“Dare to be yourself, that’s what it’s all about”
Yacintha Mulder is the vibrant helmswoman of Diversity and Inclusion within TAUW. “I am very committed to this work. From the beginning I have been in an internal working group which gives many webinars and workshops to raise awareness.”
The working group Yacintha is talking about has been in existence since 2019. “So we have actually only just gotten started. With the working group we have introduced this important subject and created concrete objectives regarding gender diversity, but of course the topic is much broader. What it is essentially about is: dare to be yourself! Being yourself, daring to be yourself and being allowed to be yourself, no matter your background, age, upbringing or colour.
“It turns out that everyone has subconscious prejudices. That is why it is so important to keep talking about it with each other. Only by discussing it can you really change the corporate culture in this area. In 2021, we raised awareness about Diversity and Inclusion with five online webinars and three workshops. Just under 250 TAUWees have participated in these events. The webinar has also become a regular part of the ontboarding programme for new employees and we will hold a workshop during the upcoming Young@TAUW event. This way we show throughout the company that Diversity and Inclusion is an important theme for TAUW and create a speak up culture.”
In the employee survey, employees generally say they feel at home and safe at TAUW where they can be themselves. “But that’s not the end of it. In terms of gender diversity, men are still over-represented. We at TAUW really have much to gain here. This can be done in large and small steps. For instance, HR increasingly tries to strike a balance between feminine ans masculine words in job ads.” TAUW is also visible externally on this issue. “We are regularly asked to explain how we, a technical engineering firm with a traditionally high proportion of ‘white’ men, approach the issue. We are happy to do so. Not because we think we have a monopoly on truth, but mainly to share knowledge and to get inspired ourselves. You want to be a reflection of society in all respects. This makes you a more pleasant employer and also simply a better company, because your service improves by addressing the questions that arise in society from different perspectives. We are convinced of that!