Diversity and Inclusion

Openness, equal opportunities and mutual respect are core values of our corporate culture.

Because the working environment in the individual countries, plants and teams at thyssenkrupp is just as diverse as our roughly 98,000 employees worldwide. And that's a good thing.

Innovation requires openness and curiosity for diverse approaches to solutions. The more perspectives, the better. That's why we see diversity in our workforce as an enrichment that we encourage and support at every level – it is a lever for better performance.

All employees should be able to develop freely and to their full potential at our company – regardless of origin, gender, skin color, religious beliefs, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity or other characteristics. When all employees are able to be their authentic selves, they are happier, healthier and more productive.

We manage our efforts within a dedicated Diversity and Inclusivenes department, whose head reports directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer Wilfried von Rath.

We live diversity and inclusion throughout the HR lifecycle. This starts with recruiting, which we design in such a way that all applicants feel addressed in our job advertisements, but also that all have fair opportunities due to the design of the application process. We also ensure this by designing the placement process accordingly during the rest of the career.

The segments and our employee networks (e.g. the women's network wow!, the LGBTQIA+ network, the tk Turkish Community, the women's network women@MX) are represented in our cross-segment Diversity Tribe, in which and with which there is regular exchange and cooperation on diversity issues. In addition, our guidelines on diversity are set out in our Code of Conduct and, in the future, in a Diversity Policy.

And because diversity can be stressful at first and we all have prejudices, we offer awareness training for our managers and employees that addresses topics such as "unconscious bias" or microagressions.

We at thyssenkrupp are fully committed to the United Nations International Bill of Human Rights and the UN Standards of Conduct for Business, are signatories to the Diversity Charter, the statement "TOGETHER AGAINST SEXISM AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT!", and we engage ourselves as PROUT EMPLOYER as a member of the PROUT AT WORK-foundation.

Diversity is a success factor. The more diverse the teams, the more successful we can be. We learn from each other and benefit from the creativity and productivity that diversity brings. Every day.

Barbara Thiel
Head of Diversity and Inclusion, thyssenkrupp AG

Diversity is #GENERATIONTK

We are young and old, born or moved here, we have studied, trained or started out as career changers. Each employee is unique and makes us strong – to make a difference. Together.

Compatibility of career and family

Compatibility of career and family

Compatibility of career and family

Work is a big part of our lives. At the same time, we must not forget the other part. A healthy balance between work and private life is important to us. That's why work-life balance is an integral part of our diversity management.

Flexible working time models and hybrid working in particular are playing an increasingly important role here. Currently, we are increasingly switching to hybrid working wherever this is possible from an operational perspective: Working at home, on the move or in the office is becoming an integral part of flexible employment and working time models at thyssenkrupp (as part-time training, for example also). In 2021, thyssenkrupp already defined mobile and flexible working in the "Agenda for Hybrid Working". The guidelines described there are being developed and implemented locally.

When it comes to childcare, we support our employees with a wide range of services, e.g. professional support free of charge to help them find suitable daycare places or arrange childminders, "surrogate grandparents" or babysitters and au pairs/spare tutors. Vacation care programs are also included. In addition, the thyssenkrupp company childcare centers "Miniapolis" in Essen & "Stahlsternchen" in Duisburg offer year-round care for children from the age of four months until they start school.

In the Corona pandemic, our free homework and tutoring services have been and continue to be increasingly used, which can be an important help, especially in times of simultaneous home office and home schooling.

In addition to childcare, we also offer our colleagues help in other challenging life situations, such as caring for family members or in times of psychosocial crisis.

Diversity in companies pays off

Diversity is not only good for employees, but also for the company. Studies prove it: Where there is diversity, the working atmosphere is better - and the business profit is higher. Diversity is a success factor that should not be underestimated.

Balancing act between family and leadership position

As a young working mum, the Hungarian manages the balancing act between her family and a demanding job. Her motto is “There is always a solution” for a reason.

#PrideMonth22 - For a work environment where no one has to hide

To mark Pride Month, we talked to Barbara Thiel, Head of Diversity and Inclusiveness at thyssenkrupp, about diversity and tolerance in the work-place.

Driving inclusion with passion and dedication

Rita is responsible for the disabled employees’ representative body at thyssenkrupp Materials Services - voluntarily, alongside her job in accounting.

thyssenkrupp takes a stand against sexism

thyssenkrupp is against all forms of sexism and discrimination and has therefore also signed the "Joint Declaration against Sexism and Sexual Harassment" to demonstrate both internally and externally that we have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.

“Diversity is the key to success”

With her gift for languages Isabel Valles works as Head of Internal Audit at thyssenkrupp AG segments Automotive and Corporate.

#PrideMonth22 – Seeing differences as opportunities

To mark Pride Month, we talked to Barbara Thiel, Head of Diversity and Inclusiveness at thyssenkrupp, about diversity and tolerance in the work-place.

Fostering people with disabilities

Fostering people with disabilities

Fostering people with disabilities

In 2015 thyssenkrupp made an explicit commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities in a declaration and sees this as a special corporate obligation. The aim is to make it easier for people with disabilities to join thyssenkrupp and to support them so that all people can participate and belong in society on an equal footing. Around 3,250 people with disabilities currently work at the thyssenkrupp in Germany (as of 12/2024).

Throughout the company, severely disabled employees are supported by an elected representative who – together with the works council and the employer's inclusion officer – ensures that full use is made of employment opportunities for severely disabled colleagues in line with their abilities and disabilities, as well as providing assistance in contact with the authorities, for example.

For the third time the thyssenkrupp internal "WIR für Inklusion (WE for inclusion)" award was also presented to recognize outstanding project work. This is not just about major workplace conversions (such as special lifting aids, work aids or a special glare shield). Small and special solutions for individual employees are also in demand.

The award-winning projects often address current social challenges, such as the additional provision of training places for young refugees or measures in the context of the Corona pandemic.

Pride @thyssenkrupp

Pride @thyssenkrupp

LGBTQIA @ thyssenkrupp

thyssenkrupp's claim is clear: We want to create a working environment in which all employees are treated equally – regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. No one should have to hide these for fear of reactions in the workplace. Because only those who are not busy hiding them feel comfortable and can develop their full potential.

Since 2016, a network of now around 100 employees has been campaigning for the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, queer, intersexual and asexual people at thyssenkrupp. The members provide education, raise awareness of LGBTQIA+, reduce prejudice and create tolerance. But they are not alone in these efforts. Oliver Burkhard, CHRO at thyssenkrupp, is involved as patron of the network. The network actively supports the Human Resources Management and especially Diversity & Inclusion department with its expertise and resources, e.g. in adapting HR processes, preparation of a "Gender Transition Guide” or training courses, but also in organizing events such as thyssenkrupp's participation in Christopher Street Day.

In the meantime, an Pride network has also been established at thyssenkrupp Steel, which focuses in particular on industrial employees and plans and carries out joint activities in cooperation with the existing thyssenkrupp Pride network.

In addition to our internal efforts, we also clearly position ourselves externally. For example, thyssenkrupp joined the PROUT AT WORK foundation in 2016 and has been PROUT EMPLOYER ever since.

Senior Experts @thyssenkrupp

Senior Experts @thyssenkrupp

At thyssenkrupp, the experience and expertise of our retired employees is not only valued but also built upon. That's why retired employees can return to work at thyssenkrupp on a temporary basis at Senior Experts GmbH, supporting our businesses with their valuable know-how. Age and experience are a clear added value! As a small element of our HR work, we also want to successfully counter the shortage of skilled labor with older experts. That's why thyssenkrupp is also a member of "Das Demographie Netzwerk e.V. (ddn)".