Our History
Establishment of Diagonal in Recife - PE
Diagonal was founded in 1990, in Recife-PE, and in its initial project, it was responsible for the first urban adverse possession ruling in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.
Co-president Kátia Mello of Diagonal working on the Urbanization Project of favela Tamarutaca.
Expansion throughout the state of São Paulo
Diagonal began to carry out complete slum urbanization projects (engineering, land regularization, architecture, and social management) in municipalities such as Santo André, Santos, and São Paulo. Thus, it grew on a large scale, focusing on Technical Social Work, and its projects became a benchmark for the creation of government programs, such as Habitar Brasil.
Favela Tamarutaca, in Santo André, before the interventions.
International Consultancies
Diagonal is hired by International Banks (World Bank and IDB) and by UN-Habitat to transfer its social urbanism methodology to various countries with similar problems.
Diagonal's work in Mozambique.
Expansion throughout Brazil
Begins to expand to Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, and Roraima, carrying out urbanization projects and urban and social development of cities. At this time, Diagonal's working methodology gains strength and recognition in the sector.
Terra Project, for integrated urbanization and regularization of areas, in Vitória – ES.
ISO 9001 Certification and entry into the private sector
Diagonal becomes the first company in its segment to be certified with ISO 9001 and also enters the private sector, managing socioenvironmental impacts in the mining, metallurgy, petrochemical, and civil construction sectors.
Diagonal's work for Vale, in Serra Pelada – PA.
Expansion in the international market and foundation of the branch in Mozambique
Progress in internationalization, with Diagonal establishing itself in Mozambique. This milestone represents the strengthening of its role in international consultancies, which had already started in 1997.
Social work at the branch in Mozambique.
Scaling up in Land Regularization
The regularization efforts of enterprises and irregular housing begin to scale up, operating in 187 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, through projects such as CDHU Regularization of Enterprises, the "Cidade Legal" Program of the São Paulo Government, and the Regularization Program of the Municipality of São Bernardo do Campo, still in effect today.
CDHU Enterprise Regularization Project
Diagonal Group
In 2012, Diagonal expanded its operations with the acquisition of Condominium, a company founded in 1993 based in Recife, which developed the condominium sanitation method, aiming for the universalization of water supply and sewage systems.
Sanitation work carried out by Condominium.
Fundação SmartSíndico
In 2017, Diagonal partnered with SmartSíndico, a social impact business developed to meet the needs of social interest condominiums, whose revenue doesn't allow for the costs of a conventional management company. The company was recognized by the State Government of São Paulo as a solution for the housing area through Pitch Gov SP 2.0 and was certified by BrazilLAB with the GovTech Seal.
SmartSíndico facilitates the management of condominiums for social interest housing - HIS (CDHU, Cohab, and other low-income condominiums).
Public-Private Partnership by performance with SABESP and achievement of B Certification
In 2019, we diversified our operations by participating in the DGFD consortium with SABESP for the sanitation and depollution project of the Rio Pinheiros basin and its tributaries in the operational stretch called Ação Águas Espraiadas. In the same year, Diagonal achieved B company certification and we are committed to becoming an increasingly better company FOR the world. Sistema B Brasil is an organization responsible for the engagement, dissemination, and local promotion of the B movement throughout the country and in Latin America.
Sistema B: a global movement of companies seeking to combine profit with socioenvironmental development.
Digital Transformation
The year 2020 brought many transformations for Diagonal, with several innovative digitization initiatives and improvements in internal and external processes. Business models were created, aiming to disrupt the market in which we operate.
Acceleration of the digital transformation process.
1990
Establishment of Diagonal in Recife - PE
Diagonal was founded in 1990, in Recife-PE, and in its initial project, it was responsible for the first urban adverse possession ruling in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.
Co-president Kátia Mello of Diagonal working on the Urbanization Project of favela Tamarutaca.
1992
Expansion throughout the state of São Paulo
Diagonal began to carry out complete slum urbanization projects (engineering, land regularization, architecture, and social management) in municipalities such as Santo André, Santos, and São Paulo. Thus, it grew on a large scale, focusing on Technical Social Work, and its projects became a benchmark for the creation of government programs, such as Habitar Brasil.
Rodoanel, em São Paulo
1997
International Consultancies
Diagonal is hired by International Banks (World Bank and IDB) and by UN-Habitat to transfer its social urbanism methodology to various countries with similar problems.
Diagonal's work in Mozambique.
1999
Expansion throughout Brazil
Begins to expand to Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, and Roraima, carrying out urbanization projects and urban and social development of cities. At this time, Diagonal's working methodology gains strength and recognition in the sector.
Terra Project, for integrated urbanization and regularization of areas, in Vitória – ES.
2000
ISO 9001 Certification and entry into the private sector
Diagonal becomes the first company in its segment to be certified with ISO 9001 and also enters the private sector, managing socioenvironmental impacts in the mining, metallurgy, petrochemical, and civil construction sectors.
Diagonal's work for Vale, in Serra Pelada – PA.
2005
Expansion in the international market and foundation of the branch in Mozambique
Progress in internationalization, with Diagonal establishing itself in Mozambique. This milestone represents the strengthening of its role in international consultancies, which had already started in 1997.
Social work at the branch in Mozambique.
2008
Scaling up in Land Regularization
The regularization efforts of enterprises and irregular housing begin to scale up, operating in 187 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, through projects such as CDHU Regularization of Enterprises, the "Cidade Legal" Program of the São Paulo Government, and the Regularization Program of the Municipality of São Bernardo do Campo, still in effect today.
CDHU Enterprise Regularization Project
2012
Diagonal Group
In 2012, Diagonal expanded its operations with the acquisition of Condominium, a company founded in 1993 based in Recife, which developed the condominium sanitation method, aiming for the universalization of water supply and sewage systems.
Sanitation work carried out by Condominium.
2017
Fundação SmartSíndico
In 2017, Diagonal partnered with SmartSíndico, a social impact business developed to meet the needs of social interest condominiums, whose revenue doesn't allow for the costs of a conventional management company. The company was recognized by the State Government of São Paulo as a solution for the housing area through Pitch Gov SP 2.0 and was certified by BrazilLAB with the GovTech Seal.
SmartSíndico facilitates the management of condominiums for social interest housing - HIS (CDHU, Cohab, and other low-income condominiums).
2019
Public-Private Partnership by performance with SABESP and achievement of B Certification
In 2019, we diversified our operations by participating in the DGFD consortium with SABESP for the sanitation and depollution project of the Rio Pinheiros basin and its tributaries in the operational stretch called Ação Águas Espraiadas. In the same year, Diagonal achieved B company certification and we are committed to becoming an increasingly better company FOR the world. Sistema B Brasil is an organization responsible for the engagement, dissemination, and local promotion of the B movement throughout the country and in Latin America.
Sistema B: a global movement of companies seeking to combine profit with socioenvironmental development.
2020
Digital Transformation
The year 2020 brought many transformations for Diagonal, with several innovative digitization initiatives and improvements in internal and external processes. Business models were created, aiming to disrupt the market in which we operate.
