‘Studies show that companies that embrace diversity are more creative, more resilient and more successful’

One year as Chief Cultural Officer at Funke: What were your to-do's in the first few weeks?

Communication, communication, communication. Something new requires a lot of words - but then it also requires action. My recommendation would be to get to work immediately. In addition to developing a cultural mission statement, I developed and proposed a measure within the first four weeks that we were able to implement quickly: family start time, i.e. ten days' paid leave for the birth of a child. I wanted to start off by offering something for men so that people wouldn't immediately say that this is only about promoting women. It's not - and never has been: women don't need to be supported, it's enough not to put any obstacles in their way. We'll find our own way. But back to the dads, and why it's important to look after them: The European Centre for Economic Research and Strategy Consulting published in 2024 that 450,000 fathers in Germany have already changed employers due to a lack of work-life balance, and 770,000 are currently thinking about it. These are huge turnover costs, not to mention the loss of a good colleague. It would therefore be very far-sighted to look after parents.

Equality, inclusion, diversity, equal opportunities regardless of origin - when it comes to culture, there are countless issues in companies. In your experience, what is the biggest obstacle to cultural change?

That a) many people have not yet accepted the fact that Germany has long been a country of immigration and b) employers will have to apply to employees in future instead of the other way round. Is nobody looking at the demographic change?

Does an investment in a diverse corporate culture also pay off economically?

Very. According to studies, companies that embrace diversity are more creative, more resilient and ultimately more successful. This is basically the answer when an employee - almost understandably - asks: What do I gain as a white, healthy, well-educated person from standing up for more justice for the less privileged? What do I care about the fairness approach? Why does this concern me as a non-minority group? Because it's about the success of the company. Mission for ego. If we improve the overall conditions, we can all contribute much more potential and thus have a clear competitive advantage. We increase our innovation capabilities and our productivity. Moreover, without culture everything is nothing. We know Peter Drucker's saying: ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ No matter how good your strategy is, if it doesn't meet an open culture that is ready for change, it will fail. A positive corporate culture is therefore a fundamental driver of change processes and cannot be valued highly enough for the success of a company.

In a nutshell: What steps do companies need to take to start a corresponding transformation process?

Step 1: Want it. Step 2: Do it. Honestly, it's not rocket science to create the best conditions for everyone. Empowering a minority does not mean less power for the majority. That's just always the fear behind it. We define diversity as a positive alternative to exclusion and unequal treatment; it's about giving everyone the same opportunities and bringing perspectives into our organisation that we currently lack. We need this not only to reflect social reality, but also to tap into new target groups.

Were there any experiences that personally influenced you to dedicate yourself to the topic of cultural change?

Yes, a few. But even without them, I would be convinced that a fair working life and a healthy company climate should be the goal and responsibility of every employer.

Thank you very much for the interview.