Unprecedented in the energy sector, the initiative will be extended to all of the group's distributors and should develop the careers of 70 black people

Neoenergia is highlighting the positive results of Potencialize, the first career development program exclusively for black people in the Brazilian electricity sector. Launched at Neoenergia Coelba, the distributor in Bahia, the initiative had 18 employees selected and has already promoted four to new positions. With the success of the first edition, the program will be expanded next year to the other distributors in order to foster professional growth with a focus on racial diversity.

"Working for a company of Neoenergia's size was already a dream come true for me, but I've always wanted to take new flights and grow within the company. Taking part in Potencialize helped develop my skills and I came to believe in my potential even more. At the end of the project, I had the opportunity to take on a leadership position and now I'm putting all the lessons I learned in the program into practice," said Ivan França, Neoenergia Coelba's new Operations supervisor.

For 2025, 70 vacancies will be offered at Neoenergia Brasília (DF), Neoenergia Coelba (BA), Neoenergia Cosern (RN), Neoenergia Elektro (SP/MS) and Neoenergia Pernambuco (PE). With Potencialize, Neoenergia aims to promote the professional advancement of black people who are already in the company in entry-level positions.

Bahia was chosen for the pilot project due to the profile of the distributor's workforce, which is 80% black, but only 30% of them in executive positions. To overcome this distortion and promote the professional advancement of these employees, the company hopes that Potencialize will boost the growth and careers of black people.

"With Potencialize, we have taken an important step to boost the careers of our black employees and contribute to a more inclusive and representative corporate structure. This commitment to racial equity is not just a guideline, but a strategy to transform our organizational culture in a profound and lasting way.We want to ensure that the company's black talents have the conditions and support they need to reach top positions, reflecting Neoenergia's potential and diversity," says Thiago Guth, CEO of Neoenergia Coelba.

According to the executive, Neoenergia established simple and comprehensive selection criteria, the prerequisites of which were that the employee had been with the company and in their current position for at least 12 months, had a good performance evaluation and had completed higher education.

Potencialize joins the initiatives to foster and strengthen a culture of diversity in the company. Neoenergia's goal is to increase the number of black professionals in executive positions by 40% by 2030.

In all, the preparation takes seven months and relies on the support of internal and external specialists in people, business, process and project management courses and knowledge of other languages, such as English. The professionals also have the support of an external consultancy specializing in inclusion and diversity, which helps to strengthen their self-esteem and identity.