I recently wrote an article talking about the regrettable episode of racism that was experienced in a soccer match involving the player Vinícius Júnior.
Today I want to show that an organization’s social investment can be an important weapon against any and all racism. Contrary to what some say, affirmative action helps to reduce structural racism in the country.
I have been their advocate for some time. I even support several causes that involve affirmative action, especially startups that have some kind of action in this regard.
Why is corporate investment a weapon against racism?
You must be wondering, why is corporate investment a weapon against racism? The answer to this question is very simple. After all, just look at some data from Brazilian society.
To give you an idea, 56% of the country’s population is self-declared black or brown. And do you know what percentage black and brown people occupy at the top of a company? 4.8% only. This is a sad fact, isn’t it?
This happens because there is no equality of opportunity. Most blacks and browns are born in the periphery, while the upper middle class is composed exclusively of whites.
In this way, as public education in Brazil leaves something to be desired, what happens is that the best vacancies in the market are occupied by whites. Note that without affirmative action there is no way to improve the social structure.
The importance of corporate social investment
In view of what I said above, it is clear that investing in affirmative action is collaborating to reduce inequality in the country. For example, if you have 90% of your board made up of white people, how can you change that?
There is no other way but to start doing affirmative programs until the percentages even out. It is only after that that affirmative actions cease to make sense, as society will already be more plural.
In this way, as actions are carried out, blacks and browns occupy better positions, change their living conditions, and their children have better opportunities at the starting point.
Then we can enter meritocracy. Everyone will come out of the same place and therefore will not need any affirmative action. Until then, however, it is crucial to think about solutions to this type of problem.
Social marketing + structural change
When you invest in programs like this, in addition to having excellent social marketing for your company, you are also contributing to promoting a profound structural change in the country.
Quota programs at universities are already the beginning of this transformation, but if the private sector also works in this direction, in a few decades we will have a greater plurality in all positions within the organization.
The result is that structural racism ceases to exist. This racism is much worse than the one that is practiced directly against a person, as it makes blacks and browns in this country suffer in a hidden way. And you can change this situation.
