Companies across Germany unite on a firm stance for diversity, openness, and tolerance, anthetical to extremism and populism. The first joint campaign for the European elections emphasizes the EU's crucial role in fostering prosperity and job growth.
In a significant move towards fostering a more inclusive and respectful workplace culture, more than 30 leading German companies have formed an alliance named "We Stand for Values." The initiative, supported by the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), aims to promote diversity, openness, and tolerance among its member companies.
The purpose of the alliance is to create a corporate culture that embraces these principles, fostering inclusion and respect in the workplace. Companies are encouraged to actively take a stand against discrimination and exclusion, supporting social cohesion and democratic values within business environments.
Advancing equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies, enhancing awareness and education about diversity and inclusion, demonstrating corporate responsibility towards broader societal values like tolerance and openness, and fostering dialogue and cooperation among companies to strengthen a culture of respect and acceptance are the key focus areas of the alliance.
Member companies are collaborating to develop formats and content, share best practices, and leverage the partnership as a platform for dialogue. The alliance is also actively disseminating its messages to the wider public through a targeted social media campaign.
The member companies believe that exclusion, animosity, and isolation run counter to their shared values and endanger both entrepreneurial liberty and individual prosperity. Several CEOs from these companies have voiced their support for the initiative, stressing the importance of diversity, openness, and tolerance for innovation, success in global competition, and maintaining Germany's competitiveness.
With a shortfall of 1.73 million unfilled positions and the need for an additional 200,000 to 400,000 skilled workers annually, the alliance's efforts align with Germany’s broader societal efforts to confront challenges around social integration and democratic participation.
The alliance is dedicated to the principles of diversity, openness, and tolerance, which are fundamental for peaceful coexistence within society and workplaces. Moreover, it aims to engage its combined 1.7 million employees in the upcoming European elections and highlights the importance of European unity for prosperity, growth, and jobs.
The commitment of the alliance does not end with the European elections but will carry on to future elections. The companies believe that instead of 'diminishing' our economies and societies, we should seek to 'enhance' them - through enhanced competitiveness, enhanced prosperity, and enhanced innovation.
In the words of Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), "Dialogue in the workplace is crucial to raise awareness of values on which the country's performance is based." The "We Stand for Values" alliance is a testament to this belief, bringing together German industry leaders in a shared commitment to a more inclusive, open, and tolerant society.
- Recognizing the integral role of diversity and inclusion in fostering innovation, success in global competition, and maintaining Germany's competitiveness, several CEOs from the member companies of "We Stand for Values" alliance have voiced their support, emphasizing these principles in finance and general-news discussions.
- Aligning with Germany’s broader societal efforts, the alliance's focus areas include advancing equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies, demonstrating corporate responsibility towards broader societal values like tolerance and openness, and highlighting the importance of these values in politics and business environments.
