Diversidade e Inovação: consciência negra nas indústrias

The role of diversity in manufacturing industries innovation

According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), in a survey from the 2nd quarter of 2022, Brazil’s black population represents 55.8% of its total. This number is equivalent to more than half of the Brazilian population. This fact reinforces the importance of Black Consciousness Day, officially considered a national holiday since December 2023.

The choice of the date, November 20, is a reference to the death of Zumbi dos Palmares, who died on that day in 1695. Zumbi was the leader of Quilombo dos Palmares, located in Alagoas, considered the largest Brazilian quilombo, simultaneously having 20,000 inhabitants. These communities housed enslaved people who escaped from farms and other places of forced labor.

His story tells that, at the age of 15, he started to live in Quilombo dos Palmares, which was then governed by his uncle. There, the main activity was collectivized agriculture, which caught the attention of the slaveholders, who feared the size and prosperity of Palmares. This began a series of expeditions that aimed to attack and destroy the quilombo, which were unsuccessful but caused several damages.

As a result, his uncle, Ganga Zumba, traveled to Recife to try to negotiate an end to the violence with the Governors of the time. The result was controversial and did not please everyone: those born in Palmares would be free, but the “fugitives” would return to slavery. Annoyed, Zumbi deposed his uncle and became the new leader of the quilombo for 15 years, until he was captured and killed in November 1695.

The date helps to recognize the contributions of Afro-Brazilians who were fundamental in the formation of Brazilian culture and society. The Black Consciousness Day is a reminder of the need for inclusion and racial equality in all areas, in addition to honoring the country’s history.

Equity as a synonym for ESG

The concept of racial equity involves ensuring that all people, regardless their race, have equal access to opportunities within the workplace. This includes hiring, promotion, and professional development practices that eliminate systemic barriers and hoaxes. A report by the Ethos Institute (2024) reveals that the inclusion of black people is more noticeable in entry-level positions, such as interns or trainees. This phenomenon is known as the “broken step”, due to the hierarchical barriers that prevents the ascension of minorities to high positions. This same study showed that black or brown people represent less than 14% of executive and board positions.

In the context of the industry, this concept is also related to ESG actions, which are essential to promote sustainable and responsible practices in these environments. In the Governance part, it involves the implementation of policies that ensure transparency and ethics. In Brazil, for example, initiatives such as the ESG Index of Sectoral Racial Equity (IEERS) have been implemented to encourage racial diversity. The indicator takes into account three subcomponents: index for non-leadership, management and board occupations, in addition to considering their region of operation. Companies that take the Racial Equity Pact receive support to carry out workforce calculations. Also, the responsible institution provides extensive documentation that serves as guidance to implement the necessary changes and achieve the ideal index of racial equity.

Larissa Lima, talent recruiter at ST-One, comments on this scenario, and presents options to reduce this discrepancy. “First, it is necessary to evaluate why these people remain only in the entry-level positions. Schooling is something that impacts, so it is essential to go back to the beginning and think about mentoring and learning programs”, she shares. This action contributes to build a career-plan for the employee, within the organization.

Racial Literacy: what is it? What is its importance?

Racial literacy is a set of pedagogical and educational practices that aim to make people aware of the structure and functioning of racism in society. It involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills to identify, understand and combat racism in its various forms. The concept was created by African American anthropologist France Winddance Twine. Alongside collective responses, such as quotas and public policies, it also seeks to re-educate the individual in an anti-racist perspective. To do so, it has five essential steps.

The first is the recognition of whiteness, that is, that whiteness confers certain privileges in society and contributes to inequalities. Next, it is necessary to consider racism as a current problem, and not just a historical legacy. After this, it is considered that racial identities are socially constructed and learned throughout life and, therefore, can be combated through education. Also, when thinking of language as a social and cultural phenomenon, which reflects the identity and culture of its speakers, it is necessary to reflect a racial vocabulary. Discussing racial issues in an accurate and respectful manner includes understanding and avoiding racist expressions and promoting inclusive language. Finally, there is the practice of identifying and interpreting racialized codes and practices in society, either subtly or explicitly.

Language plays an active role in deconstructing prejudices, it is an instrument of socialization that grows along with society, reflecting cultural changes. From this, Larissa adds “there are some extremely racist words that are in our routine, in our dialect, that we don’t know where they come from. Therefore, it is important to bring knowledge to cut their uses”.

Racial identification vs. Colorism

Colorism is the term given to describe the system of discrimination based on skin tone. It encompasses the social experience, within the same ethnic group, in which light-skinned people have different experiences of privilege and acceptance than people with darker skin. In Brazil, the color of the epidermis is a subject that has already been widely debated by the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Currently, the Demographic Census standardizes skin colors as: yellow, white, indigenous, brown and black. From this, as seen earlier, people identified as black (black and brown) represent most of the Brazilian population. Even though they are the majority, they suffer from processes of social inequality, which mainly affect more marginalized people.

