Boosting diversity at work and building a more inclusive future

In today's globalized economy, diversity and inclusion are no longer optional for businesses. Konecta recognises this reality and positions itself at the forefront with proactive policies that cultivate a work environment where all employees can thrive personally and professionally. 

Placing people at the heart of the business, Konecta strives to respect the plurality of the communities and markets in which it operates, improving its client’s satisfaction and promoting a healthy and productive working environment, embracing the unique needs and perspectives of its diverse workforce.

The company has implemented a worldwide Diversity Policy that ensures equal opportunities in all its talent management processes - selection, development, promotion- based solely on merit and skills, without bias based on sex, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. This global approach ensures that every employee, no matter where they are in the world, is treated fairly and respectfully.

How Konecta contributes to inclusion in the workplace

Beyond compliance with local and international regulations on diversity and inclusion, the Group implements a variety of initiatives that promote these values in different countries. As an example of this, Konecta partners with Colsubsidio Educación Tecnológica CET in Colombia to offer graduates at this institution, employment opportunities, bridging education and employment gaps.

It also has strategic alliances, equality plans and protocols to prevent violence and sexual harassment, as well as training initiatives to raise awareness among the workforce, which reinforce the fight against discrimination and inequality. Konecta runs the "Women Don't Cry" programme in Italy, led by expert psychologists, to raise awareness among the team and provide support and assistance to people who are direct victims or at risk of suffering gender-based violence. It also runs the ¡BASTA YA! violence and sexual harassment prevention programmes in Peru, launched in 2018. 

With the aim of promoting female leadership, Konecta has developed its own initiatives in some countries where it is more difficult for women to access the labour market. Among these projects, the Women's Leadership Programme (LIFE) in Peru stands out, which not only promotes women's leadership and "empowers" them to assume positions of responsibility throughout their professional lives, but also includes the mothers of graduates in the programme, extending the generational impact of its benefits through the new extension: LIFE Senior. In this region, it also develops the InKluye project which, since 2012, has been facilitating the integration of vulnerable groups into the labour market, both inside and outside the organisation.

All the progress achieved with these initiatives has led Konecta to achieve several certifications and recognitions, such as “Bogota Inclusiva" and "Equipares Gold Seal” in Colombia; being placed in the top positions of the Par Ranking during the last years, and obtaining an award as an Integrating Company in Peru; being recognised by Great Place to Work as the best place to work for women in Argentina and Peru, and by Best Place to Work in Morocco, being a symbol of its fight for the inclusion of women and other groups of professionals in vulnerable situations, including LGTBIQ+ groups and people with disabilities in the workplace. In Colombia, Konecta has played a transformative role in regions such as Montería and San Vicente, providing quality employment and development opportunities in disadvantaged areas. 

On the other hand, Konecta has become the first private company in the province of Cordoba (Argentina) to obtain the Micaela Law Certification for 100% of its directors, including 110 collaborators in leadership roles. It has also managed to complete training in DEI Culture (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). All of this shows its commitment to building a safer, more equitable and enriching working future for all.

Social alliances committed to inclusion

Konecta's efforts to promote diversity and inclusion are not limited to its employees. With the aim of multiplying the scope of its initiatives, it establishes several alliances with educational and social organisations to facilitate access to employment for people at risk of social exclusion, through specialised and certified training.

The company has collaboration agreements with social entities such as "Sec Tec" in the United Kingdom, to reintegrate the long-term unemployed into the world of work; "Slovak Blind and Partially Sighted Union" in Slovakia, to employ people with visual disabilities and abused women; “Akamasoa Association” in Madagascar, to promote the employability of vulnerable young people from nearby communities and villages, and the NGO “Amor Philia” in Brazil, to train women in vulnerable situations in areas related to the contact centre.

With the aim of training people with disabilities and giving them the opportunity to enter the labour market, four years ago Konecta created a social subsidiary in the Czech Republic, where more than 90% of the employees belong to this group. Similarly, it set up the Konecta Foundation Contact Centre Training School in Spain, where it trains people in vulnerable situations, awarding them an official certificate of professionalism at the end of their training, along with the opportunity to join the organisation's workforce. In addition, since 2011, the company has participated in the Inserta Programme, the result of collaboration with Fundación Once, for the integration of people with disabilities into the labour market.

Impact on recruitment and development

As an example of the impact of all these initiatives on the recruitment and development of its workforce, Konecta recruited 2,440 people from groups considered vulnerable in 2023. In addition, the company significantly increased its hiring of professionals with disabilities and those over 50 years old, groups that often face barriers in the labour market. Currently, more than 12% of the company's workforce is made up of professionals belonging to a group at risk of exclusion, including vulnerable women, victims of gender-based violence or armed conflict, migrants or refugees, people with disabilities and the elderly, and other groups for whom finding a fair and decent job is a daily challenge. However, these measures not only promote diversity in the workforce, but also foster innovation and the exchange of ideas and experiences, crucial elements for the sustainable growth of any organisation.

Konecta is an example of how policies focused on inclusion can positively transform a company, improving talent satisfaction and thereby boosting productivity and profitability. By putting people at the heart of its business model, the company is not only building a better future for its global team, but also charting a path towards a fairer and more equitable corporate environment.