Environmental
It is our understanding that it is only possible to generate value for Cogna, for our stakeholders, for society and for the planet if we are proactive in preserving the environment and combating climate change, assuming our responsibilities and engaging the public to act jointly in this field, always seeking eco-efficiency.
Energy
- 90,3% of the energy consumed by Cogna is acquired from the free energy market, which represents clean energy and low carbon emissions.
- 100% of the energy acquired by our main source of consumption, the distribution center in São José dos Campos (SP), comes from renewable sources;
- We maintain photovoltaic energy pilot projects in higher education institutions, such as Jaú (SP), Eunápolis (BA) and Ponta Porã (MS). In 2024, these projects will generate 700.51 GJ of energy;
- In 2025, the Company purchased International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs) to cover 100% of its electricity consumption.
Water
- In 2024, we implemented a Water Efficiency project in the Company’s 22 HEIs with the highest water consumption. The project aims to promote 23% water savings in these units;
- We report water withdrawal indicators on automatic dashboards, that provide alerts on deviations in consumption and help mitigate any type of wastage;
- In 2025, a daily inspection routine was implemented to identify potential leaks, ensuring that corrective actions were promptly taken whenever required.
Hazardous Waste
We treat waste management as a fundamental pillar of compliance and operational safety. This commitment reflects our strict adherence to applicable environmental legislation and the sustainable use of natural resources, mitigating significant risks to both human health and the environment.
We place particular emphasis on our higher education campuses that house teaching laboratories, vocational training facilities, and healthcare clinics. In these facilities, practical classes and supervised internships involve the handling of chemically and biologically hazardous materials, including laboratory reagents, biochemical testing kits, and microorganism cultures. As identified in our Socio-Environmental Risk Matrix, failures in the handling or improper disposal of Healthcare Waste (HCW) classified under Groups A (infectious waste), B (chemical waste and pharmaceuticals), and E (sharps) represent significant risks. The potential for biological contamination, sharps-related injuries, and chemical exposure may result in reputational and financial impacts that affect safety budgets and the operational productivity of our campuses. For this reason, 100% of our campuses conduct periodic and systematic assessments of their environmental aspects and impacts, ensuring that significant risks are addressed through specific operational procedures.
The entire waste lifecycle is subject to rigorous monitoring, with environmental performance assessed systematically through objectives, targets, and performance indicators that incorporate a lifecycle perspective for our services. Waste collection, transportation, treatment, and final disposal are managed by 19 specialized service providers, which serve all of our owned campuses. All of these suppliers are qualified through an independent environmental consultancy that verifies both the operating licenses of treatment facilities and the sanitary landfills designated for post-treatment disposal.
To ensure transparency and traceability, we systematically monitor the issuance of Waste Transportation Manifests (WTMs) by the waste-generating campuses, as well as the Certificates of Final Disposal (CFDs) issued by service providers. This control is further strengthened through the monitoring of invoices, which are reviewed against contractually agreed pricing to ensure both financial and operational efficiency. This centralized management model enables us to benchmark performance across campuses of similar size, guide targeted training initiatives, and ensure that final waste disposal is carried out in full compliance with biosafety and sustainability standards.