Data from the 2022 Demographic Census, carried out by the IBGE, reveal relevant changes in the racial composition of Brazil, reflecting important social and identity transformations. For the first time since 1991, the brown population became the majority, representing 45.3% of Brazilians — about 92.1 million people — surpassing the white population, which corresponds to 43.5% (approximately 88.2 million). The black population represents 10.2% (20.6 million), while indigenous and yellow people make up, respectively, 0.8% (1.7 million) and 0.4% (850 thousand) of the population.
Regarding the aging index — an indicator that compares the proportion of elderly people (60+) with that of young people (under 15 years old) — the highest values were observed among the yellow population (256.5), followed by blacks (108.3) and whites (98.0), pointing to different demographic dynamics between racial groups. Regionally, browns are the majority in 58.3% of Brazilian municipalities, while blacks predominate in only nine cities and indigenous people in 33. These data not only outline the racial diversity of the country, but also reveal the strengthening of ethnic-racial identities in contemporary Brazil. In this context, the symbolic and political importance of Black Consciousness Day stands out, which since December 2023 has become a national holiday.
Celebrated on November 20, the date honors Zumbi dos Palmares, leader of the largest quilombo in Brazil, in Alagoas. Zumbi started living in Quilombo dos Palmares as a young man, which at the time was governed by his uncle, Ganga Zumba. During this period, Ganga negotiated with the authorities, but the agreement allowed freedom only to those born in Palmares, while the fugitives would be returned to slavery. Zumbi rejected the agreement, deposed his uncle and led the resistance for 15 years, until he was killed in 1695.
The date represents the fight against racism and values the contributions of Afro-Brazilians to the cultural, social and historical formation of the country, reinforcing the need to promote racial equality.
Equity as a synonym for ESG
The concept of racial equity refers to ensuring that all people, regardless of their race, have equal access to opportunities in the workplace. This includes fair hiring, promotion, and professional development practices, aimed at eliminating structural barriers and systemic biases.
However, data from the Ethos Institute (2024) reveal that, although the inclusion of black and brown people is more visible in entry-level positions, such as interns and trainees, they still face difficulties in ascending the corporate hierarchy. This phenomenon is known as the “broken rung” and symbolizes the interruption of the professional growth of racial minorities. According to the same report, black or brown people occupy less than 14% of executive and board positions in Brazil.
In the context of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) industries and practices, racial equity also becomes essential. Within the Governance dimension, initiatives that promote ethics, transparency, and responsibility stand out, such as the ESG Index of Sectoral Racial Equity (IEERS), which evaluates the presence of racial diversity at different hierarchical levels — non-leadership, management, and board of directors — and in different regions of the country. Companies that adhere to the Racial Equity Pact receive technical support to calculate and monitor the racial composition of their staff, as well as strategic guidance to achieve fairer levels of inclusion.
Larissa Lima, a professional in the recruitment and selection area at ST-One, points out that it is necessary to understand why black people remain in entry-level positions. According to her, factors such as schooling require attention from the base, with a focus on mentoring and learning programs. These actions contribute to the development of employees and to the construction of more equitable professional trajectories within organizations.
Racial Identification, Racial Literacy and Colorism
Racial identification refers to the way people perceive themselves and are perceived racially within a society. This process involves individual, historical, and social factors, and is strongly linked to the cultural context, power relations, and experiences lived by each racial group. In Brazil, where race relations are marked by a history of slavery, miscegenation, and structural inequalities, this identification becomes even more complex and challenging.
In this scenario, racial literacy emerges as an important educational tool aimed at building a critical awareness of racism. Created by African-American anthropologist France Winddance Twine, the concept promotes the recognition, understanding and confrontation of the various manifestations of racism, combining public policies and quotas with individual re-education based on five pillars. These fundamentals include:
- Recognition of whiteness as a source of privileges;
- Understanding racism as a current issue;
- Notion that racial identities are socially constructed;
- Importance of an appropriate and inclusive racial vocabulary;
- Ability to identify racialized practices in everyday life.
Language, in this context, is a central instrument in the deconstruction of prejudices and in the promotion of cultural changes.
Within the framework of racism, there is also colorism — a system of discrimination based on skin tone within the same racial group. Even with the majority of the Brazilian population declaring themselves black (blacks and browns), inequalities persist, affecting people with darker skin more intensely. This prejudice has roots in the colonial period and is reinforced by the myth of racial democracy, which hides inequalities. In Brazil, there is an appreciation of the “light mestizo“, associated with whiteness. Discussing colorism is essential to recognize these discriminations, strengthen black identity and value racial diversity, as Lélia Gonzalez said: “becoming black is an achievement”.
Diversity as a lever for performance
The construction of black identity in Brazil is complex and marked by historical processes that negatively associate “being black”, especially in the workplace. The article “Race relations and life stories” (2020) shows that, despite advances, the meritocratic logic still ignores racial inequalities, reinforcing stereotypes that place black people in specific roles and hinder their ascension.
The false idea of racial democracy contributes to the silencing of these issues and the maintenance of a barely apparent coexistence. Recognizing these dynamics and promoting open dialogue about race relations are important steps to strengthen Black identity and combat structures of exclusion.
According to Forbes magazine (2021), industries must be socially responsible, promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity, especially to reflect the plurality of their consumers. In Brazil, black people and people from the CDE classes concentrate more than 80% of the purchase intention, which reinforces the importance of representativeness in organizational leadership.
Companies with diverse teams are better able to understand different customer profiles, as well as benefit from building positive relationships, increasing talent retention, and strengthening the employer brand. Ethnic and cultural diversity in leadership is directly associated with profitability and organizational performance. However, this process requires a continuous commitment, with strong leadership and consistent strategies. Despite the challenges, the social and economic gains make this investment essential.
Find out more about the topic:
- Article “An analytical-behavioral interpretation of colorism and its clinical implications” (2020);
- Article “Racial inequalities in Brazil compromise job opportunities and human development” (2018);
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