Why diversity is so important to me
Thomas Sch?fer
Member of the Board at Volkswagen Group | CEO of Volkswagen Brand | Head of Brand Group Core
What is the essential factor for an automotive company to emerge stronger from the profound transformation process within our industry?
Two things that might come to mind first are electromobility and software expertise. These certainly are important, but they are not the whole picture. Diversity has come to the fore in recent years, and its relevance continues to increase.
There is much more behind diversity than gender
There is much more behind diversity than gender; ethnic and social origin, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or worldview, and age are also key issues.
Countless studies have proven that diverse teams achieve better results: They operate more sustainably, achieve above-average profitability, and hit the right tone in communication.
Diversity is not a buzzword, but rather a fundamental principle
Diversity is not a buzzword, but rather a fundamental principle with tangible effects on a company’s performance and culture.
At ?KODA AUTO, we have made specific progress last year: Among other things, we became a Golden signatory to the European Diversity Charta in the Czech Republic and organised specialised diversity training for ?kodians in leadership positions as well as all our Board Members.
These steps are motivating. They provide a good starting point for boldly pursuing the next steps and taking diversity to the next level at ?KODA AUTO. We will be putting this ambition into practice with our ‘NEXT LEVEL ?KODA’ program for the future.
This includes sending out strong signals. I am committed to appointing at least one woman to the Board of ?KODA AUTO this year. The levels below must become more mixed, too, if we want to fully reap the benefits of diversity.
For this reason, I expect my whole leadership team to set a shining example by proactively and unreservedly promoting diversity in their areas.
It must be made clear that diversity plays as important a role as achieving financial or sales targets.
It must be made clear that diversity plays as important a role as achieving financial or sales targets. My clear expectation is that ?KODA AUTO will lead the way in this field. I am convinced we will succeed.
Deputy CEO at Aamra Infratec
3 年Diversity is combination which unite a strong platform.
Automotive Procurement Leader | Driving Continuous Improvement at IAC Group
4 年What we also need to understand is that, through diversity you could also widen your target market. This in turn could increase your bottom line.
Non-Executive Director Genet SA, MD at Swartkops Terminal and a member Port Consultative Committee in Port of Ngqura
4 年Well done and totally agreed Thomas. In our small business operating in a poor and tiny economy such as Port Elizabeth, diversity has proven to lead to success in a very competitive environment and leads to job security for all.
Brand Experience Manager | Director at First Year Syndrome
4 年Thank you Thomas for this article ! I do believe you will achieve your goal at Skoda, the work you did in South Africa is Testament of your continued commitment to diversity as principle!
Associate Professor, Nelson Mandela University Computing Sciences
4 年Over many years I have done my best to convince my students not to have a homogeneous group if friends because of the strength in diversity.