Despite a challenging global scenario for the diversity agenda, 63% of companies strengthened support for inclusion in Brazil, according to a survey

At a time of increasing global uncertainties and tensions on the subject, the Edu Blend launches unprecedented research that analyzes the position of Brazil in front of the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) agenda, highlighting advances and challenges that may impact the future of these initiatives. Despite the recent decision of the US Supreme Court to discourage affirmative action in universities and the increase of an anti-ESG articulation in the American market, the study revealed that 63% of Brazilian organizations increased support for the agenda in 2024. With only 4% of respondents reporting a decrease on this front, the data points to a positive scenario of the national context.

“Our goal with this research is to help Brazilian companies see reality without illusions: we have advances and tangible data that show a more optimistic perspective than expected, but we are exposed to global risks that may influence the local scenario in the coming years. We want to ensure that the D&I agenda is worked in a structured way, mitigating the chances of regression and enhancing the strategic value of inclusion for business and society”, says Thalita Gelenske, CEO and founder of Blend Edu.

The benchmarking research, called“Panorama of Diversity Strategies in Brazil in 2024 and Trends for 2025”, had the participation of 99 relevant companies in the national scenario and provides a detailed overview of D&I actions implemented in the country. “This year we added unprecedented questions to identify whether there is a real setback of inclusion efforts in Brazil in 2024. For this we seek to identify the level of team allocation, investment in actions, support of employees and leaders, as well as the sentiment of leaders in relation to diversity and inclusion for the coming years, EXPLAINS Gelenske.

The study reveals that 46% of companies increased their D&I budget in the year, and 16% of this share claims to have invested, including, in a way superior to other areas and departments. Only 7% of companies said that the budget in 2024 decreased in the same proportion as in other areas, indicating a general cut of the company.

Despite the increase, insufficient budgeting still proved to be the main challenge for more significant advances in the implementation of D&I programs, according to 21.4% of the companies.

Regarding the allocation of D&I team in Brazil, considering news about recent reductions of teams announced in major brands such as Microsoft and John Deere, the research shows that the Brazilian market had an inverse movement: 37.5% of institutions increased the team compared to the previous year and other 50% kept the team intact. Only 3.6% showed a reduction.

Thus, the predominant feeling of the D&I leaders of the companies participating in the benchmarking is positive. When asked about the level of optimism regarding the diversity agenda in Brazil, 72% said they were very optimistic or optimistic about the next 5 years. Already the level of pessimism is only 9% (sum of those who say they are pessimistic or very pessimistic).

“The data lead us to analyze that we are not experiencing a setback of the D&I agenda in Brazil. On the other hand, it is important to mention that these indexes were observed among companies that already have an established D&I agenda. Therefore, of course, we cannot rule out the hypothesis of the global context having generated greater fear and consequent slowdown in the adhesion of new companies to the” agenda, Gelenske analyzes.

The publication also pointed out relevant trends for the coming years, including the need to enhance the integration of diversity strategy to the core of the business, showing how D&I contributes to tangible results. According to Thalita Gelenske, “These data show what we have already observed in practice: companies that integrate D&I into their business strategy have greater resilience in times of crisis and can better respond to market changes. We want more companies to understand this value and invest in it as a sustainable competitive advantage.”

In addition, the research highlights four other priority areas for the coming years: the construction of intersectional narratives, creation of processes and metrics to make inclusion tangible, investment in structural changes involving different departments and the promotion of continuous learning in diversity.“Diversity is much more than an HR agenda, it is a strategy that needs to permeate all areas of the company. When D&I starts to integrate processes and operations, it ceases to be just a agenda and becomes a culture. Our role is to support companies, offering data, solutions and strategies that sustain inclusion even in a challenging environment. Diversity is not just a demand for Gel today, but a solid construction for Thagensite.