With the German Diversity Day, the Diversity Charter (Charta der Vielfalt) sets an annual example for inclusion and the appreciation of diversity in the workplace. Trei is also a signatory to the initiative and is committed to an appreciative and unprejudiced working environment.
Andrea Kitzka, Head of HR at Trei Real Estate Germany, explains the role diversity plays at Trei and how it is practiced and promoted in a short interview.
Andrea, what does diversity mean to you?
For me, diversity means to acknowledge the uniqueness of each individual person and to bring people with different backgrounds and outlooks together. Another thing I associate with diversity is equal opportunity: Everyone should have the same options to develop and prosper.
And what does diversity mean for Trei?
Diversity is an integral component of our corporate culture. It is obvious to us that the inclusion of various outlooks on life are a boon to our common effort and make us more successful as an enterprise. Our aspiration as a company is therefore to create a work environment in which all of our employees, regardless of their origins, their gender or their personal lifestyle choices feel appreciated and respected. As an international company that operates branches in Germany, Poland and the United States and that has employees of many different nationalities on its payroll, we work in cross-border, inter-cultural teams all the time. This cultural variety opens up new intellectual approaches for us, but at the same time, we benefit from different experiences and methods. On top of that, we realize that embracing diversity is an important factor in our appeal as an employer.
In what ways is Trei promoting the subject of diversity?
We have actually taken a variety of steps to promote diversity. An important element is our collaboration across national boundaries: The fact that we are internationally networked brings people with different cultural backgrounds together and strengthens our interdisciplinary exchange. Moreover, we try to set up teams in such a way that individuals of different age groups, experiences and backgrounds are brought together. In the area of gender diversity, we support initiatives like the German FiF “Women in Leadership” initiative for equal opportunity and actively promote women along their career paths. And, of course, by signing the Diversity Charter we have officially pledged ourselves to a work environment free of stereotypes and marked by mutual appreciation. We take this commitment very serious – because diversity will not work unless it is actively practiced and promoted.
What is your idea of an ideal future work environment, especially in terms of diversity?
I envision an ideal work environment as a place where diversity has become normal – and is deeply rooted in the corporate culture rather than being considered a separate aspect. In such a work environment, gender, origin, age or other personal characteristics will not play a role when it comes to career opportunities, development options or decision-making processes. What will count instead is what really matters: skills, potential and personal fortes.
What a diverse work environment also means for me is that discrimination and subtle bias have no place here. The point being that we need to create a culture where all employees feel secure and appreciated, regardless of their identity. Only if people can work without having to fear unfair treatment or stereotypes will they be able to come up with their best ideas and be truly innovative.