On International Women's Day, celebrated this Tuesday (Mar-08), Samarco involved its male and female employees in a discussion on gender equality, during the lecture “It had to be a woman”. The event, in online format, discussed the social, cultural, economic and political achievements and challenges of women in society. The Officer of Legal Affairs, Risks and Compliance, Najla Lamounier, and the CEO of RM Consulting, Rachel Maia, delivered the lectures, mediated by the general manager of Human and Organizational Development, Vera Lucia.

The initiative is part of the actions that Samarco has developed to promote equity. “We are working with a cultural change. These discussions are important to assess necessary advances in each performance. We really need to be the agent of change. This theme in mining is even more relevant, as we are a predominantly male sector and we need to remember that this reality was not built overnight,” said officer Najla Lamounier.

Rachel Maia, the first black woman to command a multinational and the only black woman to hold the position of CEO in Brazil spoke her mind. “On this women's day, the advice I give to all of you is that you should look for a way to be heard and be the best in what you chose. That's because, if we want to be the driving force behind change, we first have to start with our attitudes. We always have to remember that you alone defines your place of speech,” she said.

Also at the event, Samarco's president, Rodrigo Vilela, reinforced the company's commitment to gender equality. “We are here today thanks to the strength of women who came before us, but we know that the work does not end here. We have a long way to go, our numbers can still improve a lot,” he concluded.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

In January, Samarco launched the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program to strengthen actions to promote racial, gender, people with special needs and of LGBTI+ people. The initiative is in line with the changes proposed by company, aiming at doing mining differently, which also depends on an increasingly inclusive and diverse environment. In 2021, Samarco carried out a diagnosis in partnership with the Mais Diversidade consulting firm to support the structuring.