I am many things at once: a mother of two, Leonardo and Sofia; a daughter; a professional working in a global organization; and a volunteer at Candeia (we support children and young people who have experienced significant vulnerability). These roles do not live in separate boxes. They overlap, inform one another, and shape how I show up at work, with my family, and in the world.
Across all these roles, one thing becomes very clear: care matters. Not as a concept or a slogan, but as a lived, everyday experience.
Throughout my journey at EDP, one of the things I am most proud of is how naturally these worlds have come together. I have been able to bring my children with me to volunteering initiatives, so they could see from a very young age what solidarity, responsibility, and collective care look like in real life. I have also gone to their school to talk about energy, sustainability, and the future. Being able to live these moments, to be both a professional and a mother, a citizen and an employee, is something I deeply value. And being able to do it through my company makes it truly meaningful.
This has shaped my conviction that the organizations that will last are those that genuinely care for their people, not only for their performance, but for the different dimensions of their lives. Organizations that recognise moments of pressure, transition, and vulnerability, and deliberately choose to be present in those moments, are the organizations of the future.
Parenthood is one of the most defining of those moments. Becoming a parent or caregiver brings immense joy, but also exhaustion, uncertainty, and a constant negotiation between personal and professional life. When organizations recognize this reality and provide support through flexibility, inclusive parental policies, trust‑based leadership, and respectful cultures, they are not offering privilege. They are building long‑term relationships.
At EDP, this care becomes real in moments when families need it most. It shows up in how parenthood is supported, with solutions that may vary from country to country, but always share the same intention: to ease pressure at a life‑changing moment. In some geographies, this includes extended parental leave beyond legal requirements or financial support when a child is born, helping families gain time, stability, and peace of mind when everything is new. More broadly, it is felt through flexible benefits and ways of working that can adapt as life evolves. Together, these experiences send a powerful message: care is not episodic; it grows with us and stays present when it matters most.
This is what many describe as emotional salary. And emotional salary creates something powerful: reciprocity. When I know that my organization is here for me, when my children need me, when family life intensifies, when balance feels fragile, I am also here when the organization needs commitment, energy, and responsibility. Loyalty grows from trust, not from obligation.
This approach is not only about parents. When we design workplaces that are humane, flexible, inclusive, and respectful, everyone benefits. These environments foster engagement, resilience, and a genuine sense of belonging.
Motherhood, I have learned, is for life, not only when children are small. Something changes permanently: a constant care, an ongoing concern, and a quiet commitment to give our children the tools to become autonomous, conscious individuals, knowing that, regardless of the choices they make or the paths they follow, we will always be here for them.
On this Mother’s Day, my reflection is simple: caring for people’s lives is not about kindness alone. It is about sustainability. Organizations that truly understand care are not only better places to work, they are organizations built to last.
Have a great and impactful week!
Carla Barros, Well-being Expert and People & Organizational (P&O) at EDP