Bosch Gender Diversity

Manfred Blattner

Client

Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (D), head office. Staff, diversity and equal opportunities (C/HMD).

Task

Strategy and communication support for a process of change at Bosch.

Result

Internal awareness campaign aimed at management and staff on the topic of gender diversity.

The global campaign for gender diversity at Bosch

Around 300,000 colleagues in 150 countries see to it that Robert Bosch GmbH continues to write industrial history not only in Germany, but across the globe. The company has been working to increase the amount of women in managerial roles since 1994. Consideration for family needs has long been part of this work, along with special mentoring programmes.

Bosch adopts an even broader view when it comes to diversity, which it understands to mean cooperation between people of all backgrounds and cultures; of different ages, gender, and sexual orientation. That is why diversity forms a part of its work and business culture – and gives it a competitive advantage. Bosch encourages work in mixed teams and makes the (predominantly male) staff aware of its advantages.

In 2011/2012 Edenspiekermann designed and supported one of the major changes Bosch has ever undergone on the topic of diversity and the encouragement of mixed teams. In a mere seven months the project team of 18 people produced an international campaign for 188 Bosch sites – everything from strategy to pop-ups on staff screens.

Poster1 — “Fact posters” with symbols and infographics use empirical evidence to point out the advantages of mixed teams.

Poster2 — The campaign shows facts and success stories, told simply and concisely, and from a personal perspective. Working together with the Bosch international HR management, Edenspiekermann adapted the campaign for various countries, “translating” the content to suit each culture.

“Once men become personally involved, they often become the most enthusiastic advocates.” Madeleine Förster, communications manager at Bosch

The focus lay primarily on supporting the management to adopt and implement the change of culture. Leaving aside the aspect of equal rights, the campaign content focusses on facts and figures. Edenspiekermann presents gender diversity as a business advantage. This convinces people: men are the main target group, management the company role models. The aim is to get more women in managerial positions for the mutual benefit of everyone and the company as a whole.

Bosch has understood the importance of taking diversity seriously, both as cultural change and as a successful business approach. The greatest success for Edenspiekermann has been to demonstrate how an internal company topic of change can positively affect image building – internally and externally. Bosch now also uses the topic and the building blocks of the campaign in their external communications.

Diversity 1 — Success: our campaign for gender diversity was given the internal Bosch Communications Award – first place in the HR communication category 2012.

Diversity 3 — All staff members are made aware of the subject whether online or offline, on the staircase, in the canteen, or through talks with management in “diversity workshops”.

Even though it is a matter of – specifically verifiable – personal, team, and company success, working on a process of change is like open heart surgery. Personal ways of thinking and of viewing the world need to be integrated and respected alongside traditional customs and values. Lasting and effective cultural change requires a lot of tact – and professional change communication.