Our approach to biodiversity management

Our management in biodiversity

Vale strives to manage its impacts based on the stages of the impact mitigation hierarchy, producing knowledge and results that can serve as benchmarks for the entire sector and other businesses. 

Through partnerships and engagement, we aim for our actions not only to address the management of negative impacts but also generate positive results across the company's activities and beyond our borders, contributing to a positive future for nature in the global context. 

As a cross-cutting issue, nature and biodiversity are governed by our Sustainability Policy, with the objective of preventing and minimizing risks and negative impacts and enhancing positive impacts, generating social, environmental, and economic value beyond the company’s activities. A guiding principle of the Policy is the pursuit of positive results for nature through investment in restoration, conservation, and research, integrating biodiversity, climate, water, and people. This policy applies to Vale S.A. and its subsidiaries throughout the life cycle of their projects and in all their areas of operation. It also guides our suppliers on Vale’s non-negotiable guidelines for responsible operations. It is important to mention that the policy is aligned with the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (especially Targets 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 15, 20, and 21).

Biodiversity governance is integrated into Vale’s structure, including the Executive Sustainability Committee, which is statutory and supports the Board of Directors, among other instruments and macroprocesses. The Executive Sustainability Committee is responsible for developing and submitting guidelines and a strategic plan to the Board of Directors, considering socio-environmental issues, and implementing the approved plan. In 2021, the Board of Directors decided to create the dedicated Executive Vice Presidency Office for Sustainability. This office is responsible for implementing the general biodiversity-related policies and guidelines established by the Board and identifying, addressing, and managing nature-related impacts, dependencies, risks, and opportunities (as well as critical issues that result in risks or impacts on the business) and evaluating sustainability investment proposals. One of the policies that the Executive Vice President for Sustainability is responsible for implementing is the Sustainability Policy (read more about it in Governance). 

Nature and biodiversity are integrated into our strategic sustainability plans and disseminated throughout the company, aligned with our Sustainability Policy and the Internal Corporate Biodiversity Standard. Our guidelines and strategic plans are approved by the Board of Directors, and their implementation is monitored across all areas of the company through reports from the Executive Vice Presidents and oversight by the Advisory Committees. Biodiversity risks are included in the company’s integrated risk map and risk management, and the TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) Pilot Project informed the review of the biodiversity risk management process based on an integrated assessment conducted by a multidisciplinary team. This process was approved and is monitored by the Sustainability Risk Executive Committee.
 
Nature and Biodiversity Governance

All operational units have environmental teams and professionals with biodiversity expertise responsible for managing plans and programs, as well as related operational risks. They report to the corporate biodiversity team, which reports to the VP of Sustainability within the Executive Board of Climate, Nature, and Cultural Investments.

Biodiversity management is incorporated into the specific requirements of Vale’s management model (VPS – Vale Production System), based on the internal regulatory standard that establishes Guidelines and Processes for Biodiversity Management. This document was published in 2020 (revised in 2023) and applies to all projects and operations, covering the planning, implementation, operation, and closure stages. The guidelines and processes are based on the impact mitigation hierarchy, focus on managing biodiversity impacts and risks, and support the achievement of our commitments. 

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Goals and Commitments

Among the commitments in our 2030 agenda, we have goals related to reducing pressures on nature and biodiversity (such as reducing our emissions and reducing new water withdrawals) and the Forest Target – restoring and protecting 500,000 hectares. This goes beyond our borders, seeking partnerships to leave a positive impact on nature at the landscape scale.

Forest Target


The Forest Target is part of Vale’s commitment to leverage its protection and restoration agenda through partnerships, in addition to being part of Vale’s climate strategy to achieve its goal of becoming NetZero by 2050.

