The Community Relations Program is an important tool for creating and implementing an information and communication system for Copel Distribuição’s energy projects, based on transparency and socio-environmental responsibility, capable of mitigating the project’s adversities and maximizing its benefits.
During the planning, implementation and operation phases of electric projects, the lack of information and direct communication channels between the developer and the population directly or indirectly affected can compromise the safety and quality of life of this population, the preservation of environmental components and the sustainability of the project itself.
In this sense, it is necessary to establish an information and communication system that is compatible with local realities and that goes beyond the informative nature, focusing on dialogue between the various stakeholders. The rapprochement between the developer and the affected community enables the dissemination and transfer of accurate information, the recognition and clarification of the population’s concerns and, most importantly, the creation and strengthening of spaces for dialogue.
In this context, the Community Relations Program’s main objective is to foster dialogue between the entrepreneur and the populations directly and indirectly affected by the project, promoting awareness and community engagement. By prioritizing preventive information and communication processes, the program aims to assist the population in the process of adapting to and safely coexisting with Copel Distribuição’s energy projects and enjoying the opportunities arising from their implementation.
The activities carried out by Copel Distribuição within the scope of the Community Relations Program are related to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 04. Quality Education; and, 10. Reduction of Inequalities.
In 2024, Copel reformulated the management of the Community Relations Program, updating its scope to a more assertive approach, focused on the peculiarities and environmental impacts resulting from the installation of each specific project. Considering the new format of the Program, improvements were established with a focus on delivering value, with the following work proposals and objectives:
- Take advantage of the workforce/expertise of the team of professionals from the Environmental area of Copel Distribuição directly involved in the environmental studies of energy projects;
- Open a new exclusive channel for each project, aiming at the exchange of information (through an electronic form) within the WhatsApp Business application, providing an opening for dialogue, receiving doubts, and questions from the community, enabling the monitoring and faster treatment of demands;
- Ensure full compliance with the scope of the Program, expanding the scope of the target audience;
- Enable the execution of the Program entirely remotely, implementing two relationship campaigns: initial (implementation) and final (operation);
- Produce new personalized teaching materials and updated information, in digital format, aimed at the specificity of each project regarding socio-environmental issues and with the dissemination of Copel channels/links; and,
- Optimize processes, increasing productivity with increased use of new technologies and innovations.
Copel Distribuição also began measuring the effectiveness of the Community Relations Program through Satisfaction Surveys (via electronic form) conducted with the target audience, with the aim of continuously improving the process, seeking to integrate new thematic approaches and content in the application of the Program.
