Dona Formosa begins its ESG journey and strengthens its commitment to sustainability on its supplier farms.
With an initial focus on animal welfare, the project encompasses 12 dairy farms in northeastern Minas Gerais and paves the way for social, environmental, and management advancements throughout the production chain.
Dona Formosa has taken another step in its commitment to the sustainable development of the dairy supply chain by beginning an ESG (environmental, social, and governance) journey with its 12 supplier farms. The project aims to bring knowledge, technology, and best practices closer to the reality of producers, promoting improvements that benefit the farms, the animals, and regional development.
The first stage of the project involved diagnosing rural establishments located in the municipalities of Águas Formosas, Crisólita, Fronteira dos Vales, and Joaíma, in northeastern Minas Gerais, which together produce approximately 1.3 million liters of milk per year. The region is historically marked by socioeconomic challenges and limited access to development opportunities, with dairy production being an important activity for the local economy. The project brings together small producers, lean teams, and production units with different levels of technology and access to technical assistance and management tools.
With an initial focus on animal welfare, the assessments were conducted in the field by technicians Bruno Palhares and Paulo Henrique Guimarães , from PHG Agrinvesti, with the support of BEA Score, a digital tool developed by ESGpec. The solution allows for the evaluation of the welfare of dairy cattle based on international technical and scientific references, including the guidelines of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) .
" The quality that reaches the consumer begins long before the industry. With this journey, we want to better understand the reality of our producers and move forward alongside them, caring for the animals, valuing the people, and seeking solutions that contribute to the sustainability of the entire chain ," says Guilherme Abrantes , founder of Dona Formosa and president-elect of the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais (FIEMG).
In this context, the INOVA DONA FORMOSA program is taking its first steps with the purpose of expanding its reach beyond animal welfare, bringing knowledge and technology to the field, strengthening management, and promoting gains in efficiency and productivity. Consequently, the proposal seeks to contribute to improving the quality of life of producers and to the sustainable development of the entire regional chain.
Animal welfare as a first step
The starting point of the journey was the application of the BEA Score tool from ESGpec, which assesses five dimensions of animal welfare: environment, behavior, mental state, nutrition, and health. The diagnosis of the production units recorded a score of 6.38, on a scale of zero to ten, which will serve as a reference to measure progress throughout the project.
Among the indicators evaluated, the best performances were recorded in the dimensions of Environment, with 80.91%, and Behavior, with 77.34%. In 11 of the 12 farms, positive practices were identified, such as the availability of adequate spaces for lactating cows to rest, safe floor conditions in waiting and milking areas, good animal cleanliness levels, and favorable conditions for the expression of natural behaviors.
The evaluation also highlighted positive aspects related to the animals' health and mental state, thermal comfort, feeding management, milking routines, disease prevention, and the adoption of procedures that minimize pain or stress.
In addition to portraying the current conditions, the diagnosis represents the beginning of a continuous improvement process. Each producer received an analysis highlighting their strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities for further development. Based on this feedback, the technical team will be able to prioritize actions and monitor progress over time.
One of the most important aspects identified in this phase is that many improvements do not depend on large investments in infrastructure. They can begin with the adoption of protocols, review of routines, training of teams, organization of records, rational management, and closer technical monitoring. These measures can also improve herd health, human safety, milk quality, and the efficiency of the establishment.
" The producers' openness to discussing the topic was one of the most positive aspects of this first stage. Even in locations with different structures and routines, we found interest in understanding the indicators and a willingness to build possible improvements within each reality ," highlights Bruno Palhares .
For Paulo Henrique Guimarães , the use of technology was fundamental in bringing the diagnosis closer to the reality of the farms and making the process more participatory. " The evaluation was not just a collection of information. During the visits, the system helped us organize the observations and talk to the producers about practices that could already be improved. This interaction in the field makes the guidance clearer and more applicable. "
Science, technology, and artificial intelligence at the service of the producer.
The data collected by the application was consolidated on the PEC Map platform, from ESGpec, which uses artificial intelligence resources to assist in the analysis of information and the personalization of results, always associated with the evaluation of the technical team and knowledge of the field reality.
In addition to offering an integrated view of the group's results, the technology allows for the generation of individualized feedback for each unit, translating the data into clearer and more understandable recommendations. In this way, the platform plays a strategic role, supporting the technical team in identifying potential and defining priorities, considering the particularities of each location and making the information more accessible and applicable to daily field work.
" Projects like Dona Formosa's represent exactly what we believe: science and technology need to reach farms in a democratic, practical, and understandable way. The diagnosis organizes the evidence, while artificial intelligence helps transform the data into personalized guidance. The decision-making and development of the evolution plan continue to be done together with the technicians and producers ," says Bruna Silper , CEO and co-founder of ESGpec.
With the completion of the initial assessments, Dona Formosa now has a structured information base to guide its ESG journey, monitor results, and define the next steps with its producers. In this process, animal welfare represents a fundamental milestone for a broader agenda, which should gradually incorporate social, environmental, and management actions, considering the priorities of the region and the particularities of each farm.
About Dona Formosa
Founded in 1999, Dona Formosa manufactures dairy products and distributes partner brands. Its industrial plant is located in Águas Formosas, Minas Gerais, and its distribution center is in Belo Horizonte. The company's products serve restaurants, buffets, industrial kitchens, retail outlets, and large supermarket chains, combining quality, tradition, and commitment to its customers.
About ESGpec
ESGpec is a startup from Minas Gerais, Brazil, specializing in the development of digital solutions for diagnosing, monitoring, and managing sustainability in livestock farming. Its platforms support producers, technicians, dairies, and other organizations in evaluating animal welfare, ESG performance, and carbon footprint, transforming field data into information for decision-making.
About PHG Agrinvesti
PHG Agrinvesti is a mining company specializing in the planning, development, and operation of agribusiness projects, with over 25 years of experience in managing and consulting for companies and farms in various regions of Brazil and Paraguay. The company is comprised of specialized and highly qualified professionals with backgrounds in Veterinary Medicine, Agronomy, and Animal Science.
