At BSH, talented people from diverse backgrounds strive towards one common goal: Improving the quality of life at home through our exceptional brands, high-class products, and outstanding solutions. The diversity of our people is one of the keys to our success, making us more innovative, resilient, and creative. Through our campaign “Nominate Your Diversity Champion”, we highlight those who actively foster Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in their daily working lives, and this time, we want to introduce you to a whole team that has been nominated by their peers. Our Category Markets Management Food team from the Product Division Consumer Products is a true role model for cultural diversity. Based in our headquarters in Munich (Germany) and Istanbul (Türkiye), the team consists of ten people from six different nationalities. Hence, different communication styles, work approaches or conflict resolution methods come together, but the team knows how to successfully navigate this and turns their different perspectives into their strengths. Read more about the benefits they see in embracing DEI and learn about their approaches to create a safe space in our interview below.

As a team, how do you feel about being nominated as Diversity Champions and what does the nomination mean to you?

Being nominated as Diversity Champions reinforces our belief in the value of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. It serves as validation that our efforts to create an inclusive environment where every team member feels heard, respected, and valued are making a positive impact.

How do you incorporate the values of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your team?

In our team, we actively incorporate the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), cultivating an environment where everyone feels valued and included. One notable aspect is the rich diversity represented within our Category Markets Management team, with members hailing from Italy, Ukraine, Türkiye, India, Greece and Germany. This diverse composition brings several key benefits to our team and the organization as a whole. Firstly, it fosters a wealth of unique perspectives and experiences, enhancing our problem-solving capabilities and driving innovation. The inclusion of individuals from different cultural backgrounds also promotes a more comprehensive understanding of our global markets, enabling us to navigate challenges with greater insight and adaptability.

Do you think there are certain skills or abilities that you gained by fostering DEI in your workplace? 

The commitment to DEI has instilled in us a sense of adaptability and flexibility, fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces new ideas. Our collaborative efforts within this diverse team have not only honed our ability to work together effectively but have also sparked innovative thinking. The intersection of varied viewpoints has proven to be a breeding ground for creativity and novel solutions.

Being a diverse team surely brings interesting dynamics. Are there certain benefits or even challenges, for example regarding the cultural mentality of colleagues?

Being a diverse team surely brings more advantages than challenges. In terms of benefits, as already said, our diverse cultural backgrounds foster innovative collaboration, offering a range of perspectives that lead to creative solutions. Nevertheless, DEI also presents challenges in terms of understanding and navigating differences in communication styles, work approaches, and conflict resolution methods. These challenges, rooted in diverse cultural mentalities, require a nuanced and respectful approach to ensure effective collaboration and a harmonious work environment. It's an ongoing process of learning, adaptation, and fostering an environment that appreciates and values the strengths that diversity brings to our team.

Do you have any tips for diversifying teams or dealing with onboarding into a diverse team of new colleagues? 

To diversify teams or integrate new colleagues into a diverse environment, consider actively seeking diversity in the recruitment process, providing cultural sensitivity training, implementing mentorship programs, fostering a culture that values diversity, conducting onboarding workshops, including team-building activities, establishing a feedback system for continuous improvement, and ensuring leadership actively supports diversity initiatives. These measures collectively contribute to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all team members.

Finding common ground and gaining trust is essential for teams. How do you go about that? Do you have open discussions to get different viewpoints for example?

Certainly! Building common ground and trust within our team is a priority, and we employ various strategies to achieve this. One approach involves fostering open discussions where team members are encouraged to share their viewpoints and perspectives. By creating an environment that values diverse opinions, we ensure that everyone feels heard and respected. In addition to open discussions, we regularly conduct feedback sessions to gather insights from different members in our diverse team. This allows us to understand individual experiences, preferences, and concerns, enabling us to adapt and refine our collaborative processes continually.