Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our markets and products are diverse, and so are our people. At Henkel, we pursue a holistic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ‏(DEI) approach, with a particular focus on the dimensions gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and generations. Henkel has the aspiration to significantly drive progress across all these dimensions. In 2007, Henkel was one of the first German DAX companies to establish a dedicated global diversity team. Today, diversity, equity and inclusion ‏(DEI) is deeply anchored in the company strategy and corporate culture. To foster this in all areas of the company and to put it into action, the company has also established a company-wide DEI network which works collaborative across all departments and regions.

Gender

• Henkel has set itself the ambition to reach gender parity across all management levels by 2025. The company aims to reach 40 percent female representation on top management, which means a significant step-up, and 50 percent on lower to middle management, laying the foundation and filling the pipeline for future leadership positions. 
• With this ambition, Henkel backs its clear commitment to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization with concrete ambitions and actions.
• Over recent years, Henkel has steadily increased the proportion of women in management positions. Today, the level has reached 38 percent.
• To strive for more gender diversity, Henkel will further accelerate its programs and measures along the whole employee lifecycle – from recruitment to development and retention. This includes gender inclusive recruitment and talent attraction, a thoroughly monitored promotion and succession plan, intensive internal upskilling on diversity, unconscious bias trainings and inclusion programs, expanding new working formats such as shared or part-time leadership roles, as well as further leveraging Henkel’s numerous mentoring and networking initiatives for diversity worldwide.

Internationality and origin

• With employees from a total of 79 countries and 124 nationalities, cultural diversity is a part of everyday working life at Henkel. 
• About 85 percent of our employees work outside of Germany.
• In 2021, the share of sales from emerging markets equaled 41 percent.
• An international workforce composed of people with different cultural backgrounds is important in a global company like Henkel, as it enables us to develop an understanding of our markets. 
• To address the challenges of mixed teams, we offer intercultural training and workshops to raise awareness of different value systems and their influence on daily actions. Henkel also encourages international transfers within employees’ career paths.
• We live up to our roots as a family business and embrace our diversity to foster a culture of belonging, trust and respect in which everyone feels included.
• We recognize and engage the individual's full potential to ensure an equitable, healthy and high performing organization.
• We value our employees' and stakeholders' diversity as the key factor for our success.
• In our HR policy, we pursue what we call a “Triple Two Philosophy.” Triple Two means that in the course of their career, managers are offered the opportunity to gain experience in at least two functions, countries and business units.

Sexual Orientation

• Henkel strives to create a working environment that is open to all people regardless of their sexual orientation or identity. 
• Henkel has LGBTQ+ networks in several countries and raise awareness of the issue through a range of events and activities. For instance on “Pride Month” or “Coming Out Day”, the company signals its support for the LGBTQ+ community with internal and external contributions and activities. 
• Since 2021, Henkel has also been a member of Out Leadership, a global LGBTQ+ business network that offers insights and information on LGBTQ+ issues and key tools for companies and employees to promote equality.

Generations:

• At Henkel, four generations – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Y and Z – work together under the same roof.
• The company promotes life-long learning across all generations through appropriate training measures. For instance through mentoring and employee networks in different business units and countries, Henkel promotes knowledge transfer and an exchange of perspectives between experienced and less experienced employees.
• Henkel also offers employees of all generations a wide range of programs for maintaining physical and mental health. The company’s social services also help to provide support to employees facing challenges at different stages of their lives such as when they take on responsibility for relatives in need of care.

People with disabilities:

• At Henkel, we foster a culture of inclusion that focuses on the skills and individual talents of people with disabilities. 
• Through targeted programs, including in our emerging markets, Henkel strives to offer everybody the same opportunities while always focusing on a personʼs individual strengths rather than their limitations.