O SMC Case Study shows how diversity data can guide decisions and turn a DEIP agenda into measurable results.
In 12 months, SMC Automação do Brasil achieved 94% Internal Engagement, nearly double the industrial sector average.
The progress also extended to the leadership, with 64%: Leaders actively promoting an inclusive environment following the development activities.
The company has also achieved representation of people aged 50 and older, LGBTQIAP+ individuals, and people with disabilities in senior management, linking inclusion, a sense of belonging, and strategy.
The results stemmed from a specific challenge: SMC lacked visibility into its diversity profile and had no indicators of belonging.
This experience demonstrates how diagnostics, continuous listening, and data-driven plans can make the DEIP strategy more consistent and easier to track.
Keep reading to understand how this journey was structured and what decisions underpinned the results achieved.
The company
SMC Automação do Brasil is the Brazilian subsidiary of SMC Corporation, a world leader in industrial automation and pneumatic components, headquartered in Japan.
Operating in Brazil required SMC to make adjustments that went beyond labor laws: it was necessary to build an organizational culture that reflected the country’s diversity and, at the same time, demonstrated to the parent company the impact of this agenda on business metrics.
The Challenge
SMC lacked insight into the diversity profile of its employees and had no tools to measure a sense of belonging or perceptions of inclusion. Without data, any action would be generic.
In addition, the company needed to demonstrate to senior leadership that investing in DEIP (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) would yield tangible returns in terms of employee engagement, retention, and reputation.
“We needed a comprehensive platform that would map our audience in real time so we could take actions that would have an immediate impact on our organizational structure.”
Simone Martins, Senior HR Analyst — SMC
Why PlurieBR?
SMC was looking for a solution that went beyond diagnosis: it needed a partner capable of mapping, analyzing, and generating a customized action plan based on the data.
The platform PlurieBR It combined real-time data collection, development programs, and ongoing strategic monitoring: a comprehensive ecosystem, rather than a one-time survey.
The solution
SMC contracted the PlurieBR platform, and the implementation covered four areas:
Diversity Census. Comprehensive, real-time mapping of employee profiles, generating organic data that feeds into the ESG report and discussions with leadership.
Customized Action Plan. Based on the results of the Diversity Census, a plan tailored to SMC’s specific circumstances was developed, including the formation of a Diversity Committee and the establishment of channels for listening to employees.
Plural Conversations (Monthly Awareness Sessions). Literacy sessions focused on a culture of inclusion and belonging, featuring technical training that empowered leaders and teams beyond the data.
Pulse Survey (Monthly History). In response to SMC’s need to evolve its listening process toward a more analytical and continuous model, the Pulse Survey feature was made available, integrated with the Monthly History.
This feature allows you to create follow-up cycles, pose questions on strategic topics, and track changes in perceptions over different periods, ensuring continuous engagement between major employee engagement cycles.
Impact
With PlurieBR, SMC has made measurable progress on several fronts, and these results have been incorporated into its ESG report and its reports to its Japanese parent company:
| Indicator | Result |
| Engagement | 94% for internal public participation, nearly double the industrial sector average (~50%) |
| Active Leadership | 64%: Leaders began to take an active role in promoting an inclusive environment after the training sessions |
| Open Dialogue | 66% of employees feel comfortable speaking openly with leaders about sensitive topics |
| Representation | Goal Achieved: Representation of People Aged 50 and Older, LGBTQIAP+, and People with Disabilities in Senior Management |
| Belonging | 64% of the women reported feeling a greater sense of belonging |
| Pulse Survey | Participation by 89% employees per cycle, providing continuous data on leadership and a sense of belonging |
Next Steps
The 2022 and 2024 climate surveys were conducted entirely in-house by SMC. With PlurieBR, the listening process now operates on two levels: the Pulse Survey, which serves as a recurring barometer between the larger cycles, and the major climate survey cycle, whose October 2026 edition will be the first to be conducted jointly.
SMC continues to expand its DEIP agenda with ongoing strategic support from the platform, adapting the strategy to each cycle with a clear medium- and long-term vision.
“Thanks to PlurieBR, we’ve realized that people appreciate the fact that SMC is committed to diversity. When we first started, this was a concern. It’s gratifying to know that we’ve turned that into internal recognition.”
Simone Martins, Senior HR Analyst — SMC