A pioneer in the Brazilian electricity sector, the initiative has already trained more than a thousand women in all the distributors, 70% of whom have been hired by the company

Committed to increasing the generation of employment and income and, above all, the inclusion of women in a mostly male profession, Neoenergia's School for Women Electricians was recognized as a global example of "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" by the World Economic Forum.

A pioneer in the Brazilian electricity sector, last year the initiative celebrated the milestone of more than a thousand women trained since its creation in 2013. Around 70% of them were hired to work in the company's five concession areas: Neoenergia Brasília (DF), Neoenergia Coelba (BA), Neoenergia Cosern (RN), Neoenergia Elektro (SP/MS) and Neoenergia Pernambuco (PE).

The World Economic Forum seeks to give visibility to effective actions to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, promoting, through the sharing of knowledge, the acceleration of progress in organizations and public bodies.

Companies from different sectors and geographical regions were evaluated by an independent panel of experts, made up of representatives from the academic world and different organizations, to select the award winners. The report will be published ahead of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in 2025 and will be presented at the event.

"It's an initiative that generates job opportunities and income for those who want to enter the electrical profession. It strengthens our workforce and adds quality and safety to the service provided to our customers. At the same time, we are helping to increase female participation in this segment with our commitment to have 35% women trained and 12% in electrician positions by 2030.For us, gender equality is a priority," says Eduardo Capelastegui, CEO of Neoenergia.

Theoretical and practical classes - Electricians make up approximately 80% of Neoenergia's workforce, performing a job that requires extensive training. The low take-up of this career by women is mainly attributed to social stereotypes. The courses at Neoenergia's School for Electricians are free of charge and held in partnership with the National Industrial Learning Service (Senai) in all the states where Neoenergia has an electricity distribution concession. In São Paulo, training is also offered by the Technology Support Foundation (FAT). More than 6,000 students, both men and women, have already received their diplomas.

The classes are divided into theoretical and practical, providing a complete education for the students. The School of Electricians for Women has also been recognized for its Women's Empowerment Principles by WeEmpower, a UN Women programme together with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Union.