102
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2018
© Ludo Swinnen
Ludo Swinnen, RBI AG, Retail
Sales & Distribution, Co-founder
East meets West
”With the Diversity 2020 initiative, RBI
shows that it takes diversity seriously and
does not leave it with good intentions.
After the topics ‘Empowerment of Women‘
and ’Disability‘ started her with the more
difficult topic of LGBTI – difficult because
of the need to explain to employees why
this is an essential part of diversity
strategy. Since then a lot has happened.
The business resource group ‘Embrace’,
initiated by a diversity ambassador of the
LGBTI community, is driving the topic
forward. A three-page article on LGBTI, in
which LGBTI employees and Straight
Allies made very personal statements about
the difference that an inclusive LGBTI
workplace can make, not only for those
affected, but also for RBI as an employer,
was published in the employee magazine
Raiffeisen Inside. The current online training
on unconscious bias also supports LGBTI
inclusion. In this way, we not only create an
open and better working atmosphere
for LGBTI employees, but for all our
employees. We must admit that we did not
opt for the easy path, but we believe that
creating a culture that embraces LGBTI will
increase RBI‘s innovativeness, make it a
more attractive place to work for new talent
and enhance its brand image.”
quote
The second diversity topic that we are focusing on
is the inclusion of people with disabilities. For this
reason, disability ambassadors were appointed from
all board areas. The aim of the RBI AG project is to
break down inhibitions, generate awareness, increase social skills
and employ more qualified employees with disabilities.
RBI AG participated in the myAbility disability talent program in
2018. The Risk and Group Planning & Finance departments held
shadowing days for students with disabilities for the first time. The
program resulted in the appointment of one employee to our
company. We also intend to give people on the autism spectrum
an opportunity at our company in the future. The first workshops
and job interviews with Specialisterne, an association specializing
in the placement of people on the autism spectrum, have already
taken place.
In order to improve awareness, we also organized a Sensing
Journey as part of the first edition of DIVÖRSITY, the Austrian Days
of Diversity (see page 91). In 2018, a strategy check on disability
was conducted in conjunction with myAbility. This was be
completed in early 2019. Our aim is to optimize our program of
measures, make it even more targeted and comprehensive, and
define our objectives in greater detail.
RBI AG is a member of the DisAbility Business Forum of
.
In 2018, sexual orientation was added as a third
dimension of the “Diversity 2020” initiative. The
activities were initiated by a diversity ambassador
from the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual,
Intersex) community.
The business resource
group “Embrace”,
comprising members of
the LGBTI community
and straight allies
(heterosexual people
who actively support
LGBTI), was formed in
2018.
It has the aim of increasing awareness of LGBTI, promoting
inclusion and enabling a working atmosphere in which no one
has to fear being disadvantaged on account of their sexual
orientation.