A voice for inclusion
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CNH Brazil quite literally gave a voice to employees with hearing disabilities when it rolled out a tool that provides real-time translation between Brazilian Portuguese and sign language
For a few years, we trained our staff in sign language to communicate with the hearing impaired. Some learned and others less so, meaning we had a communications gap
An innovative platform called ICOM has transformed the lives of CNH Brazil’s more than 130 hearing-impaired workers and their colleagues and showcases just how seriously we take accessibility and inclusion.
Adopting the online app that features real-person interpreters aims to better integrate employees with hearing disabilities, says Rafael Pimenta, CNH’s head of diversity and inclusion for Latin America.
“For a few years, we trained our staff in sign language to communicate with the hearing impaired. Some learned and others less so, meaning we had a communications gap,” he recalls. “So we started researching and came across ICOM, one of the best solutions available on the market.”
Employees impacted by the ICOM platform in Brazil and an ICOM platform interpreter.
I needed to ask colleagues what was said because I didn’t fully understand things. It bothered me a lot. Now I understand things the first time around. Everything is much clearer
A transformational app with a human touch
ICOM, which was developed with the help of São Paulo-based disability rights organization AME, is simple to use and readily available around the clock, all year. Accessible from any device (smartphone, tablet or notebook), users connect via a video conference with an interpreter specialized in Libras, the Brazilian sign language.
For hearing-impaired employees at CNH Brazil, who account for nearly three out of ten employees with a disability, it was a watershed moment that changed their professional lives and boosted their self-esteem.
“People didn’t know how deaf people communicate and I think they were uncomfortable,” says Gislene Oliveira, who works as an assembler on the transmission line at the plant in the southern city of Curitiba. “Now they seem more willing to help. The tool showed that I´m the same as everyone else, I’m human.” Victor Santos, who assembles draper headers for harvesters on the assembly line in Curitiba, says ICOM allows him to do a better job and avoid facing uncomfortable moments at work. “I needed to ask colleagues what was said because I didn’t fully understand things. It bothered me a lot,” he says. “Now I understand things the first time around. Everything is much clearer.”
And it’s not just people with hearing and/or speech disabilities who have seen the benefits but hearing colleagues as well. Maicon Machado, a team leader on the Curitiba assembly line, says communication improved significantly. “There used to be doubts on both sides over what was said or understood. There would have to be follow-ups by email or through people who know sign language better,” he says. “Now I turn on ICOM and we understand each other perfectly.”
Machado recalls how difficult his first annual evaluation with Santos was and how the following year was so much better due to ICOM. “The first time was really frustrating, but the second time I could tell him in detail what he was doing really well and where he had room to improve. It was great, there were smiles all round.”
There are other translation apps available for sign language, including some that rely on artificial intelligence (AI). But the choice of ICOM was deliberate, says Pimenta, because it surpasses others in quality and because the presence of a real-life interpreter adds a human touch that further breaks down barriers.
The importance of diversity and inclusion
ICOM is part of an ongoing effort at CNH Brazil to integrate people with disabilities because we believe that everyone, everywhere deserves a chance to thrive and that diversity and inclusion (D&I) make us a better Company. The success of ICOM means we are evaluating the possibility of using similar platforms or apps for staff who use different sign languages at our facilities around the world.
The D&I calendar in Brazil and Latin America is packed, from female leadership training and unconscious bias workshops to coaching for black and indigenous talent to celebrating the diversity of gender, ethnicity or the LGBTQI+ community.
Making everyone in our community feel appreciated and welcome is part of our culture and our staff appreciate that. Internal surveys show time and again that employees recognize that CNH Brazil goes the extra mile. For six consecutive years the Company was awarded the Great Place to Work (GPTW) certificate, which requires a minimum score from staff and takes into account criteria such as management, belonging, compensation, benefits and career progression.
CNH was also deemed one of the best places to work in Latin America, meaning it is among the top-performing certified companies in the region and passed an in-depth assessment conducted by GPTW specialists.
CNH recognizes that there are different needs and preferences among employees, customers and vendors. Giving everyone equal opportunities to succeed, no matter their starting point, is our goal.
ICOM not only empowers staff with hearing disabilities, but it also boosts their autonomy and sense of privacy. While they previously filled out employee engagement surveys (GLINT) with the help of co-workers or even managers, ICOM can help them do this on their own. This initiative also helped to improve collaboration among all employees and teamwork within the CNH team.
The hope is that employees with hearing disabilities will also use ICOM outside of the workplace, such as for a visit to their healthcare providers.
“The idea is to improve their lives more broadly,” says Pimenta.
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