Success story: Special Dog Company earns Gold Level Zero Waste certification

Who is Special Dog Company?

Founded in 2001 in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, in the interior of São Paulo state, Special Dog Company is one of Brazil's largest pet food manufacturers. It has more than 2,000 employees, a presence in over 41,000 points of sale across nine states and the Federal District, and actively exports to several South American countries.

The company is widely recognised for the certifications awarded by Humanizadas – Best for Humanity, We Care for Stakeholders and We Care for Customers, which single out organisations with consistent management, social and environmental responsibility and a corporate culture geared towards creating shared value.

The company's sustainability agenda did not begin with the rise of the ESG movement. Its foundations were laid in 2014 under the motto "Thinking Beyond. Doing More", positioning sustainable development as a strategic guideline.

Key milestones in its sustainability strategy:

• 2015: Creation of the Sustainable Development Department.

• 2019: Joined the Brazil Network of the UN Global Compact.

• 2022: Formalisation of the Mais Sustentável programme, structured around four pillars: Meio Ambiente (Environment), Animais (Animals), Indivíduos (Individuals) and Sociedade (Society).

The 2025 Sustainability Report — the fourth edition prepared under GRI and SASB guidelines, due for publication in the coming months — will set out the figures behind this journey:

• More than 90 million litres of water reused in 2025.

• 99.98% of waste diverted from landfill in 2025.

• A 70% reduction in the generation of non-recyclable industrial waste since 2015, achieved despite production volume growth of more than 76%.

• R$ 160 million invested in corporate initiatives during 2025.

• More than R$ 4.6 million allocated to social projects in 2025.

• More than 10.7 million litres of rainwater harvested and reused in 2025 through the Umbrella Project (Projeto Guarda-Chuva).

From pioneer to benchmark: the road to Zero Waste

Earning Gold Level Zero Waste certification is the result of a continuous evolution in its environmental management, built on technical criteria, auditable indicators and independent verification:

• 2023: Became the first pet food company in Brazil to earn Zero Waste recognition.

• 2024: Achieved recertification with 99.47% landfill diversion, a result published in its GRI Sustainability Report.

• 2025: Moved up to the SGZW, a complete management system structured around the PDCA cycle, reaching Gold Level with 95 points in the SGS audit.

This shift carries considerable technical and strategic weight. The Zero Waste Management System (SGZW) does not simply acknowledge isolated results; it establishes a management structure integrated into the company's Integrated Management System (IMS), in line with its existing ISO certifications.

The model brings in data traceability, auditable indicators, operational governance and continuous monitoring mechanisms, cementing the circular economy as a strategic pillar of the company.

"Zero Waste Management System certification shows that sustainability has stopped being an isolated project and become part of our business model. The 2025 results reflect operational discipline, the commitment of our teams and decision-making guided by reliable data."

— Luis Felipe Leone Moreira, Environmental Coordinator at Special Dog Company.

Circularity that goes beyond recycling rates

The company's work goes further than the traditional indicators. It has developed initiatives that bring together circularity, resource recovery and social and environmental impact:

• Sobra Cero campaign (Zero Leftovers): Running since 2024, it cuts waste and generates donations in proportion to the targets met, connecting environmental success with social impact.

• Circular Art Project: In partnership with the Sewing and Fashion Programme of the Special Dog Cultural Centre, it turns retired corporate uniforms into pet products, extending the life cycle of the materials.

• 100% recyclable mono-material packaging: Rolled out in the Bionatural Prime line, it makes sorting easier at recycling cooperatives and increases the efficiency of the chain.

• Composting system: 100% of the organic waste from the canteen is turned into compost for the company's gardens and organic vegetable plots.

• Umbrella Project (Projeto Guarda-Chuva): A rainwater harvesting network of 3.5 km of piping on the factory roofs. The rainwater is used for washing lorries, irrigation and cooling systems, saving more than 10.7 million litres of drinking water in 2025.

Featured at COP30 as a circular economy benchmark

Recognition for Special Dog Company has gone beyond the boundaries of the pet food sector. At COP30, the company was cited as a model of reference in circular economy and environmental certifications, showing how technical standardisation and independent verification are gaining ever more weight in global climate forums.

Rather than stating good intentions, the company presents results backed by third-party audits under an international standard, which positions it as a genuine global case study.

The role of Zeros and SGS in this strategy

Zeros is the official representative of Global Zero Waste in Brazil and is responsible for administering the SGZW standard in that country. Its remit includes guiding companies through the implementation of the methodology, training specialist consultants and ensuring the standards are applied in line with international rules.

Certification, on the other hand, is always carried out by an independent, approved certification body. In this case the audit was performed by SGS, one of the most accredited firms worldwide, with operations in more than 130 countries. That body's independence guarantees that the achievement is technical, incontestable evidence, bringing full transparency to the market.

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