Neoenergia ends 2020 with a positive balance of voluntary actions promoted by the company. Engaged with social initiatives for the benefit of the community, employees were the protagonists of a year full of solidarity and hope for all those who needed some kind of support throughout the period. As a result of the pandemic, caused by the new Coronavirus, voluntary work became even more essential and the mobilization reached around 100 actions and 1800 participations of employees and their families throughout Brazil. The Program supported more than 90 institutions. Together, employees, the Group and Neoenergia Institute donated over R$ 1 million Brazilian reais to vulnerable families served by the Transforma Brasil Fund. 

The letters with words of affection and motivation sent to the elderly in nursing homes in Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte were one of the highlights, and brought a lot of emotion. The action, entitled Sorrisos (Smiles), was promoted by the company's Volunteering Program and benefited 90 elderly people, with 110 letters. In addition, dozens of employees joined forces in their localities and carried out 24 direct actions to deliver food and hygiene products in the countryside of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte. To close the year, the company carried out the traditional Solidarity Tree action in more than 40 cities, with over 1500 children and the elderly benefited from Christmas gifts.  

“It was a very challenging year, in all areas of our lives. Therefore, contributing to the support of the most vulnerable people and the development of a society with more collectivity, especially in this period, when solidarity is even more necessary, is extremely important. The emotional reward we felt and the engagement of our employees is very rewarding”, highlights Clayton Urbano Freire, Internal Communication manager at Neoenergia. 

In Rio de Janeiro, the letters were sent to the elderly women living at Lar Mãe Ritinha, an institution that has been operating since 1976, in the district of Irajá, in the capital. In Pernambuco, residents of the Abrigo Espírita Batista de Carvalho, located in Recife, were benefited. In Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, Lar da Vovozinha was selected. 

Other important action was the Contest for the Good, a competition involving Neoenergia's companies, where the winner would be that who earn more points. The donation was delivered to the network of BR Invisível NOGs, who assists people living in the streets through the following institutions: Campinas Invisível (SP), Rio Invisível (RJ), Salvador Invisível (BA), RN Invisível (RN) e Unificados PSR Recife (PE), além do Desafio Jovem Caruaru, Fazenda da Esperança and ILPI São Vicente de Paulo. 30.2 thousand hygiene items were among the items collected by the volunteers. 

“Neoenergia volunteers showed their commitment and made our events throughout the year very successful. Volunteering is a powerful people development tool in which our company believes in and invests in", he adds. 

DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERING AROUND THE WORLD 

The worldwide volunteer movement was carried out in September by Iberdrola, Neoenergia’s parent company, with the theme "Committed to the environment, inclusion and social emergency". Over a week, the Group promoted activities to stimulate the engagement of employees from all over the world. The action involved a total of four thousand employees in ten countries: Brazil, Spain, Mexico, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Greece and Portugal. 

This year, the actions were carried out remotely, at home or in the neighborhood where employees live. Everyone received health and safety guidelines, such as the mandatory wearing of masks in case they had to leave home. 

TRANSFORMA BRASIL

In a partnership with Transforma Brasil, Neoenergia carries out other volunteering projects linked to five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by U.N., with a particular focus on SDG 7, that ensures the access to energy in reliable, sustainable and affordable manner for all, and SDG 13, focused in actions for combating climate change and its impacts. Additionally, it has programs focused on SDG 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).