The Forest Target consists of two objectives: to restore 100,000 hectares and to protect 400,000 hectares. This is a voluntary commitment that goes beyond our legal obligations and aims to contribute to a positive future for nature. This target was defined based on a 2019 baseline indicating that more than 80% of our impacted areas were associated with the Atlantic Forest and Amazon biomes, as well as our capacity to act in conservation and restoration. In 2019, our baseline was approximately 850 hectares of Vale-protected areas (both owned and in partnerships). It is important to mention that this target is aligned with the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, especially Targets 2, 3, and 10. The strategy for achieving this target was based on establishing partnerships, inspired by the work of Vale Natural Reserve and the Vale Fund, with a focus on developing capabilities and businesses focused on this agenda, thus expanding results beyond this commitment.

The VNR is a protected area owned by Vale, located in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. It is one of the largest remaining Atlantic Forest areas, totaling 23,000 hectares, with over 40 years of experience in conservation, research, and partnerships. The Vale Fund is a development and investment fund created by the company in 2009 to generate positive socio-environmental impact. 

To protect 400,000 hectares, we are working with a similar model adopted in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest almost 40 years ago, leveraging VNR’s expertise and establishing partnerships with protected areas to support conservation actions. In 2022, we began studying protection alternatives, such as REDD+ projects, seeking greater integration with climate commitments. As a result, by 2024, we had 200,093 hectares protected in partnership with conservation units, and of this total, 85,000 hectares were protected through REDD+ projects13. These areas help maintain an important carbon stock, supporting the climate change mitigation and adaptation agenda and fostering climate regulation. The target’s actions support the effective management and conservation of these areas, engaging local communities.
 

  In 2024, we reached an important milestone: we achieved 50% of our Forest Target protection objective – 200,000 hectares protected beyond our borders. 

To restore 100,000 hectares, the Vale Fund has built a network of partners and business arrangements with a positive socio-environmental impact that, through sustainable management systems, improve landscape permeability, sequester carbon, and generate jobs and income for the community. As a result, by December 2024, the supported businesses had implemented sustainable models that restored 18,443 hectares of degraded areas.

Learn more about the Forest Target’s Theory of Change.
 

Progress on Forest Target as of 2024

Putting together protection and restoration actions, we had protected and restored 218,536 hectares between 2020 and 2024, achieving approximately 44% of the commitment made over five years of activity.

Scope of the Forest Target Actions - Geographical distribution 500 thousand hectares

No Net Loss Commitment

Our long-term goal is to prevent and neutralize significant impacts on our new projects and expansions in areas of high biodiversity value, striving for a No Net Loss commitment and, whenever possible, generating a Positive Net Impact (Net Gain). Our No Net Loss commitment is acknowledged and approved by the Sustainability Committee and the Board of Directors. We hold informative and deliberative sessions within the Sustainability Committee, which answers to the Board of Directors, reporting at least annually on our strategy and performance regarding nature and biodiversity.

This commitment is aligned with the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, highlighting Target 15, which addresses the management, reduction, and reporting of biodiversity impacts and risks.

Our strategy involves analyzing biodiversity risks and prioritizing attributes, using the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy as the basis for developing Action Plans and Management Plans, as well as improving those already implemented. The development of these plans involves experts and internal and external stakeholders, in addition to encouraging the production of scientific knowledge to support decisions and specific goals for each project or operation. 

The Management Plan Pilot Project for the S11D Mine in Carajás allowed us to further develop and adapt the international performance standards of the IFC (International Finance Corporation, a member institution of the World Bank) to our current situation. In 2020, we published our internal regulatory standard with guidelines and processes for biodiversity management, revised in 2023. This standard includes all stages of the impact mitigation hierarchy, with compensation actions through the restoration and conservation of areas as a basis for neutralizing the loss of habitats (without net deforestation) and species.

Summary of the processes outlined in the regulatory standard

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Learn more about our journey to achieve No Net Loss in our 2021 Vale & Biodiversity report.

Regulatory Implementation Case Study

The S11D Complex Mine Pilot Project’s results were published in 2021 in Vale & Biodiversity.  

Changes to the S11D project’s layout prevented the destruction of over a thousand hectares of forest. Thanks to significant investment in technology and innovation, we reduced fuel consumption by 70%, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50%, and water consumption by 93%.

