Janina Kugel champions diversity at Siemens Ingenuity Day in UAE

In one of the world’s biggest melting pots, Janina Kugel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, delivered an inspiring speech about the importance of diversity in the workplace. Kugel also highlighted the digital transformation and its potential to disrupt various industries. The executive spoke to employees at the company’s Middle East headquarters in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Her visit coincided with the Siemens Ingenuity Day, which celebrates employees’ diverse cultural backgrounds. The Siemens Ingenuity Day also highlighted the spirit of the UAE’s ‘Year of Zayed’, which stands for tolerance and co-existence.

“Diversity strengthens our innovation capacity, unleashes the potential of Siemens' employees and thereby directly contributes to our business success,” said Kugel. “Diversity is fast becoming a business imperative, and I’m delighted to see it so prominently displayed in the UAE.”

Globally, Siemens employs people from five different generations – from the “Traditionalists” and the “Baby-Boomers” to the Generations X, Y and Z. At the heart of the company’s diversity drive is the conviction that a diverse workforce increases competitiveness and innovation. Recent research by McKinsey&Company shows that companies with more diverse workforces perform better financially. Siemens employs 377,000 people worldwide.

A 'carnival-like' event, Siemens Ingenuity Day creates a space for employees to showcase their culture via country booths, decorations, national dress, performances and traditional food. Close to 1,000 employees from 95 different nationalities actively participated in the event. Organized by the employees, for the employees, it highlights Siemens’ focus on celebrating diversity and ownership culture.

Kugel, who is also Chief Diversity Officer at Siemens, is driving the company’s diversity goals and its efforts in dealing with ‘unconscious bias’. She is also a prominent speaker on topics including the future of work and gender equality.