"Riopele workers live their work with great intensity"

Name - Cláudia Queirós
Age - 35 years
Place of birth - Viana do Castelo

Born in Viana de Castelo, she first joined Riopele in 2010 and has led one of Riopele's critical departments since 2015. Meet Cláudia Queirós, the head of Human Resources.

Do you still remember your first day at Riopele? How was that day?
Of course, I do. I remember being very impressed by the size of the company and also by the passion with which the people in charge presented their respective areas.

You lead one of the areas of most significant responsibility in the company, human resources. What skills does a company like Riopele need?
With 94 years of existence, Riopele has shown an extraordinary capacity for reinvention, which inevitably involves adapting skills and jobs according to the company's needs. We believe that behavioural, social (soft skills), and even digital skills are essential to working in Riopele. I would highlight the sense of innovation, agility, creativity, cooperation and teamwork.

How is the recruitment process carried out in the company?
Riopele's recruitment process is very dynamic and diverse, varying according to the profile or the function we are looking for. The fact that Riopele has a solid presence in the region helps and facilitates attracting candidates. Spontaneous applications are also very important in Riopele's recruitment process, from the most operational to the most technical profiles. Partnerships with schools, universities and specialised recruitment companies are also privileged sources for identifying candidates.

The average age of Riopele's employees is only 41. Is hiring young executives merely a curiosity, or is it a strategic choice of the company?
It is undoubtedly a strategic option for rejuvenation. The transmission of know-how from generation to generation is essential to guarantee the sustainability of the company. In the last decade, we have favoured hiring young people with higher education to reinforce the areas of the company that needed more qualification and young people with secondary education to bolster the production areas. Today we have a young company concerned with transmitting knowledge from the most experienced to the youngest.

Another particularity of Riopele is that 45% of managers are female. Is this the company's culture?
Yes, I think it's a natural part of the company's culture. By tradition, textile is a sector with a strong presence of women. This factor contributes to a gender-balanced leadership at Riopele.

How would you rate Riopele's employees?
We currently have a people management and development tool, RPeople+, which allows a quantitative and objective assessment of our employees' work. My perception of Riopele's employees is that they live their work with great intensity. They have great respect for the company and its history and are committed to the company's goals.