Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 162

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5 | Sustainability | Human Resources
Our new “FacTS” support program offers highly talented staff
from technical fields the opportunity to further their careers.
This pilot program was launched in 2012 with an initial group
of 20 participants at four company locations in Germany.
Diversity management. We have launched a variety of
activities as part of our diversity management initiative. They
range from diversity workshops and mentoring programs
to the establishment of employee networks. Our commitment
to such activities underscores our determination to make
diversity a value factor in our human resources processes and
our corporate culture. Our main goals at the moment are
to increase the proportion of women in managerial positions
(gender diversity), raise intercultural awareness and promote
effective generation management.
Our instruments for supporting the targeted promotion of
women include flexible working-time models, childcare facilities
close to work and special mentoring programs. Daimler has
committed itself to increasing the proportion of women in senior
management positions throughout the Group to 20% by 2020.
The proportion of women in such positions has continually risen
over recent years and reached almost 12% by the end of last
year (2011: 10%). As a technologically oriented company, when
we defined our targets we took into account industry-specific
conditions as well as the current proportion of women at Daimler
AG (14.4%) and at the Daimler Group (16.2%).
In order to enhance intercultural awareness, we organize
special regional diversity conferences. In 2012, these events
took place in South Africa; Portland, Oregon (USA); and
Singapore. Additional measures in this context include training
programs and workshops on intercultural cooperation, inter-
national job assignments and the targeted recruitment of employ-
ees and managers with an international background. Our
networking efforts also make an important contribution to the
further internationalization of our workforce.
Flexible working arrangements. Increasingly volatile markets
are making it ever more important to establish flexible working
arrangements that allow us to exploit market opportunities
and reduce risks. Within the framework of our human resources
and employment strategy, we utilize instruments such as
flexible working-hour models, working-time account management
systems, personnel rotations and temporary work programs.
Working-time accounts in particular make it possible to variably
distribute working time in line with workload fluctuations
and the needs of individual employees. Temporary work enables
the company to react quickly and flexibly to fluctuations
in demand, and therefore to safeguard the core workforce.
A “thank you” to our workforce. This year too, the Daimler
Board of Management would once again like to thank all
the members of the workforce for their commitment. The perfor-
mance and dedication of our employees enabled us to make
2012 a successful business year, even though the economy
weakened as the year progressed. We can expect to face various
business challenges in the future as well. However, we are
convinced that our employees’ motivation and expertise will
remain the most important assets of our company. Building
on this foundation, we will be able to achieve long-term success
and cope with any difficult market conditions that we
encounter.
We would also like to thank the employee representatives
for their commitment and constructive cooperation in the
past year.
Apprenticeships at Daimler include “green technology modular elements” on electric drive systems and lightweight construction.