Through restoration efforts, we were able to connect forests previously separated by degraded areas. We planted nearly one million seedlings, restoring the forest across over five thousand hectares. Monitoring these areas has detected the presence of felines such as the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), animals at the top of the food chain, indicating progress in restoring biodiversity in these areas.
 
Jaguar (Panthera onca) – image captured by camera traps during wildlife monitoring in restoration areas.


A study developed by ITV concluded that these forest restoration efforts effectively reversed the prevailing environmental degradation in the landscape and provided considerable biodiversity gains for the region. See more here.

The compensation plan focused on the conservation of cavities and ferruginous rocky fields. Giving particular attention to the Tarzan and Bocaina mountain ranges, we supported ICMBio in the establishment and protection of the Carajás Ferruginous Fields National Park.
Carajás Ferruginous Fields National Park. Photo: Lourival Tyski
Carajás Ferruginous Fields National Park. Photo: Lourival Tyski
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Commitment not to operate in UNESCO natural heritage sites

In line with the ICMM Nature Position Statement, we have publicly reaffirmed our commitment to not operating in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This commitment is part of the Guidelines and Processes for Biodiversity Management, within Vale’s biodiversity regulations. It is important to mention that we have no projects or operations in these areas. 

We help to protect part of an important site – the Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves, with the conservation of Vale Natural Reserve (VNR) and the Sooretama Biological Reserve (REBio).  

The VNR is a Vale property located in Espírito Santo, with 23,000 hectares of Atlantic Forest voluntarily designated for conservation and research. The Sooretama REBio is a federally protected area adjacent to the VNR, with which we have a partnership to support conservation efforts. Together, they form the largest remaining block of Atlantic Forest in the state, covering approximately 50,000 hectares, where endangered and endemic species live under protection.

Alignment with global and national agendas

Our goals and commitments, as well as our nature strategy, are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and the National Biodiversity Targets. 

Some of Vale’s actions, aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework (to learn more about the results of our goals, visit Climate, Water and Effluents and Atmospheric Emissions (non-GHG). Also access our TNFD Report and information aligned with the disclosure recommendations in the TNFD tab of the ESG Databook.)

As an ICMM (International Council on Mining and Metals) member, Vale actively participated in the development of the new Nature Position Statement and is committed to contributing to a positive future for nature by supporting and actively participating in commitments related to reducing and managing impacts in its operations, working directly within its value chain, seeking partnerships to work on landscape recovery and conservation, leveraging systemic transformations, and providing transparency to its actions and results. 

As a CEBDS (Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development) member, Vale has committed to the Brazilian Business Commitment for Biodiversity, highlighting the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to our business and demonstrating our progress in their conservation and sustainable use.

As a member of the Life Coalition since 2024, Vale joins leading companies and financial institutions in seeking methods to measure biodiversity and accelerate global conservation through concrete actions and transformative solutions. 

Our dependencies and impacts

We seek the best methods, technologies, and actions that minimize interference with natural resources. In spite of that, our operations have direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity. 

In order to map and assess these impacts, specific assessments are prepared covering everything from planning for entry into new territories to the final design of projects. These assessments aim to assess potential impacts on natural heritage areas, protected areas, and sensitive habitats and species. All operational expansions and new projects are preceded by environmental impact studies, in accordance with the standards and regulations of each country and region in which they operate. These impacts are reported annually by the operational environmental departments to the corporate department. Based on these reports, the most material impacts are assessed, based on the frequency of reporting and assessment. 

The implementation of the TNFD’s LEAP approach  (Locate, Evaluate, Assess and Prepare) confirmed the results related to the most material impacts already tracked in the annual reports. The ENCORE (Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure) tool was used to assess the materiality of impacts for each production process (mining, railways, and ports). Impact drivers were measured based on data related to emissions, water use, pollutants, waste, and biodiversity reported annually by operations and available at the corporate level in the Vale ESG Databook 2023. Data available for the period 2018 to 2022 were used. Our most material impacts are related to water use and changes to natural ecosystems.

