Problems such as lack of basic sanitation and education, especially for black women, were highlighted in the discussion led by Marina Grossi, president of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS)
On International Women's Day, the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) brought together three female executives in São Paulo to discuss the causes of gender inequality in the workplace. Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, led the discussion, which also included Teresa Vernaglia, CEO of BRK Ambiental, Flavia Vergili, HR director at WeWork in Latin America, and Nina Silva, founder of the Black Money Movement and featured on Forbes' 2019 Most Powerful Women list.
Gender equality, which includes equal earnings and opportunities, is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, identified by the United Nations as a way to achieve a more egalitarian world for future generations. Discussions about the low presence of women in leadership positions are crucial at a time when the World Economic Forum reports Brazil's decline in gender equality rankings.
"Diversity makes companies more competitive, as it influences decision-making and how the company positions itself in the consumer market. But more than just talking about business, we must also emphasize gender equality as one of the ways to achieve a more just society," stated Marina Grossi at the opening of the debate, questioning the reasons for the lack of gender equality and other singularities in the workplace. The panelists highlighted underlying issues, such as the impacts of the lack of basic sanitation and access to education, as well as the need for a change in corporate culture in the selection and promotion processes.
Teresa Vernaglia, CEO of BRK Ambiental, presented data from a survey conducted in partnership with Trata Brasil, using data from the IBGE, SUS and ENEM, which shows how the lack of basic sanitation affects women's lives and, consequently, their academic and professional performance.
"One in seven Brazilian women doesn't have water at home. There are 4 million women without a bathroom, and a woman without a bathroom earns 73% less. The lack of access to treated water and sewage directly affects health and education. If a woman is raising a family, she's the one who spends time waiting in line for the Unified Health System (SUS), loses work time, and sometimes her job. Children miss school. Women who self-identify as Black, Brown, and Indigenous are the ones who suffer the most. This is a vicious cycle, especially because the population doesn't know about it," she said.
According to Teresa, Brazil would achieve universal sanitation by 2033 with an annual investment of R$20 billion. At the current annual average (between R$5 and R$6 billion), this milestone would only be reached in 2050.
"Private investment can resolve the issue, but this requires a regulatory framework that offers transparency and security for investors," he concludes.
Nina Silva began her speech with emotion after hearing the survey data cited by the CEO of BRK Ambiental and remembering that her mother and grandmother, both Black women, suffered the same difficulties due to a lack of access to basic rights. "My mother only had a fourth-grade education and now has a daughter on Forbes. We need the bare minimum, like healthcare and education, to make big changes," she emphasized.
An IT executive and founder of a movement that promotes Black associations and empowers them through entrepreneurship, Nina emphasized that Black women, the largest ethnic and gender group in the country (27% of the population), earn only 40% of the salary of a white man with the same level of education. She believes that failing to invest in equity is a mistake.
"Companies with greater gender diversity earn 21% more profit. Companies with racial and ethnic diversity earn 33% more profit. Not investing in equity is foolish. Money is wasted by not paying equal salaries, and profits are lost by not including diversity in their workforce," he stated.
Relevant issues such as balancing careers with the desire for motherhood and the gender pay gap also permeated the conversation. Flavia Vergili, HR director at WeWork in Latin America, spoke of the need to eliminate gender, racial, and other biases from company selection and promotion processes by changing the culture of senior leadership.
"Today in Latin America, in WeWork's workforce, we have 53% women in positions ranging from director to junior. It wasn't a matter of changing the selection process, but of educating managers about the positive aspects of having greater diversity in our workforce.
The event was the first of 2019 Breaking Walls, a CEBDS initiative that promotes discussions on social and environmental sustainability through cross-cutting themes across all areas of a company. The debate was broadcast live and will be available for viewing on CEBDS Facebook page.
Learn more about CEBDS clicking here.
