ABRAVA’s National Women’s Committee held the third edition of its “High-Performance Women in HVACR” immersion event on March 20 in Brazil, bringing together more than 150 professionals from the air conditioning and refrigeration sector. The one-day program focused on information, networking and inspiration, reinforcing the initiative’s role in the development of women in the sector.
Held during the month of International Women’s Day, the event featured more than 20 speakers and panelists covering leadership, diversity, health, career development and high performance. Male industry leaders also took part, underlining the importance of collective engagement in advancing gender equity and more inclusive workplaces in the HVACR sector.
The morning sessions included presentations on career transitions, inclusion and business performance, health as a tool for high performance, and sustainability and technical training for women. Stefanie von Heinemann, consultant at the German development agency GIZ, presented initiatives linked to sustainability and technical training, highlighting Brazil’s HFC Phase-out Management Plan and actions carried out in partnership with the ABRAVA Women’s Committee through its education pillar. Other panels addressed female representation in the sector and leadership challenges in a more technology-driven environment.
The afternoon program included a talk by police chief Dr. Renata Cruppi on autonomy, awareness and confronting gender-based violence, followed by a panel on leadership and collective performance and a keynote by Cris Kerr on female leadership, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the corporate environment. “Each edition of the immersion reinforces the relevance and impact of the work of the ABRAVA Women’s Committee in the development of our sector,” said Juliana Reinhardt, president of the ABRAVA Women’s Committee and head of marketing for Trane in Latin America. “When we build bridges between women, leaders and companies, we accelerate real change.”
