Sustainability management

MRS believes that the path to the perpetuity of its business is based on sustainable growth, on the Company’s continuous evolution to mitigate its impacts on the environment, on a culture of efficiency, innovation, transparency and ethics as drivers of its performance and in a healthy relationship of positive contribution with its different stakeholders.

Reflecting this journey, it has shown increasing results in the environment preservation and has given even more prominence to the area responsible for the topic in 2022. MRS has an Environmental Management System (EMS) to assist in the consistent planning of actions to prevent, control and mitigate environmental impacts resulting from its operations. The processes adopted cover topics such as waste management, effluents, air quality, erosion processes, noise, water resources, flora and fauna, legal compliance, environmental control of works, environmental licensing, greenhouse gas emissions, among others. The company is also in full compliance with the regulations by being prepared to act in emergency situations quickly and rationally, maintaining emergency response plans, strategic assets in different units and periodically training its employees.

Through its operations, MRS contributes to the development of the Brazilian economy and of the municipalities crossed by its network, promoting the creation of jobs, income and taxes. It also brings an important social benefit by facilitating the flow of goods into the country. The activities, however, impose the challenge of improving and expanding the urbanization and infrastructure conditions on its area of operation, eliminating or mitigating conflicts resulting from the increased flow of cars and the growth of communities around the railroad. MRS understands its role in this context and has a strong action to promote the safety and welfare of the neighboring population, establishing several actions focused on the communities and addressing potential conflicts, leading to the strengthening of its relationship with society as well.

Concerning storage, handling and cargo transport activities, the Company fully complies with the specific regulations and Brazilian technical standards applicable to the sector, in addition to continuously seeking to improve processes and use tools that contribute to the reduction of accidents, avoiding unnecessary impacts on the environment.

The stance of efficiency with transparency and ethics adopted by the company favors the perception of investors and partners regarding the risks and opportunities involved. In the process of contributing positively to different audiences, MRS has increased diversity year after year in its staff, investing in the promotion of physical and emotional well-being with actions not only for employees, but also for their dependents and, in the set of actions, it has been strengthened as an employer brand, favoring the attraction and retention of talents.

Due to the relevance of the topic, in 2021 MRS defined specific ESG targets for the variable compensation of the Company’s leadership. In 2022, sustainability-linked challenges remained at the top of the leadership’s goals. Sustainability challenges will intensify even more for the Company as of 2023, with the renewal of the Concession Agreement. Learn more here.