For more than a decade, the Austrian energy supplier has consistently pursued the goal of creating a working environment in which diversity is not only accepted, but understood as a strength.
Diversity as a strategic success factor
At VERBUND, diversity management is understood as the conscious handling of different perspectives, experiences and realities of life. In this context, inclusion means creating a working environment that offers equal opportunities to all people regardless of gender, age, origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability and enables them to belong. Diversity is not seen as a moral obligation, but as an important lever for innovation and entrepreneurial success.
Three focal points for more equal opportunities
VERBUND's holistic diversity strategy rests on three central pillars: Gender balance, generation management and the inclusion of people with disabilities. Family-friendly measures such as holiday childcare make it easier to reconcile work and family life. The gender-neutral potential employees programme actively promotes cross-generational knowledge transfer. The internal networks for women, people under the age of 35, queer employees and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses also offer scope for dialogue and mutual support.
Concrete measures for real participation
To ensure that inclusion does not stop at declarations of intent, VERBUND relies on concrete measures. These include structural, digital and practical accessibility. The role of managers is equally crucial: they should not just accept diversity as a given, but actively promote it. The aim is not just to integrate people with disabilities, but to enable them to participate fully.
A strong team for inclusion in practice
The Diversity Management Team ensures company-wide awareness of equal rights and equal opportunities with an extensive webinar programme, presentations and e-learning on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion. The Group-wide equal opportunities office, known as the Diversity Team, with around 50 representatives, plays a key role in ensuring compliance with the equal opportunities policy. They ensure that the values of diversity and inclusion have a lasting effect in everyday working life.
Inclusion as a response to the challenges of the future
The topic is becoming even more important, especially in view of the current social, ecological and economic challenges. Innovations are increasingly emerging from the interplay of different perspectives. Inclusion promotes trust, diversity opens up new ways of thinking - both together accelerate progress. VERBUND sees this not only as a social responsibility, but also as a prerequisite for long-term competitiveness and sustainable economic activity.
