More and more companies are seeking to develop and implement initiatives that bring Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) to the workplace. According to a study by the Instituto Identidades do Brasil (IDBR), diversity today is synonymous with innovation, better results, empathy, psychological safety, inclusion, equality, and increased productivity. Because of this, the Brazil-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paraná (AHK Paraná) created the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which allows for the exchange of experiences and disseminates the strategies that member companies are adopting to combat gender stereotypes and discrimination.
Fostering a work environment that values and respects all people, promoting both the success of employees and the organization itself, is the desire of companies. According to IDBR, for every 10% increase in ethnic-racial diversity, there is a nearly 4% jump in company productivity. The same was also recorded with gender diversity. This increase is also reflected in the company's economic sector. The study assessed that for every 1 percentage point increase in ethnic-racial diversity in service companies, business productivity increased by 0.19%. In commercial entities, the increase was 0.16%.
The Committee created by the Chamber is coordinated by associates Melina Fachin, lawyer at Fachin Advogados Associados, Claudia Cadenas, CEO of Via Humana Consultoria, and Carla Grolla, Human Resources coordinator at Schwan Cosmetics do Brasil, who will hold periodic meetings to discuss ageism in the workplace, gender equality, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, racism, and the inclusion of people with disabilities (PWDs).
“The topics will be chosen so that people can understand the needs of different groups and embrace relevant issues that bring more knowledge and information to break down sexism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice rooted in society. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion in which all voices are heard and respected, feel valued, and have the same opportunities within companies,” explains Claudia Cadenas.
Implementing measures to make a company inclusive is not simple; it requires leaders to have a genuine commitment to equality and inclusion, because, according to Melina Fachin, creating a truly inclusive environment will bring changes to all company processes, from hiring to the daily interactions of employees.
“It is necessary to implement practices that guarantee the hiring of people from diverse social groups, eliminating prejudices and barriers. In addition to offering regular training on diversity and inclusion for all employees, to raise awareness and reduce prejudices, thus creating an environment where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their differences. The company also needs to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities for growth and development and establish metrics to monitor progress in terms of diversity and inclusion and adjust strategies as needed,” says the lawyer.
According to Carla Grolla, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of AHK Paraná allows members to analyze the opinions of various people from different areas and with diverse case studies, enabling exchange and collaboration in favor of the development process. It also fosters the topic in companies that do not yet address it within their context. "The work of the AHK Committee is to promote meetings on pressing issues related to diversity for members, thus enabling this to multiply within companies, so that a more just and inclusive society can be built.".
Created in early 2024, the Committee has already held two meetings: one to discuss gender equality within companies and another to discuss the inclusion of people with disabilities, which had a large participation from AHK Paraná members. The coordinators' idea is to hold two more meetings in 2024, which do not yet have predefined themes.
