On April 16, GRACE - Empresas Responsáveis held its first General Assembly of 2024, a special meeting, because it marked the end of the current Management’s mandate and where the new GRACE Governing Bodies were elected, with Isabel Barros, representing Sonae SGPS, assuming the presidency. Mariana Ribeiro Ferreira, representing CUF, Pedro Amaral Frazão, representing Grupo Sousa e Fernando Leite, representing Lipor, ensure the Vice-Presidency.

The event took place at AESE, in Lisbon, at FEP - Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto, in Porto, and had the option of online participation.
In total, physically and online, we had the participation of 224 Associates in this assembly.

The General Assembly, chaired by Rui Pedroto, representing the Fundação Manuel António da Mota, presented the agenda items:

Point 1: Presentation and approval of the Management and Accounts Report for 2023;

Point 2: Election of the members of the Board of the General Assembly Board, Management and Fiscal Council for the triennium period 2024/2026;

Point 3: Other matters of interest

Margarida Couto, President of GRACE - Responsible Companies, representing Vieira de Almeida & Associados, presented the Relatório de Gestão e Contas de 2023, highlighting the key numbers and initiatives carried out in 2023, taking stock of the mandate, celebrating the fact that GRACE has already reached 330 Associates.

Paula Miranda, Treasurer representing Synthomer, presented the financial statements, Pedro Lisboa Nunes, representing Grant Thornton, shared the main details about the audit process, informing that the Audit Report has already been issued, and finally, Rosalina Tanganho, representing Tabaqueira, shared some notes for the Audit Board's Opinion.

Rui Pedroto, the Chairman of the General Meeting, submitted the document to the vote of the participating Members and it was unanimously approved.

Margarida Couto then presented the candidate list for GRACE's governing bodies, which was approved by the Members. Isabel Barros is elected the new President of GRACE - Empresas Responsáveis.

In her first statement as president, Isabel Barros expressed her gratitude for the trust placed in the new Board by GRACE Members. She emphasized her commitment to work closely with the entire team to promote GRACE's mission and achieve significant results in 2024-2026. She also expressed deep gratitude to the outgoing President, Margarida Couto, for her dedicated service and leadership during her term. Her efforts were fundamental to GRACE's growth and success, and her legacy will be remembered with appreciation - in her words "This mandate, which is ending now, is one that has transformed GRACE in a profound way. It transformed GRACE in the way it related to companies, the Academy and the Third Sector. My first word is one of recognition for the Board and a sincere thank you to Margarida Couto."

We also highlight the intervention Conceição Zagalo, President of the Advisory Board and former President of GRACE, on behalf of João Reis, also a former President of GRACE, praising the outgoing Board, specifically Margarida Couto, proposing a Vote of Praise to her, that was unanimously approved by all the Members.

At the last moment, Teresa Cardoso de Menezes, Member of the GRACE Board representing Informa D&B, presented the characterization of the companies that make up GRACE's Membership until December 2023, with the main emphasis on the ESG score.

Rui Pedroto closed the Assembly with words of appreciation to the Team, the Board and all the Members who have made possible a 2023 full of events, training sessions and initiatives that contribute to the collaborative action that makes GRACE a reference Association in Portugal. He also wanted to make a final statement, expressing the honor and privilege of being part of GRACE's Governing Bodies over the last few years and paraphrasing: "We may leave GRACE, but GRACE won't leave us".

Our thanks to AESE and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto for hosting this meeting.