Corporate social responsibility can be a solution to help society recover, and not only in times of pandemic

Social responsibility is a demand that is increasingly present in the daily lives of companies. With more aware consumers, being recognized as socially responsible is extremely important for the company’s image.

However, being responsible should not only be a concern with the corporate image. It means being concerned with the impacts that the company causes within the territory in which it operates, with ways to collaborate, and also with the people involved in this process.

Furthermore, it is necessary to think in a global way, considering that every company that makes a social contribution also takes an important step towards regional and global cooperation, by setting an example and encouraging other organizations to do the same.

In general terms, social responsibility is what your company does in the territories and for the local communities where it operates, beyond what is stipulated by law.

These actions to support projects and institutions that serve communities in vulnerable situations have become even more important during the crisis generated by the coronavirus in 2020 and continuing into 2021.

Facing the Covid-19 pandemic with social responsibility is an action that needs to be reinforced even for companies that already acted in this way, since many people lost jobs, source of income and quality of life.

Although all sectors are dealing with uncertainties, maintaining a commitment to socially responsible actions, and using economic and social power to make interventions that lessen the impact of the pandemic is more than a commitment, it is a duty to society.

Social responsibility with local communities

Synergia is increasingly committed to collaborating with institutions that support people in situations of social vulnerability, carrying out actions to mitigate society’s problems, and institutions that promote social welfare through culture and sports, in addition to institutions linked to environmental issues.

When supporting an institution, a company has several possibilities, such as direct donations and the use of Tax Incentive Laws. But, regardless of the choice, it is necessary to opt for those that reflect its values. Therefore, our social investment actions can be found in the following groups:

• Funds for Childhood and Adolescence (FIA): responsibility with children and young people, who need encouragement to assume their roles in the future, taking care that the chain of solidarity does not stop;
• Councils and Funds for the Rights of the Elderly: responsibility with the elderly, who have already given (and still give) their contributions to the construction of society;
• Support to the Rouanet Law for Cultural Incentive: responsibility with culture, an agent of identity strengthening and creation of the sense of belonging of a people to a society;
• Support to the Sports Incentive Law: responsibility in promoting sports, capable of improving physical and psychological health, as well as social skills, during various stages of a human being’s life.

Institutions that reflect the company’s values

Social responsibility through financial investment requires guarantees that the company’s values are represented. Thus, it is necessary to choose sparingly which institutions, projects, and laws will receive the donations.

In Synergia’s case, these were the institutions chosen, between December 2019 and December 2020:

Conselho Municipal dos Direitos do Idoso – Leme – SP

Conselho Municipal dos Direitos do Idoso – Cajamar – SP

Projeto Vira Mundo – SP

Conselho Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente – Várzea Grande – MT

Conselho Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente – Pouso Alegre – MG

Fundo Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente – Barcarena – PA

Fundo Estadual dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente – MG

Fundo Municipal dos Direitos do Idoso – SP

Brasileirinhos – SP

Orquestra Sua Majestade o Violão – ano 3 – Itapoá -SC

Cultura Jovem de Cidade (Cidade Livre – SP, Campinas e Porto Feliz)

No total, somando os dois anos e as instituições, foram investidos mais de R$247 mil reais para estes fundos, conselhos e projetos.

In total, adding the two years and the institutions, more than R$247 thousands of reais were invested for these funds, councils, and projects.

Social responsibility is also necessary inside the company

As a socio-environmental consultancy, social responsibility is already part of Synergia’s day-to-day activities, in the projects we carry out and in our interaction with the communities we assist. The investment in social and cultural projects is also an investment in society as a whole.

But for a company to really consider itself socially responsible, it needs to demonstrate this not only through external actions, but also through internal actions with its employees.

Synergia has increasingly sought to introduce and maintain diversity and inclusion practices. This involves several actions ranging from fair wages and pay equity, concern with the quality of the corporate environment, with actions of emotional support for employees during quarantine, certification that all employees have the appropriate conditions for remote work, with ergonomic equipment and furniture (where necessary).

Outra ação interna que se destaca é o trabalho contínuo de instrução quanto a diversidade de gênero, racial, religiosa e afins. Para isso, são desenvolvidas campanhas internas, e nas redes sociais, que contribuam para a construção de uma sociedade melhor e mais consciente. Alguns exemplos são:

Another internal action that stands out is the continuous work of instruction regarding gender, racial, and religious diversity. For this, internal campaigns are developed, and in social networks, that contribute to the construction of a better and more conscious society. Some examples are:

• Black Consciousness Month and the launch of the Antiracism Guide
• Women’s Month with the launching of the Pro-Feminism Guide
• Indigenous Peoples’ Month
• Health actions – Blue November, Pink October and Yellow September
• Actions for the Environment – Weeks of the Environment and the Synergia In Defense of the Pantanal Campaign
• Actions focused on LGBTQIAP+ visibility

In addition, the Organizational Human Development sector seeks and supports diversity in its recruitment and selection processes. An example is the partnership with Transempregos, a platform aimed at the inclusion of trans people in the labor market.

For 2021 Synergia has already been working with other inclusive themes, such as the fight against ageism and ableism.