From Mariana to Brumadinho

the case of Vale S.A. from the viewpoint of IAS 1

Abstract

Vale S.A. is a Brazilian company that is among the largest global players in the mining sector. Its activities operate in 20 countries and include, in addition to mining, energy, logistics and steel industry. However, despite Vale being a world reference company, the rupture of the Mariana dams in 2015 and Brumadinho in 2019, both in Minas Gerais, brought great expectations from investors and creditors regarding the disclosure and due recognition of these events in the financial statements (FS) of the company. Therefore, the objective of this teaching case is to propose a practical application of CPC 26 (R1)/IAS 1 (Presentation of Financial Statements), addressing Vale's financial statements. Additionally, as a specific objective, the draft of a new standard (known as IFRS 18) is explored, which is being discussed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) to replace IAS 1. To this end, the present teaching case invites students from undergraduate and graduate programs to help four analysts who work at “PG Investimentos”, a fictitious consulting and brokerage firm. Among their tasks, the students must examine the income statement for the year (IS), the explanatory note on costs and expenses by nature and some notes about Vale, considering the period 2015 to 2020, based on the concepts provided by CPC 26 (R1)/IAS 1. The teaching case is expected to assist students in learning CPC 26 (R1)/IAS 1, through this didactic familiarization to prepare them for the future normative transition in academic and professional environment.