Diversity in companies: for more small (big) steps

I have the impression that the synchronized crisis that the world has gone through as a result of the pandemic in the last two years has not only accelerated the digital transformation in people’s lives, but has also raised the level of awareness about our vulnerabilities as a society.

Gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is one of those vulnerabilities we have to fight for, so much so that it is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by the UN as major global challenges so that we can, in fact, build a better world.

The sum of positive actions in this direction – from governments, individuals, and companies – is the way to transform reality. We need more and more initiatives from everyone -urgent in my opinion.

This is because, while the pandemic has raised awareness, it has also set women back. In just one year, from 2019 to 2020, the female participation in the labor market dropped 14% and, according to the IBGE, by the end of 2020 more than half of the women of productive age were out of the market.

At Horiens, we are trying to follow this path of promoting small advances that, together, will make a difference. One of these steps is the Horiens Internship Program for Black Women, launched this April. The initiative was thought out and built in partnership with the Women’s group of our Diversity and Inclusion Committee and with the expert eye of EmpregueAfro, a pioneering consultancy in work focused on ethno-racial diversity.

In addition to the Internship Program, since 2021 Horiens is associated with Sou Segura – Association of Women in the Insurance Market, in order to actively participate in this debate in our industry, as well as to offer more opportunities for knowledge and engagement to our team of women.

In today’s world, we know that the role of companies goes far beyond selling their products and services. It is imperative that they position themselves, promote changes, take new steps, open new paths, and continuously expand their role as active agents in society.

As an HR professional and a woman, I am proud to be part of and collaborate for change, reinforcing diversity and inclusion as a value of our culture.

By the way, I invite you all to get to know our Internship Program for Black Women. The openings are published in our social media and on the EmpregueAfro website.