AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONS FOR EQUALITY

principle 6 Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation

The commitment of Petrobras to promote respect for diversity and non-discrimination is established both in corporate documents and in affirmative actions with its stakeholders.

Trabalhadora em laboratório da Unidade de Lubrificantes e Derivados de Petróleo do Nordeste
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The Code of Ethics mentions, among the main ethics principles that must guide the activities of all Petrobras System, respect for life and human beings and equality in relations with people and institutions, regardless of their differences and diverse conditions. The company’s Social Responsibility Policy addresses respect for the human and cultural diversity of its workforce in all countries where it operates, and also encourages nondiscriminatory behavior.

The Diversity Commission, coordinated by the Petrobras Ombudsman’s Office together with the Social Responsibility Management Committee, comprises 16 representatives of the Petrobras System, including areas and subsidiaries, to discuss matters and propose actions related to this theme.

MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS

One of the projects in 2008 to be highlighted is the DVD For a Life without Violence in five Brazilian capitals in partnership with the federal government Special Bureau of Policies for Women (SPM) and with the support of Actions in Gender, Citizenship and Development (Agende) and Ministry of Culture. The DVD was recorded at the celebration concert for the first anniversary of the Maria da Penha Act (which provides mechanisms to stop domestic and family violence against women). It also contains information for public consciousness and information about the theme.

Also in 2008, the Diversity Commission ran the Petrobras Census for Diversity, one of the projects in the Petrobras For Gender Equality Program launched in 2006. By means of a questionnaire with 29 objective questions, the Petrobras Holding employees provided important information for HR management improvement.

The success of the implementation of the equality action plan guaranteed the company for the second year the For Gender Equality Seal, awarded by the SPM, with the approval of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem) and International Labor Organization (ILO). Of the 50 organizations that required to use the seal, 23 reached the finals after implementing at least 70% of the actions stated in the plan.

DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS

The Petrobras Holding Ombudsman’s Office recorded 23 complaints against discrimination, most of them coming from the workforce. The complaints involve discrimination for ethnic origin, sexual orientation, job positions and functions, union membership, religion, nationality, personal appearance, habits and race.

Seven of these cases were being analyzed by the areas involved. Ten complaints were filed for lack of interest of the complainants. In five cases, the complaints were addressed and deemed groundless, and one occurrence was settled after a management warning and commitment by the accused to change behavior.

The Exploration and Production area registered 32 cases of discrimination, which were sent to the respective area for solution. There was also a labor claim in which the employee alleged discrimination in the work environment, and claimed salary levels and compensation for moral damages. This action was dismissed. There was no record of cases of discrimination in the other units and in Petrobras Distribuidora, Refap and Liquigás.

EQUALITY AND INCLUSION IN PETROBRAS

At the end of 2008 11,511 of the 74,240 employees in the Petrobras System were women, equal to 15.5%. The proportion is similar to the percentage of management positions held, which represented 13%.

In Petrobras Holding from 2003 to 2008, the increase in the number of female employees was 84.1%, compared with 47.4% of the male workforce. In 2008 alone 1,120 women were hired.

Of the 67,465 employees of the Petrobras System in Brazil, 1,068 have some disability. This figure corresponds to 5.96% of the 17,924 jobs for which the reservation of vacancies is foreseen. The Brazilian legislation establishes the minimum reservation of 5% of job titles for people with special needs.

The process of identifying the composition of the employees with reference to color/race began with the Petrobras Census for Diversity (further information on pages 76 and 77). The information given by employees to this question was transferred to their registration file. Those who did not answer had their color/race recorded as not informed, but at any moment this information can be modified by the employee. From January 2009 onwards it will be possible to inform color/race upon recruitment.

The graphs on the following page describe the wagebase distribution (fixed and minimum amount paid to employee, not including any additional remuneration)