From Compliance to Culture: The New DEI Reality in Latin America with Marcela Caller

Marcela Caller discusses evolving DEI/DAI strategies in Latin America. Learn how companies are moving beyond compliance to build inclusive, innovative, and resilient workplaces

In Latin America, treating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEI/DAI) as a mere compliance checklist is a strategy destined for failure.

The most forward-thinking organizations in the region are proving this true, moving beyond tick-box exercises to weave these principles directly into their cultural fabric. But what does this transformation look like on the ground? What are the unique challenges and proven solutions shaping this new era of work?

To explore this, we spoke with Marcela Caller, Global Talent Acquisition Expert at Pluxee and a leader at the forefront of this evolution. With her deep expertise, she unpacks how companies are turning DEI/DAI into a powerful catalyst for innovation and resilience, revealing the cultural nuances, successful programs, and essential metrics that are defining the future of Latin American business.

Interview with Marcela Caller

How are DEI and DAI priorities evolving within organizations across Latin America, and what factors are driving this transformation?

In Latin America, DEI and accessibility priorities are shifting from isolated initiatives toward integrative cultural strategies. Instead of treating inclusion as a formal requirement, many organizations are embedding it into their long-term talent and business roadmaps.

This evolution is being driven by changing regulatory environments, growing social demands for equity, and the influence of global corporate standards. Additionally, a new generation of leaders is positioning DEI as a catalyst for innovation, workforce resilience, and operational sustainability, rather than a compliance exercise.

What unique cultural or regional challenges do companies in Latin America face when implementing inclusion and accessibility initiatives?

Organizations in Latin America usually encounter deeply rooted cultural norms, implicit biases, and hierarchical structures that could make change slow. There is also a lack of consistent and measurable data disaggregated by demographic groups in the countries, which could limit evidence-based decision-making.

In many markets and industries, infrastructure gaps and varying levels of awareness around disability inclusion further complicate accessibility efforts. These challenges often require companies to combine cultural sensitivity with structured change-management strategies to shift mindsets and practices.

A proven way to accelerate this shift is to invest in bias-awareness programs supported by authentic storytelling and visible success cases, such as teams improved by neurodivergent talent or mothers returning to STEM careers, which help employees rethink assumptions, connect emotionally to inclusion, and adopt more inclusive behaviors across the organization.

Which DEI or DAI programs have shown the strongest results in improving workplace equity in the region, and why?

Some of the most effective DEI and DAI programs in Latin America are those that combine disability, inclusion, neurodiversity, gender and race equity, and re-entry pathways.

Latam companies in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are integrating neurodivergent talent through tailored training and job-matching support. On the gender side, remote tech bootcamps have enabled thousands of women in tech to enter or transition into technology roles, while several award-winning companies in the region have launched “returnships” that help mothers re-enter the workforce after caregiving breaks.

Also, multiple LGBTIQ+ support communities bring together leading companies to promote inclusive policies, employee networks, and regional best practices. From all these programs, that ones that generate the best outcomes tend to be those built through multisectoral collaboration.

Partnerships with NGOs specializing in disability, inclusion, university alliances to diversify early-career pipelines, and corporate programs that support women’s leadership have demonstrated a strong impact.

How are organizations addressing accessibility gaps, both digital and physical, to ensure equal participation for employees with disabilities?

Organizations in Latam have been redesigning their work models so that they become more accessible. Digital tools, hybrid work setups, and remote-friendly roles are helping remove many of the barriers that traditionally limited the participation of people with disabilities and neurodiverse talent. Also, I see that companies have been upgrading platforms to be compatible with assistive technologies, simplifying recruitment processes, and ensuring that collaboration systems are inclusive from the start.

Companies usually have some protocols and governance teams to oversee progress on the accessibility projects and raise inclusion awareness. For example, in Peru, legislation requires medium and large employers to maintain a minimum percentage of employees with disabilities, which has pushed organizations to formalize inclusive hiring and adapt their processes accordingly.

What metrics or KPIs are companies in Latin America using to measure the impact of their DEI/DAI strategies?

Nowadays, companies are using a mix of representation indicators, such as hiring and retention rates by demographic group, and promotion ratios to track progress. Additionally, pay-equity analyses, accessibility requests fulfilled, and employee perception surveys on inclusion are increasingly common. Some companies also adopt maturity models (cultural assessments) or global KPIs to assess how embedded inclusion behaviors are within leadership and people processes.

Even without a unified regional framework, I believe that building these metrics allows teams to monitor change and identify structural gaps over time.

How can multinational companies adapt global DEI frameworks to the specific social, economic, and cultural dynamics of Latin American markets?

In my experience, successful multinationals tailor global policies by grounding them in local realities. This means translating global standards, such as gender parity goals, into locally relevant actions developed in collaboration with local experts and communities.

Cultural nuances, legal requirements, and historical dynamics must be reflected in the design of programs, communications, and leadership expectations. Companies that take this hybrid approach are usually very successful in maintaining global consistency while ensuring their initiatives resonate authentically with Latin American employees.