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Diversity and joining technology – what exactly does this have to do with each other? What does NORMA Group offer to foster diversity? Global Diversity Officer Stephanie Stemmer gives an insight.
What is diversity - and what does that have to do with NORMA Group?
Diversity means having a colorful bouquet of flowers instead of just roses or just tulips. Diversity in the business context means age diversity, different ethnic backgrounds, gender diversity, different sexual orientation, marital status, religion and worldview ... It is important for us to use the diversity that we have in order to achieve synergy effects.
What are these effects?
A heterogeneous team is always better than a homogeneous team. By bringing together experienced employees with young employees, both can benefit from each other. The same applies to different cultures: When one learns from another, there is no narrow or blinkered thinking. This only works if you are diverse and bring together old and young in the teams, if you bring together men and women, if you bring together employees from Asia and America, for example. Thus, different approaches converge, bringing the whole team forward.
See some impressions from NORMA Diversity Day 2018 in China, Malaysia, Germany, the US and Serbia in the picture gallery.
As an international company, NORMA Group is necessarily diverse. What effects does this geographical diversity have on the company?
It's also a challenge when there are many voices. But we want to draw the positive from it. For example, with NDS in the US, we have a great deal of water management know-how, something we can exploit in Europe, for example. It is very important for us as a company to join our forces across the regions when tackling major trends and initiatives.
How do we do that?
There are many colleagues who are on bubble assignments, i.e. short or long-term stays in other locations. For example, someone from France with great expertise can pass it on to China. Such an exchange can show colleagues: This and that approach works quite well in our country or business region, maybe you can use or adapt that in your region as well.
What exactly are your tasks as Diversity Officer?
I am responsible for implementing our diversity mission statement. We do this especially with the Diversity Day, which is celebrated every year at every location. For example, I make sure that communication is promoted. My ambition is to raise awareness of diversity and to be the point of contact for colleagues worldwide.
