Market demands have influenced companies to act in accordance with the aspects of ESG – Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance – Environmental, Social and Governance in Portuguese), whose pillars, although interconnected, have their own criteria for their implementation. . In addition to good practices of concern for the environment, the ESG also promotes inclusion and transparency. In 2019, the Global Reporting Initiative - GRI already reported that 93% of the world's largest companies in revenue already reported their ESG performance.
This means that corporate social responsibility is bringing about changes in habits and promoting economic development actions in companies, not only in the sense of financial growth, but in relation to the responsibility that companies must have with the environment and with people.
The S of the acronym ESG deals with the Social pillar and concerns precisely how a company's decisions and actions impact society as a whole.
And how can a company promote transformations that contribute to a more just society?
The answer lies in the strategic alignment of the corporate culture, generating transparency and sustainable development through human bias, ethical attitudes that benefit the quality of life and respect for human rights.
To make a positive impact on the world, companies must take action internally, starting with their employees and reaching all their stakeholders. stakeholders, such as nearby communities and consumers of their products or services. A survey carried out by the Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná, in 2020, showed that 87% of Brazilian consumers prefer to purchase products from sustainable companies and 70% of them prefer to pay more for products or services that follow sustainable development principles. This data reflects the social impact that companies are already having with the products and services they offer.
The promotion of equity and diversity, observance of labor rights, commitment to social development, combating forms of discrimination and encouraging professional development are some of the relevant topics from the perspective of social responsibility. The social element can bring a long-term vision that conveys trust, security, inclusion and effective engagement of the parties involved, in addition to bringing a reinterpretation the role of companies in society and how they can help solve problems that are getting worse, such as people's mental health.
ESG OS focuses on organizational policies and practices that are related to human rights and business ethics. This pillar is proving to be increasingly relevant, especially after the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made social inequality even more evident, changed behaviors and increased concern about this aspect of mental health. A survey by the Ipsos Institute, commissioned by the World Economic Forum, showed that 53% of Brazilians noticed a worsening in mental status between 2020 and 2021. , showed that the occurrence of mental disorders affects more than 2021% of the population and that the levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression remain at high levels.
Excessive self-demand, combined with factors such as concern for stability and pressure for results, are some of the main reasons that lead employees to these disorders and that is why talking about mental health in companies has never been so necessary. Today, investors and consumers have a closer look at what companies are doing to improve this scenario, what they are doing to be more welcoming to their employees and how much they are being included in their hiring. Companies that care about the organizational climate and providing well-being to people have a better reputation and added value to their business in the long run.
Campaigns such as Yellow September, created in Brazil in 2015
by the Center for Valuing Life (CVV), Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) and Brazilian Association of Psychiatry (ABP) and whose main objective is to prevent suicide, gain more prominence every year in companies. Research indicates that every forty seconds a person commits suicide in the world and this data is enough to mobilize awareness about the importance of mental health care. Specifically in Brazil, according to information from the WHO - World Health Organization, since 2017 the Brazilian people are the most anxious in the world. In the country, around 12 suicides are recorded every year, about 32 per day, being the second leading cause of mortality among young people aged 15 to 29 in the world.
And the numbers don't stop there. A recent survey by Vital Strategies together with the Federal University of Pelotas, showed that those diagnosed with depression rose from 9,6% before the pandemic to 13,5% in 2022. Also according to a survey by the Ipsos Institute for the World Bank, 53% of Brazilians report worsening mental well-being between 2020 and 2021. The Brazilian Association of Psychiatry cites that a quarter of the population has, has had or will have depression throughout their lives.
DataSUS recently announced that in the last 20 years, suicides in Brazil have risen from 7 to 14, more than one every hour, not counting the cases that were not reported. According to the same survey, the number of cases of anxiety disorders increased by 25,6% and those of depression by 27,6% in 2020 in the world.
In a new 2022 report, the World Health Organization also reports that the COVID-19 crisis has hampered and even prevented access to mental health services in many cases, raising fears about the increase in suicidal behavior. Therefore, the WHO itself guides practices such as limiting access to mechanisms that can be used in the practice of suicide, responsible reporting by the media, access to socio-emotional support services and, above all, the management and early identification of people who have suicidal behaviors. .
Where to look for help?
CVV - Life Appreciation Center
Volunteers answer calls 24 hours a day number 188:
Mental Health Map
Site maps different types of service:
Everyone should take part in the prevention of suicide cases and companies are developing practices to engage their employees, in addition to implementing social responsibility management systems. In these cases, it is essential that project planning is consistent with the nature and impact of activities, so that initiatives are not seen as opportunistic.
In the current context, corporate sustainability practices are mandatory for companies that seek to create value in the company itself and in the surroundings of its operations, in the long term. Taticca Allinial Global Brasil provides services that help companies in the pursuit of sustainability from their planning to their implementation, monitoring and dissemination, including diagnosis of the positioning of ESG practices and development of their strategies.