RACIAL DIVERSITY IN STANDARDIZED SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS: A MATERIAL TOPIC
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Abstract
This study aims to foster the debate on the topic of racial diversity that has been addressed in the material topic of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Brazilian Sustainability Reportings. The process to develop these globally standardized reports aims to strengthen Corporate Transparency beyond regulatory requirements. Through the analysis of Double-Materiality, that congregates the perspectives of Impact Materiality and Financial Materiality, organizations seek all stakeholders engagement to identify, prioritize and manage the most significant- material topics by which their activities affect the environment, society, the economy and human rights. This process can be seen as an agent to promote the strategies and plans of organizations that are focused on Sustainable Development, then not being limited to the role of ending communication. A qualitative approach was adopted. A total of 15 companies from different sectors were selected for a documentary analysis of the standardized sustainability reports of these multiple cases, from the years 2021 and 2022. Through a descriptive and iterative analysis, it was identified that all these organizations have objectives to mitigate structural racism in the country, with initiatives of literacy, training, association with NGOs, use of affirmative jobs and others, in addition to the use of some indicator with a goal, all to be proceeded in an integrated way. Future research can empirically and longitudinally investigate these ESG initiatives, as well as research the warnings of the risks of transparency gaps and to combat “greenwashing”, if these reports are used in a symbolic and partial way.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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