Diversity Management

Diversity management means we openly appreciate, recognize and productively develop the diversity and uniqueness of all our employees. Our goal is to create a working environment in which all employees enjoy equal opportunities for participation and development − regardless of their origin, sex or gender, religion or beliefs, disability, age, gender identity or sexual orientation.  To us, diversity management fundamentally involves taking into account the individual differences and diversity of all employees, overcoming inequalities, and establishing a working and research environment that allows each and every one of us to contribute their individual talents and potential. We believe it is especially important to cultivate a research culture that is characterized by respect, openness and belonging.

At Fraunhofer, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) form part of a holistic approach that systematically combines these factors and incorporates them into all HR and management functions, cutting across dividing lines. As a result, issues relating to diversity are included in strategic initiatives at the outset and integrated into existing structures to help shape inclusive overall conditions. This means that to us, the individual personalities and unique qualities of employees form the focus of a strategy that we implement and continuously further develop through binding goals and targets and need-driven measures aimed at specific target groups.

We advance the cause of diversity, equity and inclusion in four action areas:

• Gender
• Family and lifestyle
• Inclusion and participation of people with disabilities
• “International HR”

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is actively committed to gender equality. Harnessing the full potential of highly qualified scientists and researchers of all genders forms the basis of creativity and innovation and is a key part of our competitive advantage. Fraunhofer has a clearly defined goal of increasing women’s participation at every level of the organization. To this end, we employ a comprehensive concept geared toward promoting fair opportunities and strengthening career development for female scientists. This concept combines targeted measures to recruit female scientists and support their career development with structural approaches including regular monitoring, gender-sensitive communication and a holistic approach to unconscious bias, all with the goal of empowering lasting cultural change.

Equal career opportunities at Fraunhofer

Good work-life balance and respect for diverse lifestyles are highly important in promoting diversity within the organization. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft aims to give all employees the opportunity to introduce as much flexibility as possible into their working lives, in harmony with their personal lifestyles. To that end, it ensures that there are options available to support different lifestyles and continuously further develops these initiatives. We emphasize family-friendly working conditions, support through different stages of people’s lives and certification with the Fraunhofer Family Logo.

Work-life balance at Fraunhofer

To us, inclusion means that people with and without disabilities can work together and conduct research at Fraunhofer naturally and on equal terms. We aim to go beyond integration and identify fields of action and develop very concrete measures to facilitate and promote career entry and collaboration among people with and without disabilities at Fraunhofer.

To promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, it is important to create the right overall conditions. Fraunhofer focuses on four aspects in this regard:

• Accessibility
• Inclusive recruitment and staff development
• Collaborative work and working in networks
• Raising awareness and addressing unconscious bias​​

Inclusion at Fraunhofer

International mobility is becoming increasingly important for science and research at Fraunhofer. International HR work is intended first to support employees who, as part of international projects or collaborations, go abroad for a certain period of time and receive further training in the process. Second, it is intended to help foreign employees settle in, start their work smoothly and become part of Fraunhofer. In this way, global knowledge-sharing and international networking are actively strengthened and expanded.

Charta der Vielfalt − For diversity in the world of work (charta-der-vielfalt.de)

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft promotes equal career opportunities and diversity across all its structures and processes, aiming to eliminate and prevent disadvantages for all genders at every level and in all areas. The objective is to foster a culture and environment that are characterized by respect and appreciation and free from any form of sexual discrimination, harassment or violence.

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With the joint “Inclusion Initiative” of the Allianz science organizations, we actively promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in research and science.

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