomous vehicle for inspection of railway condition after severe weather conditions | identify adverse conditions on the railroad, avoid accidents, optimize transportation after severe weather condition (reduce traffic restrictions) | partnership project, with patent potential, with EMBRAPII units (SENAI MG and ISI SIM RS) and startup Newon. Promotion of R$ 2.1 million | Lower traffic restrictions in the rainy season Increased safety Intellectual property of MRS product with receipt of royalties | complete TRL 6 in the 1st half of 2024 |
Aware of the importance of digital transformation for business evolution and the generation of value for its different audiences, MRS has been continuously investing in innovative technologies and solutions.
Conecta Project, which unifies technology systems, improving processes and flows in the Company, is one of the highlights in this path. With implementation starting in 2021 and ending in 2022, MRS now has an integrated SAP platform, which provides transactional and analytical vision in real time, transforming manual tasks into business analysis. As a result, the initiative enhances data governance and reliability.
Through the project, the adoption of a productivity management tool is expected for 2023, to be implemented in maintenance. The new Terminal Logging tool will be made available in the booths and tablets already existing in the workshops for recording activities. The novelty brings significant improvements in the automation of some processes, in addition to new possibilities for control reports and work monitoring.