Made by Vielfalt: Championing diversity, openness and acceptance

MartinBauer, Finzelberg und PhytoLab have joined more than 40 German family businesses and two business associations in eastern Germany by signing up to the “Made in Germany – Made by Vielfalt” national campaign for greater diversity and acceptance within German society. They opted to become part of the initiative out of a deeply held conviction that diversity is a key factor in economic success.

Diversity strengthens competitiveness and customer satisfaction

Every day, more than 2,300 people from 35 countries work together at MartinBauer. Over 300 people work at PhytoLab, and 380 people from over 20 countries work at Finzelberg. The familiy business has incorporated their values into daily working practices with a range of measures. These start with its comprehensive Code of Conduct; it also signed the national Diversity Charter as far back as 2011. “Diversity and equity are much more than a moral obligation for us,” says Anne Wedel-Klein CEO of the nature network. “They promote creativity, innovation and productivity, and they improve decision-making processes and heighten employee satisfaction. An integrative corporate culture is attractive for employees and allows us to better respond to diverse customer requirements. That increases our competitiveness and customer satisfaction, helping us achieve success within demanding markets.”

Our approach 

Nina Tantinger, Talent and Development Manager at MartinBauer Germany and Katja Hild, Expert Human Resources at Finzelberg, ensure that job ads are formulated in such a way that all potential recruits feel addressed. But the company does not only express its commitment to diversity externally; it’s an important part of the internal culture, too. Nina Tantinger explains: “Our inhouse campus offers regular courses and talks that not only help participants to develop their own strengths but also communicate the value of diversity.”

The company has also developed guidelines on gender-neutral and inclusive language and has an anonymous complaints system that employees can use to report any violations of laws and regulations.

Apart from that the famliy business also has a broad range of flexible working models that enable inclusion within daily working life. At MartinBauer these flexible working models allow people to exercise their religious beliefs – for example, by providing prayer time for Muslim employees.

There is also a women’s network, initiated by Anne Wedel-Klein in 2018, which currently has 73 members. The network allows women working in management and specialist roles at the nature network’s German sites to exchange news and views. It aims to promote diversity within the nature network, improve recognition and appreciation of female specialists and managers, raise their profile, and encourage discussion. The network is currently working to establish a special mentoring program by and for women.

Diversity cannot be taken for granted

In difficult times in particular, diversity and inclusion cannot be taken for granted. Open communication and active listening are essential in daily working life because that’s how understanding is generated for multiple perspectives, creating a working environment where everyone feels appreciated.