To mark International Women's Day on March 8, Afya, the Brazilian higher education group for medical and health education, which is part of Bertelsmann Education Group, has designated March as “Women's History Month”. Against this backdrop, various initiatives have been launched with the aim of contributing to a more inclusive and equitable organization, particularly regarding the role of women. The promotion of gender equality in leadership roles is a central pillar of the company’s corporate agenda, according to Afya. More diverse organizations tend to make better-informed decisions, strengthen governance, increase employee engagement, and ensure greater business sustainability.
Social media campaign and dialog formats
The activities throughout “Women’s History Month” include initiatives aimed at valuing women and raising awareness across the company, weekly posts on “Viva Engage”, the internal communication platform, as well as tributes to female employees on Linkedin, highlighting their diverse professional journeys. The program also includes a social media campaign by the company that celebrates the diverse backgrounds of Afya’s female physicians. Dialog formats are also part of the activities, involving both men and women and addressing topics such as microaggressions, everyday behaviors, and their impacts on the workplace, as well as an “Ethics Channel”, which is available in a secure and confidential manner for reporting harassment, inappropriate conduct, or discrimination.
Currently, 44.7% of leadership positions at Afya are held by women. This progress reflects a public commitment made by the company as part of the “Elas Lideram” Movement of the UN Global Compact – Brazil Network, aligned with “SDG 5”, which calls for gender equality. The goal is to reach 50% women in leadership positions by 2030, with an interim target of 45% by 2026. “When we made this commitment, we were at around 36%, a significant improvement and a clear indication that the company is on the right track, but we are aware that there is still room for growth,” comments Cíntia Marin, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Communications at Afya.
Mentoring Program for Women
These actions complement the structural initiatives developed in recent years. In 2023, Afya launched the Mentoring Program for Women (MMA), aimed at developing female leaders and preparing them for more strategic roles. The first edition included 50 female managers, mentored by five female directors from the company. That same year, Afya was recognized as one of the winners of the “Women in Leadership” award, which highlights companies with best practices for advancing women. In the Education sector, the company achieved the best performance among the evaluated pillars.
