With the support of Lean In, a non-profit organisation that specialises in helping businesses transform through greater respect and understanding of diversity, we all came away with a renewed commitment to putting the power of difference at the heart of what we do and how we do it.

As Simon Harlinghausen, our Managing Director, explains, “For me, the event at Amstelpark was a great success, as it represented yet another step forward in our collective quest to bring people together to continue learning about the positive and lasting benefits of diversity and inclusion.”

“Diversity and inclusion is such a vital part of our business proposition and business performance. We’re connecting our products and services to a global audience, and we need to know how they think and how they feel, so creating a team of global citizens brings out the best in diversity of thinking, innovation and connection.”

The global digital hub of Miele X is at the heart of creating a culture that reflects the global markets that we operate in. Growth is key to success. And our diversity of backgrounds, experience and ideas continue to develop our business, and people, in a way that will benefits us all.

Tanja Antonijevic, our Human Resources Director, recognises that cultivating a diverse workforce is vital to Miele’s ongoing success. “While Miele is an instantly recognised brand, we are always looking to grow,” she says. “To do this, we need to bring in unique approaches and perspectives. Therefore, we need to employ people from a wide variety of different backgrounds, industries and countries.”

“Each employee brings their own individual skills and experiences to the table, collaborating and sharing ideas for the good of the company. We challenge each other to be better,” says Tanja. “To move quicker and see past certain beliefs or ideas that are embedded in our native cultures. By working together in this way, we are literally unlocking a world of opportunities, which is crucial if we want to be leaders in digital innovation.”

The diversity and inclusion workshop was hugely interactive, encouraging us all to participate in an exercise around stereotypes. It gave us the opportunity to talk and listen to other people’s perspectives, helping us challenge the stereotypes associated with different cultures or nationalities. The event was also a great opportunity to get to know and understand our colleagues a little better. After the workshop we enjoyed the surroundings, accompanied by some delicious Thai finger food and our Consent Manager Dionne Chan’s dog who was a very welcome visitor.

Reflecting on the day Dionne said, “Hearing stories from our colleagues during the diversity and inclusion event is a great way to appreciate how your own behaviour can be biased and it enables you to recognise and address it.”

The day taught us a lot about each other and gave us an opportunity to reflect on what we do well as a team and as a business. We have a lot to be proud of, with a fully gender balanced workforce of male and female colleagues. And many of us agree that we haven’t had the opportunity to work somewhere with as much diversity before. We have 40 nationalities here. And somewhere where the values are lived each day. But we know there is much more to be done.

Yali Yu-Bodin, our Country Success Manager, highlighted the importance of living as a diverse and inclusive team every day, “It’s easy to say we're diverse and inclusive, but what does this mean to Miele, the team and to everyone? It’s about being aware that every single one of us needs to put in the work as ambassadors. And understanding the importance on raising awareness on topics where work still needs to be done.”

We are a young organisation with plenty of opportunity for growth and improvement and our new office space will be an opportunity to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our everyday. “To us, an inclusive culture means creating an appetite for learning about the small things that make a huge difference to the diversity of people who work here. Understanding and respecting different religious holidays and festivals, inviting experts in to share their views and thoughts and putting our efforts behind events like Pride. All these small and big things help everyone become more aware of the important things in life to our diverse team” says Tanja.

Growing in this area is an everyday task, we are planning more diversity and inclusion events. Events that will keep the conversation going and equip our employees with the right tools and knowledge to be more inclusive.

We recognise that diverse perspectives contribute to an optimal product. Our mantra 'Immer Besser’, which translates as 'forever better', stems from our long-standing Miele family roots and means we're always looking for ways to be better. So, with diversity and inclusion, we are not just sending out a corporate strategic message but building it into our DNA. Our diverse perspectives help create innovative digital solutions that drive Miele forward in an environment where our people can grow and thrive.

What’s Next? You decide.

At Miele X, we’re proud to employ people from all over the world from a variety of different backgrounds. We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to support diversity and foster a culture of respect and equality, where everybody has a voice. Take a look at our current vacancies.