The Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) has become the first public institution to receive the 'No racism here!' Social Commitment Certificate. On February 28, the President of TCU and Chair of INTOSAI, Minister Bruno Dantas, signed the endorsement of the seal created in 2009 by publicist João Silva. During the opening of the plenary session, Dantas emphasized the signing of the agreement.

The 'No racism here!' seal aims to inhibit racist practices in Brazil and other parts of the world through the endorsement of the seal in work, educational, cultural, sporting and leisure settings.

President Bruno Dantas stated that the Court of Accounts has adopted a series of measures aimed at combating racism and promoting diversity within the institution's teams. "We are aware that it is not enough to not be racist; we must make it clear that we do not tolerate racism, hence the endorsement of the seal. Our goal is to influence other public institutions so the fight against racism will increasingly inspire Brazilian society," he declared.

The certificate will be displayed in high-traffic areas of the Court's buildings, including the offices spread across Brazilian states. The adoption of the seal aligns with the TCU's commitment to implementing the Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Policy of the Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEFS) and with the commitment made with the Equity Network of public institutions, of which the Court has been a member since its creation in March 2022.

The fight against racism is a part of the equity project of the General Secretariat of Administration (Segedam)."Best practices in administration have showed that the more diverse the organization, the more decisions are made by a diverse and representative group of people. This is a crucial step to be taken against racism; but it does not exclude the also essential step of fostering diversity in the Court and providing opportunities for these voices to be heard so that our organization can grow", remarked the head of Segedam, Marcio Albuquerque.

Social Commitment

"TCU getting this seal represents a historic moment for Brazil, as it serves as an example for the whole country. I hope that the Court's decision will encourage other institutions to adopt the seal. The more publicity we get, the more we will be able to fight racism in a serious, peaceful, and effective way", emphasized João Silva, creator of the seal against racism.

During the signing ceremony, Silva explained that he realized that the campaigns and advertising materials did not adequately represent the black population and movements. When he started giving visibility to the black population in the brands and actions he created, he noticed how institutions became resistant. With the purpose of truly and effectively addressing the issue of racism, he had the idea of creating the "No racism here!" seal.

"The seal will be displayed in several areas within TCU's facilities to remind us of our actions and what we should or should not tolerate inside the Court. We, who work with external control activities, must be attentive to what we can incorporate into our analysis of racism and evaluate how public policies affect the black population", highlighted the head auditor of the Audit Department for Education, Culture, Sports and Human Rights (AudEducação), Ana Paula Silva da Silva.