Novonor and OEC present at the 2024 Ethos 360º Conference

This September, in São Paulo, the 2024 edition of the Ethos 360º Conference took place – an annual event held since 1998 by the Ethos Institute for Business and Social Responsibility, recognized as the largest of its kind in Latin America.

At the conference, companies, institutes, foundations, government representatives, civil society organizations, academia and the media discussed how political, economic and social aspects and events impact or could influence sustainable development. On this year’s agenda, attention to people took on a special profile, with emphasis on combating inequalities and promoting and respecting human rights. The cross-cutting nature of the themes, even more evident from the ESG (environmental, social and governance) approach, presented relevant and necessary connections for tackling climate change and protecting the environment, promoting equity, strengthening integrity and transparency, and the scope and permanence of actions to value singularities and cultures.

On September 18, the date on which National Equal Pay Day is celebrated, Fernanda Antonelli, People Manager at Novonor, took part in the panel entitled “Equal Pay in Companies: Perspectives and Challenges”, and addressed issues related to the new legislation on the subject, the lessons learned and difficulties of implementing the law in companies, as well as Novonor’s actions aimed at equality in the market.

The stage for the debate also included Céu Pozzoli, psychologist and administrative analyst at Fiotec’s ESG management; Lilian Ikeda, senior manager for remuneration, incentives and mobility at Natura; Valmir Dantas, advisor to the Presidency of the Republic at the Council for Economic and Social Development (CDES), and mediator Caio Magri, director and president of the Ethos Institute.

During the debate, Fernanda Antonelli stressed the essential and significant participation of leaders in companies at this time. “Leaders need to understand the importance of their role in promoting an equitable environment so that women receive equal pay and opportunities with men. Putting energy, attention and intentionality into change will contribute to progress towards an equitable and fairer society.

Alexandre Baltar, ESG Director at Novonor and OEC, was also present to follow the debates held during the event and said that “participating in the Ethos 360 Conference every year has been a regular commitment for our group. This experience and all the work we do with the Institute consolidate our ESG vision, strengthen our connection with companies and other member organizations and facilitate important exchanges so that the sectors evolve in a collaborative way. The Conference panels once again promoted important and qualified debates on current and urgent issues, provoking reflection on how our practices and strategies can minimize impacts and generate value, effectively contributing to reducing vulnerabilities and developing the societies that receive us.” According to Baltar, “being at this event not only strengthens our commitment, but also positions us as active agents in building a more sustainable, innovative and inclusive future”.

OEC and Ethos Partnership

In 2009, under the coordination of the Institute and together with a group of companies that took a leading and proactive stance on the climate agenda, OEC signed the Open Letter on Climate Change, a commitment that was reaffirmed in 2021, with adherence to the “Business Proposals and Recommendations for the Brazilian NDC”, a document organized by the Ethos Institute and signatory companies, published at the Conference of the Parties, COP-26, held that year.

In 2017, the OEC joined the Business Pact for Integrity and Against Corruption, a voluntary commitment to promote a more honest and ethical market. The following year, in 2018, it became a member and participates uninterruptedly in the initiatives of the Ethos Institute for Business and Social Responsibility – a Brazilian organization that plays a leading role in promoting internationally recognized core values on human rights, labour relations, the environment and integrity.

Since then, the Novonor Group’s engineering and construction company has been part of the initiatives promoted by the Ethos Institute to promote Integrity. It is also an active participant in the Human Rights and Environment Working Groups and has collaborated in the process of updating the Ethos ESG Indicators, a platform for monitoring the practices of the Institute’s member companies.