Ocyan Celebrates Afro-Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Day with Progress on Gender Racial Agenda

Company Joins the Race is Priority Movement, from the UN, That Aims to Ensure Equal Career Opportunities for Black and Mixed-Race Individuals

Ocyan, a company in the oil and gas sector, celebrates the Day of the Afro-Latin American and Caribbean Woman with advancements in its diversity agenda. The latest survey indicated that among the hired women, 46% are Black, a result that reflects the company’s commitment to attracting, developing, and retaining Black professionals.

In terms of leadership, the company has achieved 36% of Black and mixed-race individuals in decision-making positions, a figure that is 6% higher than the goal set by the Race is Priority Movement, part of the UN Global Compact – of which Ocyan is a signatory – which aims for 30% of Black individuals in leadership roles by 2030. However, there is still work to be done regarding Black female leaders, where 22% of Black leadership is composed of women.

“We are clear that it is essential to have internal and external actions for greater attraction, recruitment, and selection of Black and mixed-race women, as well as internal talent development for this group of professionals. A clear example is our independent councilor, Cristina Pinho, who holds a strategic position in the company and represents this voice as a Black woman alongside our senior leadership. Discussing this during the Month of the Afro-Latin American and Caribbean Woman reinforces our commitment to creating opportunities and representation for multiracial and multiethnic women in our workplace,” says Ester Bayerl, coordinator of Social Responsibility and Diversity.

In the pursuit of greater diversity, the company created the Race and Ethnicity Affinity Group in 2020, aimed at raising awareness among leadership, attracting, recruiting, and developing talent from this group. Among the group’s actions is an assessment, for example, which evaluated 43 Black and mixed-race non-leader members with the goal of enhancing their skills through self-awareness. Participants also received insights into which roles, activities, and training are most suitable for generating results.

The company also promotes a Conversation Circle with monthly meetings. “The idea is to create a welcoming and safe environment where people feel comfortable exchanging ideas, experiences, and learnings, based on thorough study with good bibliographic references. Currently, we are basing our studies on the book Small Anti-Racist Handbook by Djamila Ribeiro, always accompanied by practical examples. The invitation is open to all members and is not solely focused on the Black audience, as the anti-racist struggle is a social movement that requires active participation from white individuals,” explains Mariana Caldas, Internal Audit Manager at Ocyan and leader of the company’s Race and Ethnicity Affinity Group.