Based on the impact mitigation hierarchy, we implement prevention, control, mitigation, recovery, and compensation measures to reduce and neutralize our impacts and incorporate the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services into the company's activities. Our actions comply with legal obligations, but we seek, whenever possible, to implement additional actions focused on restoration and conservation, with a focus on the landscape. 

Examples of actions implemented in Vale projects and operations focused on each stage of the impact mitigation hierarchy (for specific examples from our sites, see the CDP – Carbon Disclosure Project report).

It is worth noting that actions focused on avoiding and mitigating impacts related to land use changes and vegetation removal also prevent greenhouse gas emissions. These measures are reinforced in the project planning stages based on guidelines and recommendations within biodiversity and climate change regulations. Similarly, actions focused on recovery and offsetting support the capture and maintenance of carbon stocks, with results evaluated within the carbon balance. 

Based on an assessment of the locations of our operations and the results of our annual indicator reports, our main impacts involve changes in ecosystems, primarily through changes in land use and vegetation cover, resulting in the localized loss of flora and the reduction or alteration of fauna habitats. In 2024, the total area affected by Vale’s operations totaled 100,267 hectares (our footprint). This figure includes areas already altered for the implementation of our operations, as well as those that have already received formal authorization from environmental regulatory agencies for implementation/operation. Much of this area is located in Brazil, interfering with the Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes. 

We always consider the dependence of our businesses on water supply in our planning and strategy. In 2024, following the implementation of the TNFD’s LEAP approach, we mapped the material dependencies in our various processes (mining, railways, and ports). We mapped a significant asset dependency on water supply (groundwater and surface water), as well as climate regulation, mass stabilization, and erosion control. In mining processes, the most significant dependencies are water supply (groundwater and surface water), water flow maintenance, and climate regulation. For railways, the most significant dependencies are mass stabilization and erosion control, and for ports, water supply (groundwater and surface water) (see risks associated with impacts and dependencies in Biodiversity Risk Management). 

Areas of High Biodiversity Value

Part of our operations in Brazil, in the states of Pará and Minas Gerais, overlap with protected areas categorized by the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC). This area refers to Vale’s operations in Carajás, Pará, located in the Carajás and the Tapirapé Aquiri National Forests, sustainable use conservation units (International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Category VI), whose creation decrees permit the company's activities. Our operations in the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas Gerais overlap with the Southern Environmental Protection Area of the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area (APA Sul RMBH), also a sustainable use conservation unit (IUCN Category V), whose creation decree permits human activities.
Extent of land use change in areas of high biodiversity value (GRI 304-1/2023) Hectares
Total impacted area (surface and underground)
100,268
Total impacted area in wilderness
61,563
Total impacted area in hotspots
30,332
Areas impacted in protected areas
35,370
Areas impacted adjacent to protected areas
39,406
Areas impacted in priority conservation areas outside protected areas
26,551
Areas impacted adjacent to priority conservation areas outside protected areas
23,576
Note: Protected Areas impacted by Vale’s operations are Sustainable Use Conservation Units, according to Brazilian legislation, and correspond to categories V and VI of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with creation decrees that allow Vale to conduct its activities there. Adjacent protected areas are those located within a 10-km buffer from our operations.

The protected areas adjacent to our operations are mostly comprised of conservation units owned by Vale. These are Private Natural Heritage Reserves (IUCN Category IV), already established or in the process of being created, located close to our operational units. There are also conservation units created and supported by Vale, such as the Ferruginous Fields National Park (IUCN Category II), created as part of the licensing of the Eliezer Batista S11D Complex in Carajás, and the Gandarela National Park, which Vale has supported in land regularization.

