Diversity – is our strength

The different backgrounds, cultures and religions of our staff are but three factors key to Munich Re’s success because people from different backgrounds contribute an equally varied range of individual skills and strengths. This heterogeneity and our policy of diversity help us achieve our corporate objectives.

Munich Re’s HR planning has long been marked by the diversity of the Group’s workforce. We foster this social diversity by pursuing an HR strategy that takes due account of the principle of equal treatment. Each individual’s personal strength and experience have their part to play in Munich Re’s performance. A key aspect of this process is the combining of these characteristics.

Applying diversity, exploiting our strengths

The diversity of our staff is part and parcel of Munich Re’s corporate culture. Consequently, we will not tolerate discrimination – whether based on age, gender, origin, or similar categories. In fact, equal treatment is enshrined in Munich Re’s codes of conduct. ERGO has appointed a central Equal Opportunities Officer to oversee application of the rules at its office sites in Germany.

ERGO signed the Diversity Charter in 2009, emphasising its commitment to employee diversity. Signatories agree to create a work environment free from prejudice and exclusion. The aim is to ensure that the diverse skills of all staff members are duly respected in the personal working environment.

Gender, age, internationality

In April 2011, following a summit meeting with the four German federal ministers responsible for family issues, employment, the economy and justice, the HR board members of the DAX 30 companies issued a joint statement relating to women in management. The targets have been submitted on 17th October 2011: Munich Re will increase the number of women in management positions for Germany group wide at least to 25% by the end of 2020. Currently the quota stands at 20%.

But to us, as a global player, diversity is about much more than equality. It also involves issues such as demographic and global change. All three factors – gender, age and internationality – are currently the subject of a comprehensive project managed by Munich Re’s international Diversity Council, dedicated to developing Group-wide conditions for corresponding Group-wide management. The first target of the relevant project team, made up of representatives from all the divisional units and MEAG, is to draw up a strategic framework with recommended actions. These will focus on new ideas and initiatives and corresponding changes within the Group.

This also applies to the diversity concept that ERGO is developing on the same issues. The focus was on women and equality in the first half of 2011, whereas the emphasis will be on age and internationality in the second half of the year. This landmark project is being run in close consultation with Munich Re. It will also examine ways of dealing with the consequences of demographic change and the diversity of perspectives in decision making. Here, too, the long-term goal is to take into account as many viewpoints as possible and establish a diversity-management structure which will make the best use of our social-diversity strengths.

“Essentially, our diversity concept is all about accepting the diversity and heterogeneity of our staff as well as respecting them and deploying them where Munich Re can benefit from them on a sustainable basis, both from an economic and social point of view.”

Susan Zdroik, Munich Re America, Manager of the Diversity Project

Equal treatment of persons with disabilities

Equal treatment of persons with disabilities is of special concern to us. Munich Re (reinsurance) in Munich has worked with integration establishments like the Penny Parade Foundation for a number of years. In July 2008, ERGO gave a commitment to take more account of persons with disabilities in its recruitment. ERGO also invests in various training and health programmes for people with disabilities. ERGO in Spain and ERGO Hestia in Poland only employ people with physical disabilities in their call centres. To send an important signal in this special area, ERGO’S Polish subsidiary has also set up a foundation promoting such integrative measures in modern working life.

Munich Re staff by gender

Data relate to Germany and Munich Re’s main offices in North America – these figures cover 65% of Munich Re’s total workforce.

The proportion of men and women employed at Munich Re has stayed at a relatively constant 50% in each case in the past few years.

Percentage of females in management positions at Munich Re

Data relate to Germany and Munich Re’s main offices in North America – on average these figures cover 65% of Munich Re’s total workforce.

Equal opportunities is an important aspect of Munich Re’s human resources policy. The proportion of women in managerial positions in all fields of business has risen in the course of the last few years. The 2010 figure for Munich Re was 22.6%.

Munich Re staff by age

Data relate to Germany and Munich Re’s main offices in North America – on average, these figures cover 57% of Munich Re’s total workforce.