A clear commitment to diversity

REHAU Group and its 20,000-strong workforce all over the world is taking part in this day of awareness and standing up for diversity alongside hundreds of German businesses and institutions.

REHAU is taking a stand for living and working together in harmony, in Germany and worldwide, on the seventh German Diversity Day. This day of awareness is taking place on 28 May with the slogan ‘Flying the Flag for Diversity’. German Diversity Day was created by the association Charta der Vielfalt e.V. The charter’s aim is to create a working environment free from prejudice. REHAU signed the German Diversity Charter in November 2018.

Through a global selfie campaign with employees from every continent, REHAU wants to make a strong statement in favour of diversity and tolerance in the workplace. ‘With this campaign, we want to show that we appreciate and promote diversity in our company,’ says Thorsten Schlüter, Group Executive Board Member and signatory to the German Charter. ‘We strongly reject populists and intolerance. We see diversity as a huge opportunity for our company and the entire business hub. At the end of the day, a diverse workforce and society benefit everyone.’

Diversity pays off for REHAU

‘For us, diversity management is an issue that touches on many different aspects of our business and it is crucial to our future development,’ adds Andreas Jenne, the REHAU Group’s Sustainability Officer. ‘After all, the idea of an organisational culture where diversity is a given helps ensure all employees achieve their full potential.’

A growing number of businesses and institutions are seeing these benefits, with around 3,000 corporations, companies, public institutions, charities and almost all 16 German federal states signing the Diversity Charter, a commitment to diversity management in Germany. Around 10.4 million employees are reaping the rewards.

Over 2,000 initiatives expected across Germany

Since 2013, many businesses and institutions across the country have taken part in German Diversity Day. This year, over 2,000 initiatives are expected. Anyone can get involved – from SMEs and charities to large corporations.

‘When diversity is being called into question and it harms the economy, we have to stand together and fly the flag for diversity. We believe that diverse teams bring about better solutions and make every organisation more successful. We are standing together to give voice to this belief,’ says Aletta Gräfin von Hardenberg, CEO of the association Charta der Vielfalt e. V.

‘With the initiatives surrounding German Diversity Day 2019, we are flying the flag for diversity and making an important statement about a respectful, appreciative culture in the workplace and the world!’

German Diversity Day is supported by the ‘Integration through Qualification (IQ)’ programme run by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS).

You can find more information on the Diversity Charter and seventh German Diversity Day at: www.charta-der-vielfalt.de and www.deutscher-diversity-tag.de.