Gütersloh, 05/25/2023

‘DEI’ Month: Appreciating Differences And Commonalities

As part of a series, Bertelsmann is focusing on topics related to diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) on the occasion of the various “World Days” for the next several weeks. This time, the focus is on May 21, “World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development”.

Under the heading “Beyond Diversity: Building Belonging”, BENET will be highlighting topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on the occasion of the various “World Days” for the next several weeks. Following “Diverse content for Children” to mark International Day of the Family on May 15, and “LGBTIQ+ - Together Against Discrimination” on the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Di-, Inter- and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), today, for the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21, BENET is focusing on “Appreciating Differences and Commonalities”. This is what dealing and cooperating with people of diverse cultural backgrounds involves: avoiding prejudices about behaviors, traditions and norms that are different from our own and instead encountering them with an open mind and connecting with commonalities.

As an international company with more than 160,000 employees, Bertelsmann is represented in roughly 50 countries (as of December 31, 2022) worldwide. The cultural backgrounds of colleagues are appropriately diverse. But what exactly does “culture” mean? This word is often flexibly used in everyday language, for example in terms dining or fan culture. According to UNESCO, culture is “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group, that encompasses not only art and literature but lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs”.
Intercultural competences.

Different cultural backgrounds also play a role in our daily cooperation with our colleagues. In some cultures, higher value is placed on direct communication, while the use of polite phrases plays a bigger role in others. This does not mean, however, that each person who identifies with a specific cultural background also displays all of its characteristics. Cultures are diversified in and of themselves and not homogenous. On the other hand, the behavior of one individual should not lead anyone to draw conclusions about an entire culture. Our brain uses such stereotypes to simplify the complexity of the world, but this may also lead to premature judgment and potential discrimination against people.

Questioning stereotypes and breaking up patterns of thinking are key in dealing with different cultural backgrounds and are important elements of intercultural competency. The Bertelsmann internal “Unconscious Bias” course collection can help one to approach this topic and reflect upon personal, unconscious thinking patterns. According to UNESCO, intercultural competences include an open-minded attitude as well as the development of a general awareness of the challenges that may result in a dialogue with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and acquiring specific knowledge about particular cultures. Honest interest and a willingness to get into unfamiliar situations is fundamental – as is the awareness of the fact that misunderstandings are sometimes unavoidable. All of the above help to promote a better understanding of differences as well as dialogue. The use of an intercultural calendar can be a starting point to become aware of the various days of remembrance and public holidays and, for example, consider them in schedule planning

For all who wish to get more involved with the topic of culture, our colleagues in the Corporate Responsibility department have compiled a short glossary that explains terms related to cultural diversity.