SOCIAL / LOCAL COMMUNITIES Programs from Consulado Instant Message Program In 2021, we held two editions of the course #Empreendenozap, which uses the WhatsApp app as a tool, transforming the recognized methodology of the Instituto Consulado da Mulher into short videos and exercises about entrepreneurial education in order to reach women from the most distant areas of the country who do not have a stable internet connection. Over 50% of the population in Brazil uses WhatsApp, which allows content download to watch offline. In the First Edition, we partnered with two other companies: Itaú and Ultragaz and received 1,325 applications, 1,056 were selected to participate in our training. We achieved 30% engagement, 7% higher than the average engagement of free online courses. Those with the best results during the training were selected for a mentorship program with Whirlpool Corporation volunteers, which lasted for six weeks. They had an income increase of 59%. With the learnings of this first edition we launched a new class in partnership with Nestlé, in which 389 women were selected. This second training achieved an even greater engagement with 53% completing the course. Uma Mão Lava a Outra Project Only 34% of households have washing machines in the northeast of Brazil. 1 The reasons vary, but one of them is cultural: people are used to outsourcing this job to women who have been doing it for generations—at first in rivers and lakes and presently at their homes or community centers. These women are called “lavadeiras” and they usually live in very vulnerable situations, making little money from washing clothes. Programa Elas Reparam—Women Repair Program The authorized technical assistance shops in Brazil have less than 5% of women on their staff. 1 As part of a diversity initiative, Consulado created a program to select and train women so they can be hired by our service organization, as a way to increase the number of women technicians of the company’s products. There were 35 applications and 10 were selected and trained in customer service, people management and personal growth, as well as technical knowledge. Brand Development Project This project is a partnership between the Consulado da Mulher Institute and Univille—University of Joinville. Design students develop brands and packages, benefiting women entrepreneurs supported by the Institute. For six months, the students communicate with entrepreneurs and create appropriate brands and packages for them. The project benefited more than 30 female entrepreneurs in 2021. Maria do Perpétuo participated in #Empreendenozap and reported her experience in the video . Consul brand, a stand-out in the laundry category for their easy-to-use machines, joined with Zenir—Consul’s product dealer—to launch a unique project for the lavadeiras, offering an entrepreneurship course from Instituto Consulado da Mulher to 20 lavadeiras to teach them how to make a profit from the service they are providing. The top 10 participants received guidance with the Consul washing executives along with a washing machine to optimize their work. 1 Based on internal research performed by Whirlpool. Whirlpool Corporation / 2021 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 70