Companies that invest in diversity grow more and face fewer risks

Diversity has ceased to be a marketing agenda to become a factor for growth and legal protection in Brazilian companies. In a scenario where laws and governance norms are demanding transparency and inclusion, attentive business leaders have already understood that investing in diversity is cheaper, and much smarter, than chasing losses afterward.

International studies prove that diverse teams make more effective decisions, innovate faster, and deliver financial results up to 25% superior to those of homogeneous structures. In Brazil, the movement has gained strength with new legal requirements, which now compel companies to act and not just talk about the subject.

Diversity is now compliance

Recent laws have changed the game.

A Law No. 14,611/2023 mandated total transparency in salary policies and equality between men and women.
A Law No. 15,177/2025 established a minimum of 30% of women on the Boards of Directors of public and mixed-capital companies.
And Law No. 8,213/1991 continues to impose hiring quotas for persons with disabilities (PwD).

These rules are not optional: they are part of a new era in which diversity and governance have become synonymous with corporate responsibility. “Complying with the law is the first step, but the business leader who understands the strategic value of diversity gets ahead. Today, the market and investors look at those who practice what they preach,” explains Cintia Deffontaines, ESG and Diversity specialist and member of Sustentalli. 

More value, less risk

Beyond legal compliance, diversity represents legal protection, access to credit, better reputation, and talent retention. Companies that value diverse people have fewer labor lawsuits, more internal engagement, and greater attraction of clients and partners, including international ones.

“It is not a favor to society, it is an investment in one's own business. Diversity is a tool for efficiency and competitiveness,” reinforces Cintia.

How to start

Sustentalli advises that the first step is to conduct an internal diversity diagnosis: understand the team's gender, race, age profile, and accessibility.
Then, create formal inclusion goals and policies, integrated into the code of ethics and sustainability reports. And finally, train leadership to transform the topic into continuous practice, not a trend.

Legal and regulatory summary of corporate diversity

Another essential point is to implement employee retention policies, as many companies are able to hire diverse professionals but cannot retain them due to a lack of an inclusive environment and real growth opportunities. Retention is as important as hiring, as it is in daily practice that the culture of diversity is consolidated and generates sustainable results.