While studying at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in June and July 2023, FGV EBAPE professor Juliana Mansur worked on research and innovation activities for the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie Action – Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (MSCA-RISE) initiative. At the time, she conducted research with women entrepreneurs as part of a project called “Promoting Research on Digitalization in Emerging Powers and Europe Towards Sustainable Development (PRODIGEES).”

This project involved the following researchers and collaborators at IDOS: Wulf Reiners, Ramona Haegele, Ingrid Schneider, Benjamin Stewart, Rita Kluewer and Sabrina Heuwinkel.

At a workshop held at IDOS on July 13, some results were presented, based on data collected through interviews with female entrepreneurs in the Amazon in October 2022, as well as data from female entrepreneurs in Germany who work in agriculture and own Zero-Waste Shops. The objectives of this research and the activities carried out include the following:

• Investigation into the adoption and impact of digitalization by female business leaders in the context of sustainability, focusing on agricultural and food systems;
• Analysis of the specific leadership mechanisms that women adopt in their businesses, which contribute to sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental dimensions.

According to Professor Juliana Mansur, “The main reason for this study was to understand the relationship between female entrepreneurs’ leadership mechanisms and the use of technology and digital tools, all working together as key assets that can promote more sustainable practices and businesses. A comparison between Brazil and Germany provided a broader view of this phenomenon, highlighting specific local characteristics as well as pointing out differences and similarities between South and North”.