This year, our diversity program turns five years old—but today, the news is that there’s a new governance board taking over, and we’d like to present its members.

Five years of diversity, one of the Human Resources initiatives that grew by leaps and bounds until, by its third year, it had become a program with its own agenda. However, taking that step meant involving other actors: cue the +d governance board!

“The governance board always had six or seven members. This year, Ana López, Commercial Sr. Analyst, and José Ferretti, Country Director Colombia are staying with us, and we are welcoming four new members who will join us with fresh ideas,” begins Julieta Delorenzi, Cultural Transformation Sr. Manager.

The question about who’s joining the team now has an answer: the new members of the governance board are: Tamara Blois, IT Business Solutions Director, Alberto Narváez, Operations Senior Manager in Ecuador, Luis Lanziani, Supplier Development Sr. Manager, and Martín Bengochea, Vice President Cuenca Neuquina & Vaca Muerta. It’s a highly diverse board, as clearly, we must lead by example!

“The idea is to contribute,” shares Alberto, who is from Ecuador. “It’s a very broad topic, with many facets which vary according to each country. These different visions we have can contribute to building a more diverse Tecpetrol.” Martín feels ready to step up to the plate: “We understand the challenge facing us as we’ve already been working with +d on some actions. Now it’s my turn to take part in defining objectives, where we’re heading, and how to define this year's actions.”

We know that diversity isn’t just about gender. “We’ve added inclusion,” expands Tamara and Luis picks up the ball: “We have the narrative, but the issue is how to convert this into concrete ideas. The key thing is how your action can bring about change. In terms of disability, there are already several initiatives underway and one axis: what can we do to access those environments where there are people with disabilities so that they know that everyone has the possibility of working work at Tecpetrol."

The new governance board has already had its first meeting, and there are plenty of ideas afoot. Martin points out that, “By getting more actively involved, you begin to put yourself in other people’s shoes, something that involves breaking down many biases and preconceptions. The first task is to listen with an open mind so that we can build and strengthen inclusion in the workplace and, by association, in our daily lives.”

At a more general level, Tamara explains that, “We’ve already been discussing the goals we want to achieve by 2030: deep-seated cultural changes, gender objectives where we have more women in leadership positions, developing country managers from different nationalities in Latam, making progress in the area of disability, and actions such as mentoring and reverse mentoring. We have many challenges to overcome as a team!”

Julieta smiles with anticipation: “Every year, each group leaves its mark. It’s a legacy that’s larger than us because it not only has an impact on Tecpetrol but also further afield.” If it’s good for Tecpetrol, it’s good for life in general, according to Tamara. “Being able to play our part will be our greatest source of pride.” Martín agrees, as, “I think it’ll also be a change for me and most likely for my family too, because I talk about these issues with them. Our responsibility is to mobilize people and spread the word.” Alberto adds, “I would love to be able to say that what we do changes something in the quality of life of people here in Ecuador or anywhere else.” Luis closes with an optimistic note: “A cultural transformation is something intangible that’s very hard to measure. Much of our work will be to see how we can bring about that change and how we transmit it to others so that they can replicate it. There’s no doubt that what’s going to happen is going to be really interesting!”