Mercedes 2008 Annual Report Download - page 115

Sustainability |Human Resources |111
Activities for the implementation of our diversity-manage-
ment strategy. Diversity management at Daimler takes into
account the diversity of our employees in the most extensive man-
ner possible in order to ensure the Group’s success. Our goal
is to be one of the most highly respected automakers with regard
to diversity management by 2010. In line with this aim, we will
continue and expand our diversity-management program, which
was launched in 2005. In addition to gender-specific issues,
as of 2009 we will also focus on the dimensions of “international
scope” and “generations.” We also continue to work towards
increasing the percentage of women in executive management
positions by 2020, from the current level of about 7.6% to 20%.
With corresponding target corridors, or aspirational guidelines, our
divisions and functional departments have therefore determined
annual targets in terms of the percentage of women in executive
management positions. Worldwide, we are striving to achieve
an increase of one percentage point annually. For employees cov-
ered by collective bargaining agreements, we are setting targets
to apply throughout Germany. The company agreement “Promo-
tion of Women” sets a target corridor of 12.5-15% women in the
workforce of Daimler AG in Germany by 2010.
Training programs ensure long-term competitiveness. Voca-
tional training and professional development are extremely
important factors for sustained corporate success. In an effort
to improve job prospects for young people and to safeguard
our long-term competitiveness, we employed 7,929 apprentices
in Germany at year-end 2008 (2007: 7,945) and 9,603 world-
wide (2007: 9,300). In addition, we support life-long learning with
numerous programs. The Daimler Corporate Academy provides
training for Group employees and executives from all divisions, in
accordance with uniform, worldwide Daimler standards.
Securing and promoting young talent. In 2008, our CAReer
training program addressed the interests of young people with
technical skills, with a particular focus on career opportunities
for women. We managed to recruit 400 young people through the
CAReer training program, with female participants accounting
for 38% of the total.
In 2009, once again we intend to offer attractive career opportu-
nities to more than 500 management trainees, while recruiting
highly qualified young people through CAReer for employment at
our locations worldwide. In 2008, Daimler launched a targeted
initiative for promoting personnel with talent and high potential.
The aim is to gain talented young people for specialist and man-
agement positions at all levels and to ensure their development.
A “thank you” to our workforce. The Board of Management
thanks all of Daimler’s employees for their commitment and
achievements. In the second half of 2008 in particular, staff in
production and production-related areas had to display a high
degree of flexibility. To strengthen the Group for the future, such
capabilities will also be required in the time ahead of us. In this
context, we rely on constructive cooperation with the employee
representatives and we thank them for their efforts.
We support the combination of career and family: for example by expanding Daimler’s nurseries for young children up to the age of three.