On September 18 and 19, one of the largest events in Sustainability and ESG took place at the Ibirapuera Biennial Pavilion, in the capital of São Paulo, the Ethos 360º Conference, which brought together several references in the areas of diversity and inclusion, sustainability, governance, human rights and ESG, bringing a program full of actions aimed at debating social, political and economic issues related to sustainable development and the search for equity, diversity, inclusion and transparency.

Fiotec was the only support foundation invited to participate in the Conference, as a result of its work in the Institute's Human Rights Working Group. Céu Pozzali, a professional from the foundation's Governance, Sustainability and ESG team, was present at the debates on human rights and diversity throughout the year, and was invited to participate in the panel "Equal Pay in Companies: Perspectives and Challenges" during the event's program. Next to her were Fernanda Antonelli Fernandes, director of People and Communication at Novonor; Lilian Ikeda, senior manager of Compensation, Incentives and Mobility at Natura; Caio Magri, CEO of Instituto Ethos; and Valmir Dantas, advisor to the Presidency of the Republic at the Council for Economic and Social Development (CDES).

In the midst of the International Day of Equal Pay and after another closing of the delivery of business reports on pay transparency (August 30), the objective of the debate was to address the implications of the new equal pay legislation (Law 14.611/2023), with a focus on the co-responsibility of companies, civil society and governments.

On the occasion, Céu presented her perception on how the equal pay law can be improved to more broadly contemplate the various intersectionalities, ensuring greater pay equity among historically marginalized groups. 

"The law is an important advance in social justice policies, as it aims to correct historical gender and race disparities in the labor market. However, it should be noted that the rule uses the criterion of 'sex' as a reference, excluding the category 'gender'. This limitation may leave out issues related to transgender people, who also face significant inequalities in access to pay equity and the labor market," she emphasized.

The professional also highlighted the importance of events such as the Ethos 360º Conference, which promote dialogue between institutions, companies and civil society. She reinforced that this joint participation is essential for the advancement of sustainable and inclusive practices, in addition to fostering the exchange of knowledge and the development of effective solutions to social, environmental and economic challenges.

Leading role in the field of support foundations

Since the beginning of 2024, through the articulation of its Governance, Sustainability and ESG Management, Fiotec has reached the position of the first support foundation associated with Instituto Ethos. According to Luanara Damasceno, team manager, this initiative, in addition to increasing institutional guidance and mobilization for a more sustainable and responsible performance, also contributes to the support foundations occupying decision-making spaces and allows society to become aware of its important role in the development of research, teaching and extension in the country.

Instituto Ethos

It is a non-profit organization, founded in 1998, in São Paulo, operating nationally with the objective of mobilizing, raising awareness and helping companies in the sustainable management of their business. Through the partnership signed, Fiotec has actively participated in debates and construction of best practices for organizations in Human Rights, Integrity and Fight against Corruption, Environment, Diversity and Inclusion.