This type of prejudice takes into account the most notable traits of African ancestry. Colorism has its origins in the colonial period, when during slavery, light-skinned people received preferential treatment. In Brazil, colorism is influenced by the myth of racial democracy, which suggests harmonious coexistence, but in practice perpetuates inequalities based on skin color. Thus, racism occurs through the racialization of individuals, while in the USA, a person is considered black if they have someone black ancestry. In this context, for Americans, colorism is thought of in terms of identifying the racial origin of individuals, and the “passability” in hiding it. In Brazil, according to the article “Pardism, Colorism and ‘Brazilian Woman’” (2023), there is a context in which the “brown-skinned” also represents a value of whiteness.

Discussing colorism and racial identity raises awareness about how discrimination based on skin color affects people’s lives. In addition, it shows how people need to learn what their own color is, in order to create an identity. In this regard, Lélia Gonzalez, a Brazilian intellectual and activist, says “We are born black, mulatto, brown, purple, among others, but becoming black is an achievement”. Finally, it increases the self-esteem and mental health of black people of different shades, by recognizing and validating their experiences.

Diversity in the workplace

As seen, the construction of black identity is not a simple process, especially in Brazil where “to be black is to become black”. With this in mind, the article “Race relations and life histories: black industrial workers in focus” (2020), addresses race relations in the lives of workers.

In the world of work, regarding the advances around the racial issue, relations are still based on meritocracy. This has an influence, because it is as if race relations do not matter and do not operate in a way that can establish and maintain positions. Historically, “being black” is seen as a negative phenomenon, perceptions that are unconsciously taken to the workplace. Thus, this group is seen as predisposed to perform certain functions, creating clear segregations, but never justified based on ethnic-racial relations. This question is key because the place people occupy can influence the definition they make of themselves as white or black. Also, this fact intensifies when thought of within the power structure that has been built in Brazilian race relations.

The false impression of “racial democracy”, seen earlier, contributes greatly to this scenario. This is because no effort is made to end this barrier, which goes unnoticed or is simply ignored. It acts as a prerequisite for silencing the issue of race relations, or even for rules of cordiality as a basis for an apparent harmonious coexistence. It is necessary to think that this stereotype creates areas mostly occupied by black people, who, when promoted can be seen as a risk to the maintenance of the status quo.

Open and constant dialogue on the subject helps to raise awareness for the identification of problems. In addition, the sharing of black culture helps to build new relationships with ancestry and to deconstruct narratives of official historiography.

Actions to promote diversity

Many actions can help promote racial equity in industries, including:

Data analysis and diagnosis: it is necessary to understand the percentage of blacks and browns in companies and in each sector to take measures aimed at change. Within this, it is possible to use tools such as the ethnic-racial census, which maps the profile of employees and indicates the sectors that need more attention;
Recruitment: To create an inclusive recruitment process, you need to take some precautions, such as advertising vacancies on platforms that reach a diverse audience. It is also necessary to train recruiters so that decisions are made without prejudice. In addition, make use of affirmative vacancies, with initiatives that have, for example, exclusive vacancies for black people;
Change the culture: within this culture change, there is the creation of the internal ombudsman focused on racism, and teams specialized in diversity. By creating this safe space, racism is no longer a taboo in companies
Look at the psychological factor: these actions also contribute to the increase of mental health. Discrimination usually occurs in a veiled, implicit way. Racist expressions are “micro” violence present in everyday life that causes damage to people’s mental health, generating stress, depression, anxiety and burnout;
Training: To compensate for any lack of practical skills, known as hard skills, the fight against racial inequality needs to focus on post-employment training

Several institutions are allies of the industry in this regard, such as the Mover Institute. It aims to raise awareness and foster the development of careers for black people. This is done dynamically, through racial literacy games, investments in education, partnerships, and events.

Diversity as a lever for performance

According to Forbes magazine (2021), from a social point of view, industries are created to help society, so they must be diverse, inclusive, and equitable. The market has given signs that the strategy to serve customers better is to reflect the diversity coming from end consumers. Also, according to the same source, Black people and lower-middle e lower classes concentrate more than 80% of the purchase intention in Brazil. In addition, organizations with diverse leadership are more likely to understand the needs of a plural customer base. Furthermore, it is possible to mention:

Building positive relationships: collaboration between people from different backgrounds is also key to the development of interpersonal skills and the building of a cohesive team.
Improved talent retention: Inclusive work environments foster a sense of belonging, reducing employee turnover. This results in a team that feels more valued and engaged.
Strengthening the employer brand: companies that value diversity are seen as socially responsible, which can influence consumer preference.

The ethnic and cultural diversity of the leadership team is correlated with profitability. Today, it is necessary to promote diversity – whether ethnic, racial, or gender – in senior positions, where decision-making dictates the pace of organizations. While the level of diverse representation in leadership still varies widely globally, often with slow progress, there are practical lessons to be learned. It is necessary to encourage and be inspired by the successful organizations that have made inclusion and diversity work. Creating this type of strategy is no small effort and requires strong, continuous, and inclusive leadership. Despite this, the potential benefits that come from it, which result in superior performance, are more than worth it. Learn more about us.