Regarding other classes of high importance areas for biodiversity, our operations interfere with or are adjacent to some Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Ramsar Sites (sites of ecological importance defined in the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance), according to the table below:

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)

Country/Location Type of operation Category of importance for biodiversity¹ Position
Brazil/ Mariana 
Mine/Power Plant
KBA
Contains portions
Brazil/ Ipatinga 
Logistics/railway
Ramsar Site 
Adjacent²
Brazil/ Carajás 
Logistics/railway
KBA
Contains portions
Brazil/ Carajás 
Mine/Power Plant
KBA
Overlaps
Brazil/ São Luis 
Logistics/Port and Railway
Ramsar Site 
Contains portions
Brazil/ São Luis 
Logistics/Port and Railway
KBA 
Contains portions
Oman/ Sohar
Pelletizing/Distribution Center
KBA 
Contains portions
Wales/ Clydach 
Power Plant
Ramsar Site 
Adjacent²
1. Sources consulted: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/; https://rsis.ramsar.org/; https://www.ibat-alliance.org (free IBAT Account)
2. For adjacent areas, a 10-km buffer was considered from the outer limits of areas of high biodiversity importance, and its overlap with the operational unit's area was assessed.
In 2024, 1,140 species were recorded occurring in habitats impacted by Vale’s operations or near them. Of these, 96 are considered threatened according to the IUCN categories: Critically Endangered (6), Endangered (32), and Vulnerable (58). 

Operations that generate significant impacts on areas of high biodiversity value require Biodiversity Management Plans. Of our 47 operational units assessed in 2024, 44 (93.6%) required the development of biodiversity management plans (GRI G4 MM2). 

All operational units requiring plans have specific biodiversity programs and actions related to the mitigation hierarchy stages (controls, mitigation, recovery, and compensation). Of the 47 units assessed, 44 require biodiversity management plans. All have specific plans with actions related to the impact mitigation hierarchy stages (monitoring, recovery/restoration, and biodiversity compensation). One of them (CPBS) does not require plans but has ongoing programs aligned with the TIG plan (see ESG Databook, Environmental Data, GRI – G4 MM2). Fifty-two plans are fully implemented (some areas have more than one plan). One plan is being implemented by the Clydach Refinery and is expected to be completed within the next 12 months. Furthermore, this site already has biodiversity studies underway. A plan is being developed for Port Colborn, which already has biodiversity programs in place, but the existing plan for Sudbury has been adapted to align with the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) Towards Sustainably Mining (TSM) standards for managing biodiversity issues.

Conservation and restoration

Vale protects and helps protect an area of approximately 1 million hectares, an area 10 times larger than the one occupied by the company’s operations. This amount includes Vale and third-party properties, protected through partnerships with environmental agencies, in compliance with legal requirements, and also through voluntary actions. These areas are located in territories of high biodiversity value and are conservation priorities, such as hotspots and Key Biodiversity Areas, protecting approximately 500 threatened species (2024 data).

Areas protected by Vale

Protected area Location Biome Ownership Area (hectares)
Carajás National Forest
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
391,004 
Tapirapé-Aquiri National Forest
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
114,240 
Itacaiúnas National Forest
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
136,592 
Tapirapé Biological Reserve
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
99,198 
Igarapé do Gelado Environmental Protection Area
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
23,269 
Ferruginous Fields National Park
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
21,997 
Serra Leste RPPN (Private Natural Heritage Reserve)
Brazil (Pará)
Amazon Forest
Owned
150
São Luís Botanical Park
Brazil (Maranhão)
Amazon Forest
Owned
110
Serra das Torres Monument
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest 
IEMA Partnership
10,458 
Duas Bocas Biological Reserve
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest 
IEMA Partnership
2,910
Goytacazes National Forest
Brazil (Espírito Santo) 
Atlantic Forest 
Owned
1,425
Tubarão Botanical Park
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest
Owned
30
Vale Natural Reserve 
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest
Owned
22,710
Sooretama Biological Reserve
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
27,800
Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve 
Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Atlantic Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
3,598
Cunhambebe State Park
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
Atlantic Forest
INEA² Partnership
38,053
União Biological Reserve
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
Atlantic Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
 7,756
RPPNs, Forest Reserves, and Environmental Easement Areas
Brazil (Minas Gerais)
Atlantic Forest
Owned
21,830
Protection areas of four small hydroelectric plants (PCHs)
Brazil (Minas Gerais)
Atlantic Forest
Owned
330
Mata Escura Biological Reserve
Brazil (Minas Gerais)
Atlantic Forest
ICMBio¹ Partnership
50,892
Vale Eco Center Malaysia
 Malaysia
Sundaland
Owned
289 
Total
974,641
[1] Source: Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) (http://www.icmbio.gov.br/brasil) Ministry of the Environment. 
[2] Source: State Environmental Institute (INEA), Rio de Janeiro State Government

