02/19/2021
This February, Insper opens its toilet for all. The initiative aims to set forth an even more inclusive environment that ensures Insper Community’s psychological safety.
Diversity is an essential item in our school’s strategic agenda for the next ten years. Our dedication to this theme has been a priority for some time. A good example of that is the new toilet for all, opened this February. It aims to set forth an inclusive environment that ensures Insper Community’s psychological safety.
The spot is the result of a project that was born in 2019. It emerged from discussions generated in our Diversity Committee, following talks with undergraduate students. The Committee researched other institutions and companies, heard experts, and understood the school’s momentum. The toilet for all is shared use, regardless of skin color, gender, generation, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and background.
Alex Souza, an Insper Diversity Committee member, notes that the world is constantly evolving and, consequently, we are going through a new way of understanding not only others but also the whole society, its differences, and needs. “We need to respect that. I take kindly to the toilet for all. I hope it will be an initiative that inspires our community to reflect further on the topic. It is a project that welcomes everyone, from that person who does not feel comfortable in a restroom, whether men’s or women’s, to those who do not mind the fact it is a gender-neutral restroom,” he comments.
In the opinion of Arthur Alegro, Coordinator of the Inspride Student Organization, the importance of a toilet with no gender distinction, considering the LGBT+ population, can be understood from two different perspectives: “From an individual perspective, it means having access to a safe place to fulfill the most basic human needs, without worrying about being a victim of any kind of prejudice or violence. From a sociological perspective, it means a change in institutions and governments’ mindset towards minority portions of the population that historically have been marginalized. That can be the starting point for a better prepared and more inclusive society for all”.
According to Renice Pombani Ton, Human Resources Manager at Insper and a Diversity Committee member, an inclusive organizational culture is positive for every company or institution that wants to be sustainable. “The promotion of diversity increases team creativity and community engagement in our activities. Also, it leverages our students’ and associates’ motivation, bringing more productivity and performance to Insper’s actions,” she highlights.
Our unisex restroom has been worked on through some architectural methods to ensure comfort and security for all users. “In the toilet for all’s project, we were faced with the challenge of fully adapting two different-use restrooms to a shared-use environment, ensuring accessibility and comfort for everyone in its use. In the process of designing and developing that project, besides basing ourselves on the required standards in order to guarantee the standard infrastructure quality already known in our buildings, the meetings and debates held with the Diversity and Accessibility Committees were essential in gathering the insights necessary to achieve the expected result,” says Alessandra Pliopas, Architect Assistant in the Building Maintenance and Works at Insper.
Did you already get to know Insper’s toilet for all? Check it out on Building 1, 2nd floor. It is opposite the Help Desk.