Being an entrepreneur as a woman in Brazil is a challenge. Our female entrepreneurs start their businesses, create jobs, lead teams, raise children, take care of the household, facing a double or triple journey, almost always very exhausting, compromising emotional balance and mental health.
Many businesswomen began to look at this situation a few years ago, when their employees started to suffer from depression, were absent due to burnout or anxiety crises. To bring a broader and more humane perspective to health, in 2020 the Ministry of Labor changed NR-1, which, starting from its implementation on May 25, 2026, will include psychosocial risks, such as stress, harassment, emotional overload, and burnout as legal obligations of companies.
The new standard requires employers to consider the emotional and mental well-being of workers by promoting a healthier, more balanced, and conscious work culture, where taking care of mental health is as important as ensuring physical integrity. This applies to entrepreneurs of all sizes, whether they have stores, beauty salons, restaurants, companies, or any other type of business.
NR-1 will require all companies — even small ones — to map the risks in the workplace, such as accidents or dangerous products, and the emotional risks, such as stress, constant pressure, excessive responsibilities, moral harassment, and mental exhaustion to reduce cases of depression, anxiety, suicide, and burnout in the workplace.
In addition to ensuring the well-being of employees, the research “Entrepreneurs and their Businesses 2023”, conducted by the Women Entrepreneur Network Institute (IRME), takes a look at women who are entrepreneurs. It points out that more than half of Brazilian entrepreneurs also face anxiety crises, and a third have symptoms of depression or other mental health issues.
To contribute to the well-being of entrepreneurs, they can rely on CMEC – Council of Women Entrepreneurs and Culture – a body of CACB, FACESP, and ACSP – which has over 900 councils distributed throughout the country, where they can train, receive support, and share their experiences with other women facing the same challenges, contributing to make them feel valued and welcomed so they can build a lighter and healthier way of doing business.
Regarding the changes to be implemented with the new NR-1, it is essential that entrepreneurs and their teams be informed about the law available on the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) page on the website www.gov.br/trabalho which provides the updated NR-1 and answers questions on the subject.
Ana Claudia Badra Cotait é presidente do CMEC – O Conselho Nacional da Mulher Empreendedora e da Cultura – órgão da Associação Comercial de São Paulo (ACSP), da Federação das Associações Comerciais do Estado de São Paulo (FACESP) e da Confederação das Associações Comerciais e Empresariais do Brasil (CACB) – que atua como um fórum de referência de estudos, debates e inspirações à mulher empreendedora, além de desenvolver ações, campanhas e projetos sociais e culturais. Também atua como instrumento para que lideranças femininas discutam seus problemas e apresentem propostas que mobilizem a comunidade empresarial e a sociedade organizada. Possui mais de 900 conselhos da mulher, distribuídos pelo Brasil.
