“It is an instance for those who identify with the community and those who do not but are interested in helping promote a message of equality. The idea is to have an open forum, with regular meetings throughout Chile, as a space for conversation on issues that concern the collective.”
Andrés led the start of Energía con Orgullo, and he values this instance positively. At 52 years old, he has seen the country's changes regarding inclusion, especially in the workplace. He feels that before, "nobody cared about your sexual orientation," being gay was not something to discuss. The discomfort was usual; for example, in informal conversations in the office on Mondays about how everyone spent the weekend, most of them would say, "I went out with my children, with my wife or with my husband," small details that sometimes made the work environment unpleasant and made him feel that there was no space for him.
Inclusion is everyone's business
Belarmino Ramírez, Enel Green Power's Project Execution Manager for Construction, has been with the company for 11 years and feels that he has been an essential support for his colleagues.
“I knew a colleague who suffered a lot; he felt constantly bullied and badmouthed. That is why I want to help, so that a good person who knows how to do his job well never again suffers to the point of wanting to quit. People who contribute to the company should not want to disengage because of the intolerance of others.”
For Belarmino, implementing the diversity policy has generated positive company culture changes. Although he believes that some people respect only out of obligation, he has seen an evolution. Everyone feels more open to being transparent with their personal decisions and his colleagues in the field, knowing that he is a promoter of diversity, come to share and be honest with him. In addition to his work, sometimes he has felt like a psychologist and even a social worker; he knows he is a support and has gotten to know more people much better.
Although at first, he was a little afraid of "what people would say," he has been wearing a pin dedicated to diversity for some time now, and when people notice his pin, they ask him why he wears it and where they can find one. He recalls that it came to him through an Internal Communication campaign along with a book, the initiative invited him to upload a phrase related to diversity to Instagram, and some of his friends immediately began to make jokes about him by sending him messages. But, although the subject is complex even in this day and age, Belarmino is clear about the value of the contribution he is making.
Appreciating diversity
The idea is to value the contribution of each person and support the development of talent, from students who enter the company to do their internship, practicum, or memory, through technicians, professionals, field, or office workers, to those who are close to retirement and are ready to pass on their knowledge to future generations.
Juan Alexis Cárdenas is also a member of Energía con Orgullo. He has been with the company for 17 years in different areas and countries. He believes it is important to consider diversity and inclusion as fundamental pillars of a company like Enel, constantly evolving, supporting minorities and their essential contribution.
"I think many of my classmates did not know about my sexual orientation since there were no opportunities to discuss it openly and put it on the table. It is easier to discuss it over time, and the pandemic generated many conversations. I lost the fear of asking, "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you in a couple?" When they asked me, I was happy. It's good that they did because they finally wanted to know more about me. Although I didn't feel obligated to tell them before either, I was reciprocally receiving the same concern I had for my partners and their families. My colleagues had very well received my experience. It generated more trust than we had, so I can attest that we have come a long way in the last three years in this type of conversation". Juan Alexis Cárdenas - member of the "Energy with Pride" community.
Juan Alexis' invitation is to forget prejudices and start with each person's essence. Although he believes that the main challenge for the "Energy with Pride" community is to become permanent over time, developing activities throughout the year, he is delighted with the road he has traveled and been part of.
By participating in "Pride Connection" and promoting the "Energy with Pride" community, Enel fosters a work environment where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential, developing in a context that is open, safe, and free from prejudice and bias.
"Our company’s foundation is respect for people who can express their uniqueness freely and in reciprocal respect in an inclusive workplace where everyone's energy adding to each other's allows us to achieve our challenges. It is also to foster a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can fully express their unique potential that not only raises the energy of our organization but generates value and opens new opportunities to build a better world. On the other hand, we continue to foster an unbiased work environment because more integrated people contribute to the development of our society and a better climate, positively impacting our processes and a better business environment. This is why we promote our "Energy with Pride" community, inviting people who identify with the collective and those who want to support the construction of a more diverse company," said Soledad Perez, Enel Chile's Inclusion Manager.
Learn more about our commitment to diversity HERE.