Diversity and inclusion are essential pillars for building a thriving and innovative workplace.
Embracing a diverse workforce fosters creativity, enhances problem-solving, and drives better decision-making. At the Dutch Business Community in Brazil, we are committed to celebrating these principles, which is why Diversity & Inclusion is one of the categories in the Dutcham Inspire Awards.
This category showcases inspiring initiatives from our Dutch companies with a view to creating equal opportunities for all, both inside and outside the organization.
AkzoNobel - Touching Colors
The ‘Touching Colors’ project by Tintas Coral is an innovative social inclusion initiative that aims to make colours accessible to over 6 million people with visual impairments in Brazil. In partnership with the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind, a leading organisation in the inclusion of people with visual impairments, Coral — whose purpose is to bring colour to people’s lives — has developed a solution that allows blind individuals to also connect with colours.
Arcadis - Inclusion of Underrepresented Groups
Arcadis leads an inclusion and diversity initiative aimed at increasing the representation of underrepresented groups and promoting a more equitable environment. Since 2019, it has established the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Affinity Groups focused on race and ethnicity, gender equity, people with disabilities (PWDs), and LGBTQIAP+ communities. In 2023, it launched a training and mentoring program designed to prepare women from underrepresented groups for leadership positions, expanding in 2024 to include Black and Brown professionals.
Through this initiative, Arcadis reaffirms its role as a leader in building an inclusive and diverse environment, strengthening its team, and inspiring other organizations to adopt socially responsible practices.
BCD Travel - Cultural Coffee
At BCD, we are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Our DE&I efforts are guided by our core values and a spirit of humanity and humility. Through initiatives like our Cultural Café sessions, we share global strategies and promote inclusive behaviors across teams, clients, and partners. We believe that embracing individual differences—such as life experiences, perspectives, and talents—strengthens our culture and drives innovation. Our DE&I framework supports long-term business success and social impact. This project aligns with our Blueprint pillar, “Caring for our communities,” and reflects our ongoing dedication to creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, empowered, and able to thrive.
Brunel - Afirmative Youth Apprenticeship Program for Black Women
An affirmative apprenticeship program exclusively for Black women combining technical training, formal education and English development. The program provides hands-on experience, structured mentoring and a clear pathway to long-term career progression.
DutchWaffle - Make it a bit better
Since day one of Dutchwaffle in Brazil, we’ve been guided by the Global Goals. We believe that investing in people is the foundation for growth. That’s why we’re proud of our partnership with SENAI, which provides training and courses for our employees. They also have access — for a symbolic fee — to a facility offering sports and leisure activities for the whole family. Our factory was designed to be compact and personal, so everyone knows each other by name. Of course, it can be a bit of a culture shock to work with Dutch founders — but that’s exactly what makes it special: we learn from each other every single day, across cultures, languages, and traditions.
At Dutchwaffle, diversity isn’t about statistics — it’s about people. Together, we’re building a strong and inclusive community.
Heineken - Hard Truths to Swallow
The #HardTruthsToSwallow campaign, carried out in partnership with the Dentsu agency, posed a provocation: what if the job market for women had a taste? To answer this question, we created a non-alcoholic drink with an unpleasant taste, symbolizing the barriers, inequalities, and challenges faced by women in the corporate environment. The experiment featured an all-female recording set and invited market leaders to experience this "taste," making a often invisible reality tangible. The action reinforces our commitment to promoting psychological safety, belonging, and inclusion, sparking reflection and engagement for transformation. More than just a campaign, "Hard Truths to Swallow" is a collective invitation to change this scenario, so that we can toast, in the future, with fairer numbers and much better flavors.
KPMG - Leadership Development Acceleration Program
KPMG’s Leadership Development Acceleration Program is a strategic initiative designed to prepare women for executive roles through a robust combination of one-on-one mentoring and intensive in-person training. Targeting senior managers and partner-level professionals, the program focuses on developing key leadership competencies such as strategic thinking, negotiation, communication, and personal branding. With over 100 hours of structured development, the program promotes gender equity in senior leadership, aligns with KPMG’s global goal of 33% female partners, and serves as a scalable model for inclusion. Led by KNOW, KPMG’s Gender Pillar, the initiative fosters long-term impact through continuous development, stakeholder engagement, and institutional support.
Supergasbras - Black Talents
Black Talents is a strategic program designed to develop and accelerate the careers of Black professionals by connecting culture, identity, and professional growth. The initiative integrates a cultural tour of Pequena África in Rio de Janeiro — reinforcing history and identity — with a multiple mentoring model: group mentoring and individual sessions with two different mentors, providing complementary and personalized perspectives for leadership preparation. In addition, the program fosters a safe space for racial dialogues within the organization.
