Posted in: 01/26/2023
The ESG movement , which led companies to include social and environmental values in their corporate investments , positively affected Synergia, a consultancy that works in the creation and execution of socio-environmental solutions . The company has achieved relevant growth in the last four years: since 2019, it has doubled the number of customers and, as a result, has increased its turnover by 131% .
Although the consultancy traditionally assisted companies in the mining and energy sectors , in projects aimed at mitigating the environmental and social impacts of their undertakings, the increase in the demands of socio-environmental projects in these sectors, especially in optimizing the results of their social investments , was the main factor for its growth.
Another relevant factor for customers choosing Synergia is that the consultancy is a B Corp , that is, it is certified for its commitment to continuous improvement , placing its business purpose as the structural pillar of its business model. B Corps are companies that, in addition to producing, profiting and moving the economy, deliver social and environmental benefits , hence the “B” conferred as a seal of quality to these initiatives. This directed the offer of its socio-environmental services towards the adoption of new methodologies , integrated with the demands of the economy of regeneration , which is consolidating itself in the country.
This emerging economic model proposes the valuation of social and environmental resources that are not usually priced, so that the value of the environment, people and the relationships between these elements are incorporated into the costs of production systems . Climate emergencies and global commitments have driven the growth of this economy of the future and Synergia Socioambiental fits into this context.
According to Maria Lins de Albuquerque , CEO of the company, Synergia has established itself as a consultancy that generates intelligence during the execution of the socio-environmental projects it carries out, such as resettlement , social participation, productive assistance, income generation, protection of traditional communities. “We were able to model solutions and measure the impacts of the companies’ social investments, generating indicators for evaluating and monitoring these impacts, and their valuation, including within the carbon market. We can dimension, for example, the impact of investing in a traditional community in the preservation of an ecosystem, indicating how this reverts in the minimization of carbon emissions”, explains the executive. To this end, the company’s structure has a directorate for studies and research and a Center for Socio-environmental Studies , and uses its own technological tools, such as the SIS platform – Socio-environmental Intelligence System .
Synergia also invested in new products in the areas of water sustainability and dam safety , aiming to serve this growing market. “This is a Synergia brand, despite having consolidated products and methodologies, it is always incorporating innovations that generate greater social results”, says Maria.
Prepared to face the challenges posed by this economy of the future, which, due to climate emergencies , links the market to socio-environmental issues, the company’s perspective is to double its revenues in the next two years .
To support the company’s development strategies , Synergia has an advisory board composed of Ricardo Young, Roberto Waack and Andrea Alvares , renowned specialists in their areas of activity, whose contributions influence and support the company’s decisions.
Following the world’s gaze towards the Amazon , the company ended 2022 at the head of 13 projects in the territory , working with indigenous and traditional communities , in areas under pressure from deforestation and illegal mining , especially in Pará. Projects in the Amazon region already account for around 25% of the company’s revenue.
The strong presence in the Amazon also makes it possible for the company, since 2021, to develop its own projects to leverage local development , such as the one carried out in partnership with AASFLOR (Agroextractivist Association Sementes da Floresta) , which supports the network of canteens in Terra do Meio and support for the riverside community at the Terra do Meio Ecological Station , all in the Middle Xingu region.
The company does not limit itself to operating in the Amazon territory, it also seeks to disseminate the knowledge it has accumulated over the years. In 2021, it launched a series of seven volumes on the region , distributed to potential investors, public managers and interested parties, and publishes its monitoring of hot spots in conservation units and indigenous lands on a quarterly basis, both free of charge.
The company’s growth in recent years is also reflected in the size of the consulting team, which has doubled its functional structure , going from 354 in 2019 to 801 employees at the end of 2022 . country , valuing skills, local knowledge and diversity .
According to Renata Aparecida Guirelli, the company’s Human and Organizational Development (DHO) coordinator, Synergia’s team is made up of 56% women, and 54% self-declared black and brown men and women . In leadership positions , 65% are women and 43% self-declared black or brown men and women . According to Renata, there is still a way to go to increase the percentage of black and brown people in top management positions, where they still represent only 4% .
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