DE
Promoting diversity and equal opportunities
Author: Katharina Häckel Talent Acquisition Manager at Turner & Townsend
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, (EDI), are not just buzzwords at Turner & Townsend, but a lived reality. In our fast-paced and often hectic world of work, it is extremely important that we promote diversity, seek equal opportunities for all, and capitalise on the strengths of each employee. To gain a deeper insight and understanding of this topic, I interviewed two of my colleagues from the EDI team. Nadine Wieser and Hargeet Kaur will give you an overview of how we at Turner & Townsend GmbH are creating a diverse and inclusive work environment together.
Can you introduce yourselves briefly? How long have you been with Turner & Townsend and what inspired you to join the EDI team?
Nadine: "I have been working as a project manager for Turner & Townsend in Vienna for almost a year, working mostly on projects in the real estate and infrastructure sector. What inspired me to join the EDI team? Turner & Townsend is a very diverse company. As an ambassador for the EDI team, I would like to introduce colleagues to different cultures, customs or ways of life, so that they can engage with the subject - and even change their perspective".
Hargeet: “I’m working as a Project Manager with Turner & Townsend for 1.5 years, making the difference for clients in the real estate sector. I decided to become part of the EDI team because I find this topic very important, especially in the corporate world where we have different people with different backgrounds who communicate differently with each other; what is acceptable in my culture, might be considered rude in another culture. Therefore, it is important to understand other cultures and work together harmoniously.”
Please give us an overview of your tasks in the EDI team.
Nadine: “We are a group of about 21 employees assigned to the various business units in Germany and Austria. At the beginning of each year, an “event calendar” is created, which sets out the celebrations, activities, etc., that are planned and to be carried out throughout the year. For each event, there is a team of about 3-4 people who take care of the organisation and planning of the event.”
Hargeet: “As an EDI ‘Ambassador’ for Germany and Austria, I am involved in raising awareness of different cultures and the importance of diversity in society. We plan events in the offices with the goal of bringing people together, discussing important topics, and delivering a meaningful message at the end of each event.”
How would you describe the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion at Turner & Townsend?
Nadine: “I think Turner & Townsend is already doing a lot to show employees that they are welcome with all their diversity, that their opinion is valued, that they are part of a team/group, that they feel they belong – nonetheless, Turner & Townsend still has a way to go and we continuously strive for improvements in EDI– , for the well-being of our employees, and for the company as a whole.”
Hargeet: “I would say that Turner & Townsend has a very open culture and is very diverse in hiring. We have at least 50 nationalities in the German office. Moreover, we are proud to highlight our commitment to gender equality, as demonstrated by the nearly equal gender distribution within our workforce, with women constituting 48% of our employees.”
What successes and progress have you achieved so far?
Nadine: “It’s nice to see when the events are well received. The positive feedback shows that the employees appreciate our events very much and also like to participate – because all of our planned events are 100% voluntary. The greatest success for me personally is to see that colleagues also exchange ideas outside of everyday work, discussions are initiated, a dialogue and learning about diverse cultures takes place, and a learning from and with each other develops.”
Hargeet: “So far, we have successfully organised six events. All events were very well received by colleagues, and the number of participants is increasing each time. There were group discussions about the LGBTQIA+ community, the importance of equality in households, and much more; discussions that are important in the work environment.”
What goals and wishes do you have for the future regarding EDI? What do you still want to achieve?
Nadine: “Personally, I have not set any goals at this point. I think if we maintain what we have been doing and continuously strive for improvement, we can also achieve great things together.”
Hargeet: “We are very pleased that we are allowed to draw attention to the EDI topics at Turner & Townsend together with the team. It is very important for us to continue doing this in order to create an inclusive work environment where all employees are welcome and feel comfortable to bring their whole self to work daily.”
