Giving everyone a voice

Cultural progress through creative thinking and responsible action

“We learn a lot from our involvement,” says Carolina Betancourt, Category Development & Shopper Insights Lead and co-founder of ‘Unidos!’, a network for the Latin American community at Henkel in North America. “We take responsibility, think creatively and develop leadership skills – even if we are not managers in our day-to-day work.”

“It's up to us to decide how to achieve our vision – instead of just doing what we're told. That gives us a completely different motivation,” says Kimberly Ang, Team Manager HRDirect, who works with the ‘Beyond Differences’ group at Henkel in the Philippines to promote cultural and social diversity. This grassroots effect is particularly important for DEI issues: “What is prescribed centrally can be challenging to implement – because the conditions at the various locations are very different.”

The ERGs‘ activities and offers usually follow a practice-oriented approach: “Beyond Differences”, for example, aims to make DEI topics tangible instead of just talking about them. “We promote exchange between people,” says Kimberly. Whether through expert lectures, cross-generational face-to-face sessions or empathy training: “Our team in Manila is very diverse – we want to show that this is precisely our strength. And show ways in which we can make the best use of this strength.”

Facing fears with pride

Whether out of personal concern, experiences in the family or simply the desire to make a difference – the reasons why Henkel employees get involved in ERGs are as diverse as the teams themselves. However, they all have one thing in common: they want to give a voice to those who often remain silent in society. They want to create a place where they feel safe and heard. Because being different – whether from a cultural, physical or social perspective – is still far too often associated with rejection and shame. “I know colleagues who have hidden their background for a long time – because they were afraid it would stand in the way of their professional success,” says Carolina. “Unidos!” wants to tackle this fear with pride. “We celebrate our history and our traditions. Not only Latinos and Latinas are part of the group – also others who are simply interested in our culture.” She is certain that understanding people and their needs ultimately also contributes to the company's success – and not just because diverse teams are demonstrably more innovative: “People with Latin American roots make up a large part of the market we want to serve at Henkel in North America.” 

A point that is also important to Luis in his commitment. As Senior Brand Manager, he develops campaigns for the got2b brand, which is also actively involved in the queer community: “The experience from the network helps us as a brand to be an even better ally for the Pride movement.”