Instituto Ethos (Ethos) - Companies and Social Equality

A three-year project directed at increasing private sector investments in poverty alleviation and local development.

The award will support research on corporate best practices; the distribution of manuals on lessons learned; the development of an electronic forum of best practices; and regional debates and seminars on social investment and local development.

More than 7,200 corporate decision-makers and local stakeholders throughout Brazil, including 570 Ethos member companies, will benefit from greater information on how to assist low-income communities.

ETHOS will also create a working group to conduct a study of corporate practices related to social responsibility and human rights followed by five workshops with representatives of businesses, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations and the Brazilian government who will disseminate the information in forums and events.

It will also continue its research into and analysis of the role race and gender play in the personnel practices of the 500 largest Brazilian companies.