Dreamers & Makers

Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in companies must be a commitment inherent to today’s living context, a true reflection of a diverse and plural society, in which people with different socio-demographic profiles and different cognitive and experiential dimensions coexist. Only through mutual commitment can we foster environments of respect, tolerance and inclusion, and benefit professionally from the exchange of ideas, experiences and points of view. Undoubtedly, diversity is a source of wealth and a leverage for innovation.

At Sener, this commitment has led us to join the Diversity Charter of Fundación Diversidad, and to form part of the Network of companies of the Generation and Talent Observatory and the Diversity Leading Companies programme of Teams and Talent.

This year, we again join in celebrating World Day for Cultural Diversity and European Diversity Month, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. To this regard, we have talked to our colleagues Ophelia Bajari, Simone Longo, Beatriz Bravo and Mika Serret, who have highlighted the value of diversity in the professional environment and teams, from their own personal experiences.

Ophelia Bajari

A structural engineer with experience in complex, large-scale underground transportation infrastructure, transit stations, sport stadia, and digital strategies in technical delivery, Ophelia works as a Project Manager at Sener in Canada.

What advantages do you think this intergenerational coexistence offers?

Teams will approach solutions as well as design to their own experiences, so inclusive diversity is key. People with different backgrounds bring different perspectives, leading to more creativity, better innovation, less bias and, most importantly: they become more resilient to embrace disruptive changes in teams and solve problems faster.

An intergenerational teams environment offers inherently a more human-centered design approach, when effectively managed. By embracing different expectations, perspectives, professional and lived experiences, we create an inspiring environment that encourages creativity and integrated problem-solving.

Simone Longo

Born in Italy, where he graduated in Engineering, Simone moved to Lisbon to complete his studies and then joined the Sener team in Portugal, where he works as a geotechnical engineer.
Since then, his professional career has led him to live in England for a year and to visit several countries due to the international projects in which he has participated. From Brazil to the Philippines, passing through several countries in Africa and Middle East.

.

As for generational diversity, there are currently up to 4 generations in companies. In your opinion, what can we learn from these environments or from different age groups?

I believe that the number of generations working together in a company reflects the health of the company itself. It means that diversity and inclusion are solid values that have been in place for some time. It shows that the older generations are still satisfied and allows the younger generations to learn a lot. It demonstrates to young people that constantly changing jobs is not the solution for long-term career growth. A company where several generations coexist benefits from the experience of the older colleagues and the dynamism and energy of the younger colleagues.

Beatriz Bravo

With a degree in Physics and a Master’s degree in Particle accelerators and Synchrotron light source and in Business Administration, Beatriz works at our Sener offices in Cerdanyola del Vallès (Spain) as Corporate Innovation Programme Manager.

Do you think having diverse teams helps innovation?

Diversity in teams not only helps innovation, but is a key driver of innovation. When different ways of thinking are combined, the group’s ability to solve complex problems and find original solutions increases. Diversity can refer to gender, culture, age, academic and work experience, and much more! Each of these aspects adds another layer of wealth to the creative process.

For example, a team with members from different countries can better understand how to adapt a product to global markets. An intergenerational team can balance experience with the freshness of new ideas. And gender diversity can guarantee that products and services are inclusive and consider a wider range of needs and desires. In short, diversity isn’t just a question of fairness or regulatory compliance; it’s a smart and effective strategy for boosting innovation and long-term success

Mika Serret

Known as Mika – as it is part of their gender identity – they graduated in Civil Engineering at the Tecnológico de Monterrey. Just over a year and a half ago, they joined the Geotechnical, Tunnelling and Geology team at Sener in Mexico, where they have participated in projects such as the Tren Maya section 5 South and the Zaragoza Line 1 Workshops and Garages Expansion.

In all companies there are diverse people. In your opinion, what are the advantages of creating diverse and inclusive environments?

In all companies there are diverse people. In your opinion, what are the advantages of creating diverse and inclusive environments?

People by inertia look for places where they can feel safe, comfortable and do not have to hide part of their nature; then, creating diverse spaces will generate a greater sense of belonging to the company, because who wouldn’t be proud to say ‘in my company I am valued for my results and my essence’? It will also lead to more and better coexistence among staff, while fostering the values of respect, tolerance and inclusion, both on a personal level and in the company as a whole. Last but not least, people will develop a more pleasant attitude towards work, leading to more positive personal, professional and business results.