An initiative by the CCBC connects professionals with experienced leaders and strengthens women’s career paths with a focus on development, networking, and gender equity

By Pedro Augusto

Despite progress in recent decades, women still face structural barriers in the corporate environment. Within companies, they remain underrepresented in management positions and continue to deal with unconscious biases that limit opportunities for career advancement. In this context, initiatives aimed at professional development and the expansion of support networks become strategic tools for promoting consistent change. It is within this framework that the + Por Elas CCBC Mentorship Program has consolidated its presence, now reaching its fourth edition after impacting approximately 35 women since its inception.

Offered to professionals from member companies and partner institutions of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), the program is led by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (CDEI). The initiative aligns with the gender equity agenda and seeks to create structured conditions to strengthen female leadership in the workplace.

The program combines personalized guidance with direct connections to experienced executives from the CCBC business ecosystem, expanding participants’ access to strategic insight, market perspective, and qualified professional networks. Over the course of eight individual sessions — each lasting one hour and held biweekly between August and November — mentees and mentors address topics such as career planning, skills development, leadership strengthening, networking, and the management of concrete professional challenges.

Andrea Mansano has served as a mentor since the project’s inception and is a business development specialist at BelaVista Brasil. She has already supported three market professionals — one each year — with the objective of preparing her mentees to advance professionally.

According to Andrea, the process involves a deep dive into each participant’s professional trajectory. “We create space to carefully and empathetically assess how these professionals see themselves when they join the program and what they intend to build from that point forward,” she stated.

In practice, + Por Elas seeks to generate tangible transformations in participants’ careers by providing structured support for strategic decision-making and the development of a more confident professional positioning.

“The program offers qualified mentorship, attentive listening, structured tools, and the construction of a professional path aligned with each person’s ambitions and aspirations,” Andrea emphasizes. She also notes that mentorship directly addresses persistent market barriers. “Gender inequality deeply impacts the self-esteem and confidence of many women; we act to strengthen their sense of value so that they can fully exercise their potential.”

One of the initiative’s distinguishing features lies in the diversity of experiences among the leadership involved. The group of mentors includes professionals such as Maria da Paz, Esther Nunes, Cássia Regina Vanícola, and Maria José Tonelli, among others, with backgrounds in finance, business development, and strategic management. For Andrea, the model based on direct connections with experienced leaders expands development possibilities. “It is a relationship built on trust, which generates confidence and strengthens professional positioning.”

Beyond its individual impact, the program also produces institutional effects. By strengthening female leadership, member companies broaden the diversity of perspectives in strategic positions and contribute to a more inclusive, innovative corporate culture aligned with best governance practices. Creating a safe environment for dialogue and exchange is another pillar of the project. The mentorship structure allows participants to share challenges, insecurities, and professional goals without judgment, fostering self-awareness and confidence-building.

Looking ahead, Andrea views the program as part of a broader transformation movement. “+ Por Elas materializes the CCBC’s commitment to women’s empowerment; it goes beyond discourse and establishes concrete practices to support female leadership.”

To participate in the + Por Elas CCBC Mentorship Program, applicants must identify as women, work in a corporate environment, and be part of a CCBC member company or partner institution. Applications are reviewed by a selection committee, which reserves 20% of the slots for partner entities aligned with the initiative. The intentional effort to attract diverse women is one of the guiding principles of the selection process.

The launch of the 2026 edition call for applications is scheduled for March 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., during the closing event of the 2025 cohort at the CCBC headquarters. Interested candidates may follow updates through the Chamber’s official channels or contact the relationship department at re************@******rg.br.

The + Por Elas program is an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), with support from CEOlab, through collaborators Ronaldo Ramos and Paulo Henrique Ferro. The former is the project’s creator, while the latter is responsible for mentor training. The partner company provides multidisciplinary mentorship to CEOs, shareholders, and C-level executives operating in the job market.