Virginia Rometty is new Chief Executive of IBM. Since 1st of January she took over her new responsibilities and therewith, is the first female CEO of one of the largest technology companies in the world. This example is a rarity – not just for Corporate America. Currently there are only 12 female CEOs/Presidents in the Fortune 500.
Posts Tagged ‘Henkel’
International Ambassadors
Women at the Wheel
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 by Monica SunAt Henkel, Diversity & Inclusion are integral components of our corporate culture, with a particular focus on internationality, age and gender. Flexible working opportunities, specific mentoring programs and a general change from a culture of presence to a more result-oriented culture are supportive and beneficial to women working at Henkel.
To make best practice examples visible, Henkel’s employee newspaper “Henkel Life” meets successful women working in the Asia Pacific region on a quarterly basis. As part of the interviews successful women are asked to give insights into their secrets of success and to give advice to other female employees.
“I really consider gender diversity and inclusion as one of our key competitive advantages and as a tremendous asset for our company. For me it’s a personal priority to foster it, and I am happy and dedicated to see and support women to successfully combine business and private life. Today we have already a number of female colleagues in leading positions in our region,” says Patrick Kaminski, President of Henkel Asia-Pacific.
Best Practices
International Ambassadors
Henkel Ladies participated in Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum 2011
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 by Angela Curley
On November 9, 2011 the twelfth Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum took place at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale. It is one of the premier women’s leadership events in the United States and brings together world-caliber leaders and leadership experts with senior-level individuals from the corporate, professional, entrepreneurial, nonprofit and governmental sectors. Hundreds of senior professional women as well as influential leaders from across the country joined this year’s forum.
Best Practices
The German Executive Association, ULA, joines “Diversity Charter”
Friday, November 25th, 2011 by Astrid Bosten
This Tuesday, the German Executive Association, ULA, has joined the initiative “Diversity Charter” (Charta der Vielfalt). With signing the Charter, the association wants to anchor the appreciation of diversity among its members at even greater depth. Minister of State and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer and Dr. Wolfgang Bruckmann, president of ULA emphasized during the signing ceremony the importance to take advantage of the diversity potential in the German labor market.
The German Executive Association ULA is the political voice of all managers in Germany. It represents their interests in labor, fiscal, social and educational policy towards the government and parliament, both in Berlin and in Brussels.
Böhmer welcomed the joining of the Association. For her it is a signal to the equality of the sexes in professional life: “Forward-thinking companies recognize that diversity management contributes significantly to the company’s success. It has been scientifically proven that mixed teams achieve better results. This is a challenge for managers. In response to this, it is very gratifying that the German Leadership Association with its accession to the Diversity Charter declares its commitment to promoting diversity in leadership positions”.
The German “Diversity Charter” is one of the largest networks of companies and institutions in Germany. The initiative, under the patronage of Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, is committed to the appreciation of diversity and inclusion in the corporate culture. To date, over 1,100 companies and institutions with more than 5.5 million employees in Germany signed the Charter. Henkel is one of the founding partners of the Public Private Partnership structure that ensures the continuation of this company’s initiative.
Additionally, Henkel France just recently has signed the French Diversity Charter. Thus, Henkel has signed the German, French and also Spanish Charter version until today.
Best Practices
Success Factor Diversity
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 by Astrid BostenThe discussion about diversity currently continues to gain importance. On Monday, October 14, for the first time the “German Diversity Award” was handed over by the founding partners Henkel, McKinsey and WirtschaftsWoche to outstanding performers in the field of applied diversity.
Diversity & Inclusion, International Ambassadors
Henkel France signs French “Diversity Charter”
Friday, November 18th, 2011 by Astrid Bosten
For the first Time in January 2004 the idea for a Diversity Charter came up in the report “Les oubliés de l’égalité des chances” (By the Wayside of Equal Opportunity) published by the French think tank Montaigne Institute. Nine month later on 22 October 2004 the Charter was finally launched in France by Claude Bébéar Chairman of the Montaigne Institute, and Yazid Sabeg, Chairman of the Board, CS – Communication & Systèmes France, and journalist Laurence Méhaignerie.
Diversity & Inclusion
Today: First German Diversity Award Ceremony in Neuss / Heute: Erste Preisverleihung des Deutschen Diversity Preises in Neuss
Monday, November 14th, 2011 by Astrid Bosten
Diversity – a difference in gender, different nationalities and experience – are key success factors for companies and organizations in the 21st century. Now, for the first time in Germany an official award was founded in which employers, individuals and innovative projects that are characterized by a culture of diversity are honored.
Today, the first “German Diversity Award” ceremony will take place at a gala event in the prestigious Langen Foundation in Neuss. About 200 guests from business, politics, society and media are invited to this event. Barbara Schöneberger will host the awards ceremony.
The aim of the initiators – Henkel, McKinsey & Company and WirtschaftsWoche – is to encourage a culture of diversity by rewarding outstanding achievements in this area, highlighting successes and encouraging imitation. The awards will be hand over in four categories: Most Diverse Employer in Germany, Best Diversity Image, Diversity Personality of the Year and Most Innovative Diversity Projects. The high number of applications shows how important the diversity topic in Germany is; for both, society and economy.
Starting at 7 p.m. CET you can follow the ceremony via our twitter account: www.twitter.com/henkeldiversity. Be the first one who gets to know who the winners in the four different catagories are!
Best Practices
Wanted: Creative Minds
Thursday, October 20th, 2011 by Astrid BostenCreativity and a higher innovation power are value propositions of the diversity concept. Studies prove: Regardless of a company’s size or the markets they are operating in, innovation is a driver for productivity, even more in times of economic crisis.
And creative minds are what the initiators of Henkel’s Innovation Challenge are looking for. Coinciding with the start of the new academic year, the fifth annual “Henkel Innovation Challenge” international student competition has started in the beginning of October. Within this competition, students from all disciplines are invited to develop innovative ideas in teams of two.
The task is to develop a concept for a product under a Henkel brand or for an innovative technology which will meet the needs of customers in the year 2030 – for one of Henkel’s business areas: Cosmetics/Toiletries, Laundry & Home Care or Adhesive Technologies. And, as Henkel does not only emphasize on innovation power but also on sustainability, this year the product ideas and technologies must contribute to sustainable development, such as reducing energy or water consumption.
Students from 14 European countries and the Asia/Pacific region will compete with their best ideas. The winner will be honored in Poland in April 2012 and will receive an around-the-world ticket and a travel voucher worth 1000 euros.
So, if you’re a student, and you have a good fellow by your side and you both want to develop product and service ideas for Henkel brands in 2030, then take your chance and apply for Henkel’s Innovation Challenge until December 12.
