Copel wins two national awards for social impact projects

Copel won two national awards for business volunteering during the 2nd Brazilian Business Volunteer Forum, held on Thursday (5), in São Paulo. The company received first place in the Diversity category, with the project Empowering Refugees, and second place in Education, with the program Aluno Energia.

The awards are part of the fifth edition of the 2026 Applause Award, promoted by the Brazilian Business Volunteering Council (CBVE). The initiative recognizes projects developed by companies and organizations that contribute to social transformation, the strengthening of communities and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).

In this edition, 47 experts participated in the committee responsible for evaluating the projects registered.

Copel program helps young people stay at university

Created in 2023, the Energy Student program offers financial and educational support to university students in a situation of social vulnerability. The proposal is to reduce evasion in higher education and expand opportunities to enter the labor market, especially in the electrical sector.

Participants receive a monthly scholarship, a notebook on loan, academic follow-up and voluntary mentoring by Copel managers. The program also provides for paid internship in the final years of graduation.

Since its creation, Aluno Energia has counted 217 applications and selected 50 students. Currently, 45 remain active, representing a 90% permanence rate.

The initiative is present in 17 municipalities of Paraná and involves five public institutions of higher education.

According to Marcia Baena, vice president of People and Management at Copel, the recognition demonstrates the importance of investing in the vocational training of young people.

"Energy Student is a program that fills us with pride because it takes the strength of Copel out of the organization. It is an initiative that invests in young people in situations of social vulnerability, combats university evasion and opens concrete paths for these young people to build their trajectories in the Brazilian electricity sector," he said.

The expectation is that by 2027, students will begin to perform internships in the company.

Project promotes the inclusion of refugee women in Paraná

Winner of the Diversity category, the Empowering Refugees project is developed in Curitiba and seeks to increase the employment opportunities and financial independence of women who have come to Brazil in search of protection and better living conditions.

The initiative offers professional training, career guidance, emotional support and social integration actions. The work counts on the participation of Copel volunteers, through the EletricidadeCidadania program.

The coordinator of the program, Adriana de Campos Souza, represented the company at the awards ceremony and highlighted the commitment of the professionals involved.

“Having this highlight reflects the daily dedication of our employees. “ElectriCidadania transforms Copel’s energy into welcome, education and real social impact in the communities where we operate,” he said.

During the award ceremony, Adriana also highlighted the importance of welcoming migrant and refugee women who arrive at Paraná, offering conditions for professional training, integration into Brazilian society and the achievement of financial autonomy.

The project has already carried out four editions and seeks to reduce social and gender inequalities through productive inclusion.

Recognition reinforces the company’s social commitment

The result of the 2026 Applause Award highlights Copel’s performance beyond the supply of electricity. Through corporate volunteering, the company develops actions aimed at education, social inclusion, diversity and the generation of opportunities.

The two award-winning projects demonstrate different forms of social impact: while Aluno Energia invests in the professional future of university students, Empoderando Refugiadas works to increase the autonomy and opportunities of women in vulnerable situations.

With the national recognition, the company strengthens the visibility of social initiatives developed in the Paraná, including actions that reach municipalities in the interior of the State.