Recovery and Restoration Indicators

We work to restore degraded areas and habitats on our operations and property. These measures are used to address residual impacts that cannot be avoided or mitigated. For these actions, we use seedlings produced from seeds recovered from the areas to be suppressed, with the aim of maintaining genetic variability, prioritizing endangered and endemic species. The restoration of degraded areas is also included in our mine closure plans.

Amount of land – owned or leased, used for productive or extractive activities – altered or rehabilitated (2024)

Opening and closing balance¹ Hectares
Areas impacted (Opening Balance)
61,612
Areas impacted in the reference year
735
Areas undergoing permanent recovery in the reference year
577
Areas impacted (Closing Balance)
61,771
1. Indicator shown in accordance with the guidelines of the GRI Mining and Metals Sector Supplement, GRI MM1 content.

Research and partnerships

Investments in research and scientific knowledge are essential to support our impact management process, decisions, and actions. Focused on improving and maximizing the results of these actions, Vale establishes partnerships with biodiversity experts, such as universities, government organizations, and consulting firms. 

We seek consistent environmental studies, mitigation, recovery, and compensation activities that constitute effective action plans, and foster the generation and dissemination of knowledge. To support our strategy, we maintain the Vale Technological Institute (ITV), a research center operating in the Amazon since 2010. Headquartered in Belém, Pará, ITV is a leading scientific authority on biodiversity, habitat restoration, eDNA for area monitoring, climate change, and biotechnology. 

As of October 2024, ITV had R$ 946.63 million in accumulated research investments, 2,165 scientific publications, 298 R&D projects, 339 research fellows, and 68 permanent researchers.
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We want to progress even further, leveraging actions that expand positive outcomes for nature. To this end, we are seeking to foster partnerships focused on restoration and conservation and that support the journey toward zero illegal deforestation. With our Forest Target, we are pursuing a path focused on partnerships and the development of an ecosystem of new nature-based businesses. 

During the Climate Conference (COP 27) in November 2022, we launched Biomas, a new company focused on restoring and protecting 4 million hectares of native forests in different Brazilian biomes (such as the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, and Cerrado) over 20 years. The initiative is the result of a partnership with Itaú Unibanco, Marfrig, Rabobank, Santander, and Suzano. Biomas recently launched the Muçununga Project, which will plant more than 70 native species from the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, restoring 1,200 hectares.
Vale actively supports the conservation of the cherry-throated tanager (Nemosia rourei), of which there are only 22 known individuals in the wild. Photo: Gustavo Magnago.
A partnership between the Vale Fund, the Amazon Institute of People and the Environment (Imazon), Microsoft, and the Climate and Land Use Alliance created PrevisIA, a public digital platform that identifies areas at greatest risk of deforestation and fires in the Amazon. This artificial intelligence tool assists in planning preventive actions and public policies.

Since 2021, Vale has had a technical cooperation agreement with the Marcos Daniel Institute (IMD), a private non-profit association, for the conservation of the cherry-throated tanager (Nemosia rourei), a bird species endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo and critically endangered globally. The Vale Natural Reserve supports floristic surveys, restoration of degraded areas, monitoring, and nest searches to prevent their extinction and support their long-term survival. 
Dyckia sp, one of the species under study as part of the project. Vale
These actions are aligned with the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Cherry-Throated Tanager. Currently, there are only 22 individuals known in the wild, distributed across two populations: the Kaetés Reserve, which is being created with the support of international NGOs and managed by the IMD; and the Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve, managed by ICMBio and supported by Vale in the scope of the Forestry Target. The Vale Technological Institute (ITV) is also contributing to the project through research on the species’ genome. 

