German Diversity Day: Diversity is essential for METRO AG

05 June 2018

Diverse teams promote innovation - an indispensable asset for an international wholesale and food specialist. We deliver on this ambition: presently, people from 160 nations are working for METRO AG in 35 countries.

German Diversity Day: Diversity is vital

Diverse teams promote innovation - an indispensable asset for an international wholesale and food specialist. We deliver on this ambition: presently, people from 160 nations are working for METRO AG in 35 countries. In different networks, employees share their ideas across national borders. For us, diversity in all its different manifestations represents a vital factor for economic success and performance.

"Whether it’s a diverse workforce at all levels of the group, women in management positions, inclusion, or employee networks: we foster and support our employees wherever we can. We do this because the more perspectives and different experiences we take into account for our projects, the better the result", says Heiko Hutmacher, Chief Human Resources Officer of METRO AG.

On 17 May, METRO celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) with a Rainbow flashmob. Around the world, people stood up for respect towards lesbians, gays and bisexuals and for acceptance of the diversity of sexual orientations.

Networks such as the LGBT+ network MPride or Women in Trade (WiT) promote the exchange among employees and the networking of colleagues across national borders. LGBT+ is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, the plus is inclusive of any other type of gender and sexual orientation. "Many of our managers are actively engaged and serve as ambassadors for these networks because you don’t need to be LGBT+ to support the network", says Hutmacher. Support is important although international corporations have of course been actively shaping diversity for some time already.