«Set clear and measurable goals and make everyone in the organization accountable for them.»
Andreas Berger, CEO Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Member of the Swiss Re Group Executive Committee
Interview with andreas Berger
«Stronger when equal»: We are all stronger when we are equal. What does that mean for you personally?
We can only live up to our full potential and show the best version of ourselves when we are not defined nor limited by our gender, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. This is true for both our personal and professional lives.
Research confirms that diverse teams perform better compared to homogeneous ones, but of course only if everyone is accepted and treated equally.
What advice for creating an inclusive and diverse work environment would you have liked to receive as a young leader?
Set clear and measurable goals and make everyone in the organization accountable for them. Too often diversity goals are only given to top management. Review progress on a regular basis on the highest level possible (Executive Committee level).
Include DEI in your company culture and offer the required supportive environment (e.g. flexible working arrangements, childcare etc.). No plan or good intention will change anything if employees don’t get the required support.
«I would recommend young parents to raise their kids regardless of their gender – allow them to follow their natural inclination and passion.»
What would you tell young people who would like to have a career and a family? How should we raise our children to achieve gender equality faster?
Plan ahead and discuss with your partner your vision for life together, including roles and responsibilities for your family. This will allow clarity and space to both partners to succeed as parents and professionals.
When it comes to raising your children, having a supportive network (parents, neighbours etc) helps a lot. Don’t be shy to ask for help.
And I would also recommend young parents to raise their kids regardless of their gender – allow them to follow their natural inclination and passion. Be a good role model for them, show them they can be whoever they want to become!
10 years of Advance, on the road with the mission «Gender equality and diversity in the cadres of Swiss business»: What is your wish for progress in gender balance for the next ten years? And how do you see the role of leaders on this journey?
I hope that in 10 years gender equality has become so normal that we don’t even have to talk about it anymore. However, society is not on track to reach SDG 5 (gender equality) by 2030; according to a new report from the UN this might take centuries.
This means it takes a real cultural change – and when it comes to the corporate world, it will dramatically help if all leaders are made accountable for gender equality and have clear goals their measured against.
Swiss Re HAS CHOSEN THE «ADVANCINE» «verwurzelt und verbunden» BY christoph koch
Partner companies of the exhibition could choose an «Advancine» artwork as part of their sponsorship, which will continue to inspire employees, managers and customers alike after the exhibition at the company headquarters.
Discover the artwork «Verwurzelt und Verbunden» by Christoph Koch!
«Verwurzelt und Verbunden»
In conversation with swiss re
How are gender equality and equal opportunities related to the commercial success of your company?
At Swiss Re, we embrace an inclusive culture that brings together the best of different generations, genders, gender identities, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, cultures, skill sets and thinking. We can unleash the motivation and creativity of our employees only if they can be who they are and feel included.
Our business success depends on our ability to create and sustain a culture that builds on diverse teams, encourages fresh perspectives and brings innovative thinking. We draw upon our diversity to understand our clients and markets, develop smarter solutions together and help the world rebuild, renew and move forward.
In this way we work towards our vision to make the world more resilient. A commitment to inclusiveness is therefore fundamental to our organisational performance and part of our Code of Conduct.
Advancing gender equality in business is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do
- Increasing the proportion of women in leadership and overall is critical for organizations’ success.
- A diverse, equitable and inclusive environment contributes to greater innovation and better collaboration.
- We also see that organisations with a gender-balanced workforce are more likely to meet or exceed financial targets, report high performance, and achieve better results.
At Swiss Re, creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for everyone is core to our beliefs, and we’re committed to proactively improving gender equality across the group.
Gender is one of the key priorities of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. While women continue to be underrepresented on executive and senior management levels, we’re actively working to improve the situation.
We are taking dedicated actions to address imbalances in the gender composition of our workforce and to ensure a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace. For example:
actions to address gender imbalances
- We have committed to ambitions for female representation in senior management positions by 2025: 30% for Group Executive Committee Members and 40% for Managing Directors.
- Our Board of Directors has formally committed to increasing the female representation at Board level to at least 30% by 2023.
- In addition, we are working to further enhance equity and inclusion embedded in our core people practices along all stages of the employee lifecycle. For example, this includes more diverse interview panels and equitable pay.
- Our Group Executive Committee is closely monitoring the talent flows in their respective businesses and locations to ensure that all employees, no matter of their gender, are equally equipped and encouraged to succeed in their organisations.
We see that our actions are making a difference and I’m proud to see the measurable progress we’re making, which is critical to attracting diverse talent and to our business success.
what are your most successful measures to balance the gender distribution in management?
Gender promotion ratio
The «Gender Promotion Ratio», or the proportion of women who are promoted into middle or senior management each year is a key internal performance metric for each Group EC member. We’ve exceeded our target in the recent years, which has helped us to move the needle.
Flexible working
Flexible working practices benefit all employees. We recognise that different people have different needs and preferences when it comes to working, and we’re committed to accommodating informal and formal flexible work arrangements. Our «Own The Way You Work» programme motivates and engages high-performance teams by allowing employees to decide how, when and where to carry out their tasks while considering client and team needs, and in compliance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations of their particular region.
Mentoring
«PowHer» is our mentoring programme for women, and it aims at supporting our ambition to attract and retain female talents. Through «PowHer», participants will pair with their mentors to learn, enhance their skills and grow their networks. Currently we have about 80 mentees, and the initiative has helped them to expand their networks, enhance their career paths and inspire to apply and get new roles.
Why did you choose this Advancine artwork? WHAT is THE MESSAGE THAT YOU would like to convey TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND BEYOND?
We chose this statue because we related with the message from the artist that «we are all part of nature» – we do need to stay true to our origins, our roots and our interconnectedness. Each of us is equally powerful and important, so we should never forget where we come from and who we are at our core.
But I think the statue has also an additional meaning. If you look at the Advancine and the roots, you might also get the impression that these very same roots are holding her back and restricting her, which unfortunately still happens to many women who just don’t get the same opportunities as men simply because of their gender. That’s why for me the statue is at the same time a reminder of our same origin but also an encouragement to all women to not let anyone and anything limit them!
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