When it comes to gender equity, the energy industry still has a long way to go. Only 22% of industry professionals are women¹ and the representativeness of other “minority” groups in companies is still small.

Concerned about changing this scenario, Repsol Sinopec Brasil (RSB) has already taken important steps. Today the RSB team is multicultural and has professionals from 10 nationalities, 42% are women. They also occupy 50% of the company’s executive leadership positions. The global objective of the Repsol group, which is to have 35% of women in leadership positions in 2025.

“The Repsol Group understands diversity as a differentiating element, which allows us to be more competitive, by having people of different origins, ages, genders and skills. This year, RSB provided a mandatory course for all employees on ‘Unconscious Biases’ and joined the ‘Aliad@s LGBTQIA+’ initiative, a voluntary and self-managed group by Repsol employees on a global level to discuss issues related to diversity gender and sexuality”, says Daniele Lemos, People and Organization manager at Repsol Sinopec Brasil.

To respect the balance between personal and professional life, the company discourages long working hours and the accumulation of overtime. This year, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the home office that was being used gradually, was immediately implemented for all employees. In addition, since 2017, the company has been part of the Citizen Company program, which adds days on maternity and paternity leave.*

“We are on the way to making our team even more diverse. Diversity, inclusion and reconciliation are processes that require ethics and a permanent, long-term approach”, concludes Daniele.

Pioneer in the opening of the market and exploration in the Brazilian pre-salt, Repsol Sinopec Brasil (RSB) is currently the fourth largest producer of oil and gas in the country. The company occupies a strategic position in the areas of greatest potential in the Brazilian pre-salt, with activities in the Santos and Campos Basins. The asset portfolio includes three production fields – Albacora Leste, Sapinhoá and Lapa– and exploratory blocks of great potential, such as the BM-C-33.

A member of the Repsol Group, from Spain, the company started its activities in Brazil in 1997, importing, selling and directly distributing basic oils and petrochemical products. In 2010, it restructured its asset portfolio, focusing on upstream. In the same year, it was the private foreign company that most invested in Exploration in the country.

Also in 2010, there was a capital increase in partnership with the Chinese Sinopec, thus creating Repsol Sinopec Brasil. Spanish Repsol maintained a 60% stake in the company, and Chinese Sinopec holds the remaining 40%.

¹World Petroleum Council and The Boston Consulting Group: Untapped reserves – promoting gender balance in oil and gas – https://www.world-petroleum.org/docs/docs/Gender/WPC_BCG-Untapped-Reserves-July-2017.pdf

* The Citizen Company Program provides a total of: 20 days (5 established by law 13. 257 + 15 days of the Citizen Company program) for parents; 120 days (60 established by law 13,257 + 60 days of the corporate citizen program) for mothers, and for adopting mothers the Program provides for leave days depending on the child’s age.