Suzano, the world's largest pulp producer, has made significant strides in its social strategy over the past five years. Between 2020 and 2025, as a result of structured income-generating, productive inclusion, and community strengthening initiatives developed in the regions where it operates, the company helped lift over 140,000 people out of poverty. This represents 70% of the progress needed to achieve its goal of impacting 200,000 people by 2030 in its areas of operation.
In the last year alone, over 44,000 people in Brazil rose above the poverty line through initiatives supported, developed, or driven by Suzano. Of this total, more than 8,500 are in the state of São Paulo and overcame poverty through initiatives that boost income generation and expand access to opportunities, thereby strengthening employability.
One highlight is the Social Responsibility, Rural Extension, and Income Generation Project (REG), developed in partnership with the Integral Technical Assistance Coordination (CATI), which promotes rural development through associations and cooperatives in various regions of the State.
Jacareí
In the Paraíba Valley, the project supported by Suzano in conjunction with the Rural Producers Cooperative of Paraíba Valley (Coopervale), in Taubaté (SP), benefits 10 families and indirectly about 30 people, focusing on expanding banana production, strengthening farmers' productive capacity, and increasing income-generating opportunities in the region.
According to Haley Silva de Carvalho, Division Head at CATI Regional Pindamonhangaba, the qualifications farmers receive provide the group with the technical capacity to supply food according to the requirements of the School Lunch program. It also allows these professionals to learn important post-harvest and commercialization aspects that are fundamental to ensuring increased family income through integration with Coopervale.
“Beyond the direct impact on family income generation, the project contributes to improving the quality of food supplied to the School Lunch Program and strengthening rural development through continuous training and knowledge exchange among cooperative members and non-members. The financial support from
Suzano was crucial in strengthening this work and helped accelerate and enhance the effectiveness of expected behavioral changes, thanks to the creation of practical learning areas that enabled producers to access more modern, sustainable, and efficient production techniques,” he highlighted.
The REG Project aims to help approximately 143 families rise above the poverty line by the end of 2026, considering the evolution of productive activities and the strengthening of local income generation.
These results reflect how Suzano's actions drive structural transformations in various regions. “Suzano's social investment strategy is a driver for business value creation and poverty reduction in the regions where we operate. By 2025, we reached 136 municipalities in Brazil with structured income-generating, training, and productive inclusion initiatives, expanding opportunities for vulnerable populations,” says Paulo Rocha, Suzano's Social Development Coordinator. “We strive to act strategically and collaboratively, partnering with civil society organizations, as we believe that joint construction is the path to achieving scale and consistency,” he adds.
Alto Tietê
Among the initiatives that supported this progress is Rede Cidadã (Citizen Network). Regionally supported by the company in the cities of Suzano and Mogi das Cruzes, the initiative focuses on training and integrating socially vulnerable individuals into the job market, strengthening economic autonomy, and creating professional opportunities. Through the Development Pathway, participants receive guidance on resume writing, personal branding, interview preparation, and support in participating in selection processes. The program also involves the family and monitors the participant after hiring, increasing the chances of job retention and sustainable income generation. In the first phase of the project in the region, over 50% of participants secured professional employment.
For the project leadership, the impact observed in Alto Tietê reinforces the importance of integrated and long-term initiatives. “The social impact we have built together demonstrates that transformation is always a collective effort. We urgently need to move towards a more supportive society where prosperity is shared, and development is also measured by human dignity and social justice. Partnerships like the one established with Suzano show that it is possible to open real pathways for those most in need,” emphasizes Fernando Alves, founder and executive director of Rede Cidadã.
These results reflect how Suzano's actions drive structural transformations in various regions. “Suzano's social investment strategy is a driver for
business value creation and poverty reduction in the regions where we operate. By 2025, we reached 136 municipalities in Brazil with structured income-generating, training, and productive inclusion initiatives, expanding opportunities for vulnerable populations,” says Paulo Rocha, Suzano's Social Development Coordinator. “We strive to act strategically and collaboratively, partnering with civil society organizations, as we believe that joint construction is the path to achieving scale and consistency,” the executive adds.
Forest Units
Another highlight is the Social Responsibility, Rural Extension, and Income Generation Project (REG), developed in partnership with the Integral Technical Assistance Coordination (CATI), which promotes rural development through associations and cooperatives in various regions of the State.
In the Western Region of São Paulo, the project supported by Suzano in conjunction with Coopcat Cooperative, in Iaras (SP), benefits approximately 80 families, focusing on expanding horticulture and income generation. The initiative receives financial support from Suzano and technical monitoring from CATI, contributing to strengthening local production and economic capacity.
According to Renan Vinicius Rodrigues, a CATI technician, the project has generated positive impacts in the region: "The support has been crucial in encouraging production and strengthening local producers. We have already observed an increase in the income of participating families and in product quality. We still have a lot of work ahead, but we are very excited about the cooperative's growth and the increase in income for local families," he emphasized.
The REG Project aims to help approximately 143 families rise above the poverty line by the end of 2026, considering the evolution of product activities and the strengthening of local income generation.
These results reflect how Suzano's actions promote structural transformations in various territories. “Suzano’s social investment strategy is a driver for generating business value and reducing poverty in the regions where we operate. In 2025, we reached 136 municipalities in Brazil with structured initiatives for income generation, training, and productive inclusion, expanding opportunities for populations in situations of greater vulnerability,” says Paulo Rocha, Suzano’s Social Development Coordinator. “We seek to act strategically and collaboratively, in partnerships with civil society organizations, because we believe that joint construction is the way to achieve scale and consistency,” the executive adds.
For more information on these and other Suzano initiatives on the ESG agenda, access the 2025 Sustainability Report.