8 March is International Women's Day, a global celebration of women's achievements and progress, and a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equality.
CWS Hygiene's core belief is simple but powerful: be yourself, value and respect others. The company envisions a workplace where all employees bring their unique experiences and backgrounds to the table. It's not just about being fair - it's about making business better. Diversity fosters innovation, motivates teams and improves the quality of decisions.
CWS's commitment to DEI was strengthened in 2020 by setting concrete targets, publishing a diversity policy and joining the EU Diversity Charter.
Skills matter - not gender
The current overall representation of women at CWS Hygiene is 30%. At specialist level, the company achieves 46% and 1/3 of senior management positions are held by women. While this is a good start, especially given the historically male-dominated job profiles, the company is striving for more. CWS Hygiene's goal is to reach 50% female representation at all levels.
The finance team is already leading the way, with more than 60% women in the management team, including CFO, Angelika Zacher. She states, "I am committed to creating a truly inclusive finance community for everyone to thrive in." Beyond finance, there are positive changes in various departments. Female service drivers are employed, as are women in logistics and warehouses. Within CWS Hygiene, women are responsible for technical service or work as country manager. Anja Hage, Head of Strategy and Transformation, highlights the abundance of female role models within the company: "I see a lot of female role models at CWS Hygiene who show the young girls in this world: You can be anything you want to be. Your skills matter, not your gender."
Celebrating International Women's Day is a good reminder to fully create a workplace where diversity is celebrated, equity is upheld, and inclusion is the norm. Together, CWS Hygiene envisions a future where everyone, regardless of gender (or age, or nationality, or disability) can grow and contribute to a better tomorrow.
