Companies report against discrimination at the CSD – Wirtschaft

More and more big companies are showing their colors at Christopher Street Day. It's not just hip, but urgent, say gay and bad employees. Even today, many of them fear discrimination and disadvantage when they work

It's not just consent

When Bosch's homobadual employees have attended Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Stuttgart four years ago the reaction in the group almost entirely positive. Almost. In the subsequent intranet discussion of the workforce, there were also opposing voices. "This does not belong to the company!", Some colleagues wanted to say. "This does not match the image of Bosch!" Others have found. One even wrote: "You are not part of the creation!"

This Saturday, the members of the Bosch RBgay network will not only run alongside the CSD in Stuttgart, but will also offer their own truck. Just like the CSD Berlin the same day, colleagues from companies such as Daimler, BMW, Vodafone, Ikea or Bayer. And just like last week at CSD Mnchner the alliance colleagues. In addition to its own flagship car, the insurance company has lit the rainbow-colored Allianz Arena, symbol of the Movement for Equal Rights of Gays, Lesbian, Bibadual, Transgender and Interbad (LGBTI)

Franz Vojik

"I am proud to work for a company that sets a public record for LGBTI inclusion," said spokesman Franz Vojik. by Allianz Pride, the company's network for employees with a different badual orientation. It is also the opinion of Mathias Reimann, spokesman for Bosch's LGBTI network: "In everyday life, many colleagues still live difficult times, often feeling obliged to hide their identities badual abuse. "

Weekend done? "Get a whole new dimension," says Reimann. "Do I have to tell you: I was traveling with my husband, many do not dare." Therefore, it is necessary to make everyday gay and bad life visible. also recognized the company. "RBgay contributes to our open enterprise culture, in which employees can be authentic and valued, regardless of their badual orientation or gender identity," says Christoph Kbel, head of the company.

Self-employed workers can also cope with their badual identity at the workplace, the greater is the job satisfaction and solidarity with the company.It is the Outcome of the study "Out in the Office ?!" The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency in 2017. From this, gay employees are more open about the subject today than ever before. ######################################################## Thirty-five years ago, but still a third any of them dare not talk to colleagues about it. And three out of four respondents reported being discriminated against in the workplace.

Can a flagship car at the CSD remedy this situation? The Munich-based PrOut At Work Foundation, which is committed to addressing the concerns of LGBTI employees, already believes a lot. The founders include Deutsche Telekom, Commerzbank, SAP and Deutsche Post. "The real equality of people requires not only legal thinking, but especially social issues," said the Albert Kehrer Foundation Board. "The influence of large corporations with their strong presence and their economic power as lawyers is a clear key factor."

There are still reservations in some departments

Especially if the so-called conservative businesses are in solidarity with the LGBTI community it sends a signal to society, says Kehrer. Many people in the community also think the same way: "If I see a Bosch car at CSD parade, then I would think: cool company, there you could work," says a manager who aspires to his employer EY released as a bad and so never experienced problems – but still does not want to give her name. In these times of acute skills shortages, the commitment makes sense anyway, she believes: "Companies can no longer afford to give up on this group – on the contrary, they must attract them."

Reimann leads a Bosch of 300 Troops in development. He has never had any problems in his career because of his badual orientation. But he also knows: "It all depends on the type of person you are and where you work in the company. For example, Bosch's LGBTI network tells us that homobadual colleagues have a harder time producing, where sound is harder, than looking. In some foreign places in Bosch, it would be totally unthinkable to go out. "In India, for example, there would be life imprisonment for those affected," says Reimann.

"But at least some of our employees are discussing it now." Mathias Reimann

The Bosch man does not pretend to change the Indian legal situation. But in Hungary, the network has already succeeded. There was a nice gay colleague insulted. After hiring Kabel for Diversity and LGBTI employees, Bosch-Hungary signed the company's "Diversity Charter". "Of course, there is still a lot of resentment in Hungary," says Reimann.