What is Corporate Social Responsibility? - InnoTrain CSR

strategy can represent a suitable superordinate framework for the Diversity
Management within the company.
But the purpose of Diversity Management is not only to prevent discrimination within
the company and to create equal opportunities. Companies also use Diversity
Management strategically to generate economic advantages. In terms of sales
markets and customer relationships, the diversity of the workforce can make it
possible to address specifically new customer groups with a migratory background
(ethnomarketing) or represent competitive advantages thanks to the retention of
customers by providing a range of multilingual services.
Within the company, the Diversity Management also helps resolve and prevent
conflicts which may have a positive impact on the corporate climate. Companies can
profess to this specifically by nominating a Diversity officer.
Sustainable companies consider demographic developments on the labour market
and in the human resources management ahead of time. For example, Diversity
Management helps them prepare for the idea that they will rely significantly more
heavily on employees with a migratory background in the future against the backdrop
of an increasingly aging workforce and impending lack of skilled workers.
Companies active on the global market require international and intercultural skills on
every hierarchical level. Diverse teams with different perspectives are the best
condition for dynamics and innovation, and it is virtually impossible to fathom an R&D
department in major companies without international cooperation.
Some European Union member states have launched a national "Diversity charter",
giving companies an orientation framework for the implementation of Diversity
Management. In Germany, the "Diversity charter" is a corporate initiative, which
companies can join with the signature from the management and the authorised
agents of the Federal Government for Migration, Refugees and Integration. The
initiative is designed to promote the recognition, respect and integration of diversity in
the corporate culture in that the signatories are asked to create a work environment
free of prejudices. The "Diversity charter" was launched at the end of 2006.
Meanwhile, close to 800 companies and public institutions have joined the initiative.
With the "Diversity charter", the companies as employers are signing for
• valuation and respect of the individual as basis of the corporate culture
• human resources management that does justice to the diverse skills of the
employees
• opportunity thinking about social diversity also outside of the company
• diversity as topic in the internal and external dialogue
• annual reports about the own activities concerning the "Diversity charter"
• integration of the employees for the implementation of the "Diversity charter"
The project "InnoTrain CSR" is organized by GILDE GmbH and has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the
views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. 12/2010
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InnoTrain CSR
www.csr-training.eu