Frialto
First statement
“Vale Grande is indeed a signatory to the Beef Agreement. Additionally, it’s important to mention that we were actively involved in the development of the ‘Boi na Linha’ protocol in collaboration with Imaflora and the Federal Public Ministry. We have our procedures and purchases audited by independent companies. We have several initiatives and pilot projects for monitoring Indirect Suppliers in partnership with NWF. Through these efforts, we can ensure that the acquisition of cattle from irregular areas has not taken place.
In the specific case, rural producer Bruno Heller does not have any registered property with Vale Grande.
Lastly, we do have a commercial relationship with Carrefour.”
Second statement
“We internally verified and did find records of Tatiana Heller conducting 181 cattle slaughters in 2022 and 68 in 2023. However, all of these were sourced from properties without any environmental liabilities. As soon as we identified a possible connection to Bruno Heller’s non-conformities, we immediately suspended transactions with the property.
The identification and monitoring of cattle triangulation remains a challenge for the meat industry. There aren’t yet market tools for monitoring indirect suppliers. This is a topic that sustainability-focused task forces are grappling with, but it’s still in its early stages.
I reiterate that we are constantly enhancing our internal tools and procedures to mitigate any possibility of acquiring cattle from socially or environmentally non-compliant properties.
We remain available for any further clarifications.”
Carrefour
“In accordance with the procedure of Carrefour Group Brazil, upon receiving the alert from Repórter Brasil, the company promptly initiated an investigation into the allegation. We thoroughly examined the extensive database of farms supplying meat to all the slaughterhouses that cater to the Group, and confirmed the absence of any property linked to the mentioned accused individual or to individuals with the same surname.
Simultaneously, we requested the cited slaughterhouse to conduct an investigation based on the acquisition policy criteria of the Group, which is a mandatory requirement for all slaughterhouses. This investigation covers the prospecting, slaughter, and distribution stages.
As a means to further the ongoing investigation, the Group has provided the publication with the names of potential additional individuals involved in the case.
These actions are part of a stringent protocol of continuous monitoring adopted by Carrefour Group Brazil, which also includes:
Dual verification (in addition to the slaughterhouse) by continuously comparing the information from the slaughterhouses for each received batch, utilizing satellite image analyses of the farms (following the ‘Boi na Linha’ Protocol, of which the Group is a signatory and is promoted by Imaflora in collaboration with the Federal Public Ministry of the State of Pará).
Regular monitoring with the slaughterhouses to assess progress in relation to the Group’s commitments to combat deforestation and the goals established by the slaughterhouses, especially concerning Indirect Suppliers.
The existence of a Forest Committee composed of some of the country’s leading experts to contribute to the constant evolution of commitments and measures aimed at forest protection and biodiversity conservation, fundamental pillars of our ESG strategy.”
