On December 10th, the date on which International Human Rights Day is celebrated, Aliança Energia held its 1st Human Rights Seminar. The event took place at the Minas Gerais Academy of Letters, in Belo Horizonte, and marked an important step for the company in promoting diversity, respect and inclusion inside and outside the corporate environment.
Organized by the Social Responsibility and Communication Management and the Risk, Internal Controls and Crisis Management Management, the seminar was guided by the company’s purpose “Energies that drive lives” and by the values that guide its performance: “Social and environmental responsibility”, “Continuous search for excellence” and “Non-negotiable integrity”.
The meeting brought together about 70 participants, including its own employees, permanent contractors and guests who work directly with the theme of human rights in their areas of study and work.
The event aimed to promote a space for reflection and learning about Human Rights, strengthening the image of Aliança Energia as a company committed to diversity, respect and inclusion. In addition, it sought to inspire attitudes that reinforce the culture of Human Rights both in the corporate and social environments.
The entire visual identity of the seminar was carefully thought out from the perspective of sustainability. For the printing of the graphic arts, special paper was used that can be planted and transformed into plants, reinforcing the company’s environmental commitment. The gifts distributed to participants were also produced in a sustainable way, aligning the event experience with the socio-environmental values of Aliança Energia.
The program was marked by lectures by nationally recognized experts and a practical workshop: Victor Del Vecchio, Lawyer and consultant in Human Rights and the Environment, with the lecture “What are Human Rights and why do they matter to companies?”; Luana Andrade, Human Rights Manager at Vale, with the lecture “Companies that have implemented Human Rights policies”; Clara Serva, Partner and Head of Business & Human Rights, with the lecture “The Human Rights Journey: what and how to do it?”; Marina Ferro, Executive Director at InPACTO, with the lecture “Work analogous to slavery in production chains”; and the Practical Workshop, taught by Clara Serva and Marina Ferro, which closed the seminar with dynamics and reflections on how to apply the concepts discussed in corporate daily life.
The seminar also had the participation, through a videotaped testimony, of Vilmário Cândido, President of the Quilombola Community of Macambira/RN. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of attention to traditional communities, bringing reflections on the challenges faced by quilombolas and other populations who fight daily for the recognition of their rights and the appreciation of their cultures.
In addition to the speakers, representatives of Aliança Energia reinforced the company’s commitment to the theme:
“This is the first Human Rights seminar of Aliança Energia, held on a date as important as Human Rights Day. It is essential for us to reflect on the topic and emphasize that Human Rights are related to all areas of the company” said Marcelo Werly, Social Responsibility and Communication Manager.
“The Corporate Risks and Corporate Integrity area is fully interconnected with the Human Rights process at the Aliança Energia. So much so that one of our corporate risks involves precisely the possibility of human rights violations. This gives us the ability to identify the need for actions to prevent risks and also mitigate possible impacts” emphasized Frederick Teixeira Nunes, Manager of Risks, Internal Controls and Crisis Management.
“Today the Aliança Energia is holding its first seminar on Human Rights, on a super special date, which is International Human Rights Day, December 10. The lessons we learned from this seminar represent a unique opportunity for the Aliança Energia to learn, do and disseminate the importance of Human Rights for the entire community, not just for our operations,” said Carlos Pavanelli, Director of Aliança Energia.
The 1st Human Rights Seminar of Aliança Energia not only celebrated the symbolic date of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) by the UN, but also reaffirmed the role of companies as agents of transformation in society. With relevant lectures and debates, the event was consolidated as a milestone in the company’s trajectory, which seeks to align its business performance with the universal principles of dignity, respect and inclusion, further strengthening its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those that deal with equality, reduction of inequalities, decent work, peace, justice and effective institutions.