In 2022, we began a partnership with the Technology and Supply Agency in São Paulo, focusing on research into propagation and multiplication techniques for rare and endemic plants from the rocky fields of Minas Gerais. The Propagar Network establishes cooperation between researchers from universities and Science and Technology Institutes such as:
• São Paulo Agribusiness Technology Agency (APTA)
• State University of Campinas (Unicamp)
• Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo (Esalq/USP)
• Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU)
• Federal University of Viçosa (UFV)
• Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and
• State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS)
In late 2022, the Vale Technological Institute – Sustainable Development (ITV-DS), in partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), launched an innovative program that involves genomic mapping of endangered and exotic Brazilian flora and fauna species, or those with the potential to generate income for farmers involved in bioeconomy projects. The Brazilian Biodiversity Genomics Project (GBB) is a unique project in Brazil and involves the participation of several national and international research institutions. The initiative is supported by Vale, which recognizes the importance of research for maintaining biodiversity in Brazil and values the knowledge-producing potential of Brazilian science. In two years, the GBB studied 611 species of Brazilian fauna and flora, of which 563 have had their genomes sequenced. The program involves 99 partners and 267 researchers, in addition to 14 ICMbio research centers. The program also includes training for environmental agency employees at the ITV – so far, 135 people have been trained in genetic and genomic mapping tools.

Reports (TNFD and CDP)

TNFD

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is a set of guidelines for companies to disclose their nature-related impacts, dependencies, risks, and opportunities. It proposes the same approach as the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and seeks to follow the standards developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The standard was created through public consultations, and its definitive version was launched on September 19th, 2023, at Climate Week in New York. 

We have been members of the TNFD Forum since 2022, participating in meetings and providing feedback on the platform’s structure. We are part of the group of TNFD Pilot Program Partners led by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), as well as the Brazilian Advisory Group led by the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS).
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In 2022, we conducted a conformity analysis and gap mapping regarding the LEAP methodology recommendations. In 2023, we piloted the implementation of this approach, focusing on our direct operations in Brazil. The main results are: 
 
  • Our most material impacts are related to water use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and changes in the use of terrestrial ecosystems.
     
  • Our most material dependencies are related to water supply (groundwater and surface water), climate regulation, and erosion control.
     
  •  The risk assessment demonstrates the conformity of the TNFD risk assessment methodology with Vale’s risk management process. Our main material risks are related to changes in climate regimes, decreased water availability, and changes in areas of high biodiversity value, including the occurrence of endemic and threatened species. 
In January 2024, 320 companies announced at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos that they had decided to lead, as early adopters, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD), aiming to create guidelines for companies to consider risks to biodiversity and natural capital in their financial reports. With voluntary participation, the TNFD initiative will be accountable by 2026. 

In 2024, we made progress in the implementation of the TNFD’s LEAP approach for operations outside Brazil. Furthermore, we enhanced our biodiversity risk assessment by creating the Biodiversity Risk Assessment Working Group, a multidisciplinary group to discuss and integrate Vale’s Risk Assessment methodology with the approach proposed by the TNFD. This group of risk, strategy, and biodiversity experts has improved biodiversity risk analyses, and strategic biodiversity risks have become part of the company’s integrated risk map, with improvements to controls already implemented and proposals to be implemented in the coming years. 
 
Note: The biodiversity disclosures presented on this page are consistent with the recommendations of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). This information was reviewed in 2023.

Value Chain

We acknowledge the importance and challenge of addressing ESG issues throughout our value chain. Our suppliers’ practices directly influence our impacts on nature, so managing risks and opportunities throughout the supply chain is essential to ensuring responsible practices that guarantee the continuity and competitiveness of our business. 

