More than including, it is necessary to provide conditions for racial equity in companies

Entering the corporate world can be a challenge, depending on training, experience and a number of factors that contribute to good professional performance. However, this can be a step with many more obstacles, if the person comes from a reality that is totally different from the “business world”, as happens with candidates who live on the periphery and with a lower educational background than the majority, who are usually black people, due to the structural racism existing in Brazil.

This is a common situation in large offices and multinational companies that are increasingly turning their gaze to diversity and implementing programs with opportunities for blacks and indigenous people, for example. In this sense, it is very important to think about the term equity, which is quite different from inclusion. Specialists in the area of ​​diversity emphasize that it is not enough to include, it is necessary to offer the same conditions to all employees.

According to the founder and executive director of Comunidade Empodera, Leizer Vaz Pereira, it is necessary to have a look at three different sectors when it comes to racial equity in companies. “We have to separate the levels of high leadership, middle leadership and access to companies, which is the case of trainees and interns. It’s important to take away this view that we don’t have unprepared black people. On the contrary, we have many highly educated people who speak several languages ​​and have a lot of experience in the market”.

For these employees in high leadership positions, according to Leizer, it is necessary to look at the issue of the salary gap and promote career acceleration programs. As for the average leadership, it is necessary to work with the mindset of belonging, provide career growth, give a boost of spirit, demonstrating that the company trusts the professional. “In these cases, it is important to work with softskills, because many times these people are stuck in the same position, without security, psychologically”, explains Leizer.

Now, speaking of the professionals who are entering the company, who are interns and recent graduates, it is important to involve these young people with the brands. “Many of them don’t even know, for example, international banks, renowned multinationals. In fact, they never heard of it. In these cases, preparation must come in the selection process.”

For the specialist, companies need to invest in a trainee program already in the selection and give feedback to these trainees.

They need to master the language of the corporate world, because the values ​​are totally different. There is no way to demand that a young person from the periphery, recently hired, participate in ‘happy hours’ in expensive bars, if they need to leave their meal vouchers with their mother for the month’s purchases.

Leizer Vaz Pereira, founder and current Executive Director of Comunidade Empodera

Leizer emphasizes that it is very important that there is training, so that these young people face the culture shock. “This professional needs to feel welcomed and protected from any type of discrimination. That’s why inclusive leadership is important. The company needs to promote literacy on structural racism, adequate vocabulary, history and culture of black people, among other topics, so that this manager feels prepared even to give feedback to the black employee’.

In addition, he emphasizes that it is necessary to readjust the requirements of advanced English and Excel to intermediate, with training from the moment these young people join the company and then work with other values ​​such as a change in mindset and softskills. “Only with this leadership training and professionals already in the selection process, it is possible to achieve real racial equity and manage to absorb these thousands of young people who are graduating every year, through quota policies, Prouni and Fies”.

not belonging

PwC partner Eduardo Alves celebrates 20 years working for the same company this month. He remembers that when he started, on October 1, 2002, as a trainee, he didn’t have all the welcome that new employees receive when they enter the company today. “I didn’t see myself represented. In my department that had about 30 to 40 people, I was the only black person. Surely if it were today, I would be happier as a new hire.”

Alves recalls that this situation made the feeling of belonging even more difficult.

We gave up our entire ancestry, our identity, due to the corporate world. It was a real whitening. I cut my hair very short, wore suits the same color as others wore to look more like them.

Eduardo Alves, partner at PwC

In addition, Eduardo recalls that talking about racism was not an issue, it was not even considered. I was racially conscious, but I didn’t say anything, for fear of jeopardizing my career. Besides, in our education, at home, we didn’t talk about it because it was something that bothered us.”

In this sense, Eduardo recalls that even the compliments had a racist connotation that he realized much later. “When I had a smart attitude, many would say things like: What a smart move! And today I see how this has an idea of ​​trickery, flexibility and not intelligence. Today as a partner, if I receive this compliment, I immediately reply: “It was not a smart move, it was a smart move”.

Change

Currently, the work routine is very different in the company where Eduardo is one of the partners. “We have an acceleration program for black professionals called “Black as Manager”. They are mentorships with reinforcement in soft skills and English for seniors, which are the positions that come before management. This program helps the employee in the first steps towards leadership. “We identify professionals who fit into this program and offer literacy to them, partners and all senior leadership”.

These new employees participate in literacy together with the partners and study topics such as structural racism, black tax, imposter syndrome, ancestry, colorism and other relevant topics so that white people understand how to mentor black professionals.

THE The intention is to give science and visibility to soft skills, time management, negotiation power, among other professional characteristics. We partner with English training and racial literacy training companies.

“I see a lot of change over the years, but it is important that companies increasingly have this vision of training for diversity, having a sensitivity to observe the culture and training of each employee, providing conditions for them to develop within the company”, emphasizes Alves.