Gütersloh, 05/15/2019

Bertelsmann Executive Board Reaffirms Commitment To Diversity

Diversity among employees is crucial to creativity and innovation and thus to the company’s commercial success. The Bertelsmann Executive Board’s Diversity Statement describes the shared understanding of diversity for the whole of Bertelsmann. The aim is to further increase diversity within the Group.

A diverse workforce is a prerequisite for creativity and innovation and thus for Bertelsmann’s business success. The Bertelsmann Executive Board’s Diversity Statement describes the common understanding of diversity for Bertelsmann and its companies. It reaffirms the intention to further increase diversity in all its facets in the company. “The diverse experiences and perspectives of our colleagues are what makes Bertelsmann more creative and innovative,” says Chief Human Resources Officer Immanuel Hermreck, underscoring the relevance of the topic and the Executive Board’s determination to make Bertelsmann a more diverse company.

Diversity At Bertelsmann As a Task For Management

The Bertelsmann Diversity Statement describes the understanding of diversity in a culture of mutual respect. Bertelsmann promotes a working environment that is characterized by integrity, tolerance, and mutual respect, and that prohibits discrimination of any kind. This approach is laid down in the Bertelsmann Essentials, the Code of Conduct, and the Supplier Code of Conduct. The Diversity Statement defines increasing diversity at Bertelsmann as a task for the management. And so, at the Management Meeting, Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO, included the topic as one of the eight points for putting the new Bertelsmann Essentials into action. As role models, all managers and employees in HR departments have a special responsibility to increase diversity at Bertelsmann and make it visible. Diversity issues are regularly addressed by the Executive Board, the Group Management Committee (GMC), and the Bertelsmann Management Representative Committee (BMRC).

The Diversity Statement reflects the importance of diversity for Bertelsmann’s businesses. This ranges from recruiting new employees and meeting customer requirements to developing products and services for new target groups. In order to reach and recruit talent from socially disadvantaged groups, Penguin Random House UK, for example, has for some time waived the requirement for a university degree and personal referrals  in job applications. Meanwhile, at Arvato’s businesses, diversity is increasingly demanded by business customers who will, for example, ask before signing a contract whether there are programs to promote diversity or include people with disabilities. Finally, diversity in the content business also plays an important role in opening up new target groups – be it through a weekly magazine for the deaf  or a documentary about lonely seniors. 

You will find the Bertelsmann Diversity Statement here.  The contact person for this topic is Nora Müller ( Send email , Tel. 0 52 41 / 79 086) in the Corporate Responsibility & Diversity Management department.