In 2022, as part of our Sustainable Procurement program, we developed the ESG Criticality Matrix for our supply chain. This matrix was developed based on the segmentation of our supplier base in Brazil and an analysis of purchasing categories from the perspective of environmental, social, and governance risks, in alignment with the guidelines of ISO 20400 – Sustainable Procurement. With this matrix, revised in 2024, we classify our suppliers according to their potential ESG impacts and risks, considering greenhouse gas emissions intensity, biodiversity, waste management, water resource management, integrity, forced labor, child labor, and other factors. 

Of the more than 6,200 suppliers we had contractual relationships with in 2024, approximately 2% are classified as critical (high or very high risk) for biodiversity and water. The next steps for 2025 include mapping the maturity of these suppliers and conducting training.

Learn more about it in Suppliers.
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CDP Forests

Since 2020, Vale has been reporting on the CDP Forests Program’s specific questionnaire for the minerals and metals sector, aiming to increase transparency in its management process. It focuses on managing impacts, risks, and opportunities related to biodiversity and forests. This questionnaire considers other benchmarks, such as the IFC Performance Standards of the International Finance Corporation (linked to the World Bank) and the Cross-Sector Biodiversity Initiative (CSBI).

CDP Questionnaire 2024
 

CDP Questionnaire 2023 

CDP Questionnaire 2022 

Learn more

Learn about Vale’s biodiversity conservation and restoration initiatives in the areas where we operate. 

Biodiversity Risk Management

Vale recognizes the importance of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and is improving its risk assessment policies and processes in conformity with the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Since 2015, we have been applying a biodiversity sensitivity/risk assessment to understand the interface of all our operations and projects with nature, as well as to prioritize areas at elevated risk to biodiversity. The analysis included nine categories of areas and/or territories relevant to biodiversity, according to global and national organizations (Key Biodiversity Areas – KBA, Protected Areas, Hotspots, occurrence of Endangered Species, among others), which were assigned weights that characterize their sensitivity and value in relation to biodiversity. The areas prioritized as substantial risk to biodiversity are those located in Brazil, in the Amazon (Carajás) and the Atlantic Forest (Iron Quadrangle). These areas have specific impact and risk management actions, consolidated in management and action plans that have been implemented in compliance with legal requirements and on a voluntary basis, and improved annually. 

We mapped the risks related to nature in our direct operations located in Brazil based on an assessment of our most material dependencies and impacts, following the implementation of the TNFD’s LEAP approach. To assess production processes and the materiality of impacts and dependencies, we used the SBTN materiality tool and ENCORE, calibrating the results based on our team’s expertise. We found that the methodology and processes used by Vale are consistent with those proposed by the TNFD, and the main material risks mapped are already known and managed.
 

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Most material risks mapped, linked to dependencies and impacts, and the main associated controls.

In relation to the risk of changes in high biodiversity value areas, with the occurrence of endemic and threatened species, the internal regulations, Guidelines and Processes for Biodiversity Management focus on mapping attributes and analyzing biodiversity risks, covering all areas of our business, operations, and projects, based on the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy and the IFC PS6 performance standard. Furthermore, investments in scientific research and knowledge generation about endemic and threatened species occurring in our areas of interest support our decisions focused on avoiding and reducing impacts, as well as restoration and conservation actions.

Vale has ongoing risk and impact management processes established across operations and projects, focusing on identifying, preventing, mitigating, and treating risks and negative impacts related to biodiversity. As reported in the CDP Forests, all activities planned and executed at Vale are supported by specific procedures to identify associated risks and define critical controls to eliminate, control, and/or mitigate them. Vale has a Risk Management Policy, a Risk Management Standard, and internal regulatory procedures aimed at defining criteria and processes for identifying, analyzing, and classifying environmental risks, as well as specific management and monitoring tools.

In 2024, we improved our biodiversity risk assessment, discussing and integrating Vale’s Risk Assessment methodology with the approach proposed by the TNFD (LEAP – Assess). Strategic biodiversity risks were assessed and became part of the company’s integrated risk map, with improvements to controls already implemented and proposals to be implemented in the coming years.

Learn more about Risk Management at Vale.