6500

Companies

embrace diversity

To date, around 6,500 companies and institutions employing 14.7 million people have signed the Diversity Charter, making a visible public commitment themselves to a bias-free and appreciative working environment. Older employees make a significant contribution to corporate success through their work and, most notably, their wealth of experience.

… Unternehmen setzen ganz gezielt auf Vielfalt.

BDA Arbeitgeber – Arbeit Made In Germany. Foto: Adobestock WavebreakmediaMicro

©AdobeStock / WavebreakMediaMicro

Older employees make a significant contribution to corporate success through their work and, most notably, their wealth of experience.

Companies value the expertise of older employees

The strong interest among companies in employing older workers is reflected in the fact that the employment rate of people aged 55 to under 65 has doubled since 2000 – from 37% to 75% (Eurostat, 2025). With the exception of Estonia, the Czech Republic and Sweden, no other EU country has such a high employment rate among older people. More than twice as many people as 25 years ago continue working past reaching retirement age.

For them, enjoyment of work or the desire for a meaningful activity and social interaction are more important than financial considerations (Romeu Gordo et al., 2022). Through age resilient HR policies, companies aim to retain older employees in the workforce for as long as possible.

Age‑diverse teams perform particularly well when dealing with complex tasks. Tandem models pairing older and younger employees help ensure that implicit knowledge remains within the company while at the same time demonstrating appreciation for the expertise of older employees and the digital skills of younger ones. These tandems strengthen the retention of apprentices and young employees, while older staff benefit from the skills of “digital natives”.

©AdobeStock / Bonninstudio/Stocksy

Companies integrating workers and skilled professionals from abroad

Employing foreign workers is a key factor in securing a stable workforce and skilled staff. Through targeted management training programmes, mentoring schemes and the strategic use of multinational teams, companies promote integration and diversity and thus strengthen Germany’s attractiveness as a place to work for skilled professionals from abroad. Multicultural teams open up new markets and enhance companies’ appeal as potential business partners.

For (digital) skilled professionals, German companies remain among the most attractive employers worldwide. Germany ranks first among non‑English‑speaking countries and is the most attractive destination within the EU (BCG, 2024).

Inclusion is a reality in German companies

The inclusion of people with disabilities in the labour market is not only a task for society as a whole but also makes sound business sense. Companies are actively committed to training, employing and sustainably reducing unemployment among people with disabilities. The fact that well over one million people with severe disabilities are in employment attests to this commitment (Federal Employment Agency, 2025). Increasingly, companies are focusing on the potential of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. When placed in suitable roles, people with disabilities are fully productive employees who often perform their tasks with exceptional motivation. They therefore represent a significant added value for both corporate culture and business success.

The diversity of corporate approaches is regularly showcased at the presentation of the → Inclusion Award for Business

Companies challenge stereotypes

Valuing and consciously making use of the diversity of gender specific characteristics, behaviours and preferences is another key dimension of diversity. An increasing number of women are in employment. The employment rate of women aged 20 to 64 has risen significantly in recent years to 77% and is now nearly on a par with men at 84% (Federal Employment Agency, 2025). Women are also returning more quickly to longer working hours after family related career breaks and are increasingly represented at management levels within companies – even without rigid statutory regulation or quotas. This demonstrates that the efforts made by businesses are bearing fruit. Employers therefore support, for example, initiatives that actively promote career choices free from gender stereotypes (such as the Klischeefrei initiative). A large number of companies are also active in national networks aimed at attracting more women into technical professions (e.g. MINT vernetzt – a network for STEM professions).

We demand:

Better framework conditions to prevent labour shortages

To safeguard prosperity and competitiveness in the long term, decisive reforms are now needed to ensure that all workfroce potential can be fully utilised, for example by:

  1. Securing future talent through improved career guidance and strengthening the dual vocational training system
  2. Modernising working time frameworks to allow for greater flexibility
  3. Making longer working lives more attractive
  4. Enabling more labour migration and preventing emigration

This applies to:

  1. Domestic potential, such as women (→ BDA position paper)
  2. Older people (→ BDA position paper)
  3. Potential from abroad (→ BDA position paper Key Demands for Increased Immigration into Employment and Training, 2025).

In all areas, we must seek new solutions with an open mind. Both employees and employers are called upon to act, as are the Federal Government, the federal states, and municipalities. Which areas require swift action is outlined → here.

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