As a Rio Grande do Sul company based in Canoas, NOVUS was fortunate not to be affected by the floods in its manufacturing structure. However, the company as an institution was affected by the situation in the region. Among the company's employees, 13% are now dealing with total or partial loss of their property due to the floods.  

The impacts of the disaster are still difficult to measure. Despite dealing with travel challenges due to compromised roads, NOVUS now has a fully operational factory structure. At the same time, it was possible to give up part of the manufacturing space and equipment so that a company hit by the rains wouldn't be complete without production. 

One of the initiatives to recover and rebuild the homes of affected employees was the creation of a fund for employees, shareholders, and partners.  The money raised will go directly towards re-establishing the homes of the affected employees. 

At the height of the catastrophe, NOVUS made its working hours more flexible so that employees could volunteer on various fronts to support, welcome, and handle rescued people and animals. The headquarters structure was also offered as a place to collect drinking water during the period when the local water supply was cut off. 

A group, made possible between the company and its employees, has organized itself to clean up the houses that have been flooded. On this front, NOVUS is also providing protective equipment (PPE) for the volunteers.  

Reinforcing its commitment to the community, NOVUS also understands the need to support operations that have been impacted by the flood. It is part of the company's purpose to facilitate the reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul and help rebuild the local industrial sector.  

In this context, companies that have had NOVUS or equivalent industrial equipment affected will be able to negotiate special conditions for replacement. Per our ESG guidelines, NOVUS-branded electronic devices or similar will be sent to our headquarters for proper disposal. The technical assistance team is also available to repair damaged equipment. 

Understanding the situation 

At the beginning of May 2024, heavy rains accumulated up to 20x the volume of water expected for the month according to historical averages. The southernmost region of Brazil, the state known as Rio Grande do Sul, had more than 90% of its municipalities affected, including the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, the state capital. 

Entire towns were devastated by the flooding and, in some places, the water that had been dammed up since the first week of the month only flowed out three weeks later. The calamity forced more than 60,000 people to abandon their homes due to flooding, lack of water and energy supply or the risk of landslides.  

For context, please take a look at this international press report.