FAQS
What is the goal of BeyondGenderAgenda?
Our goal is to anchor diversity and an inclusive work environment integrally in the DNA of listed and medium-sized companies. We want to ensure equal opportunities for senior executives regardless of gender, ages, cultural and social backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity when it comes to staffing executive and supervisory board mandates. The aim is to establish a change of culture involving politics, society and economy.
How did Vicky come up with the idea of starting a DE&I network?
Through her strategy consultancy ALTERNATIVLOS, Vicky works with top executives and helps them grow their influence and positioning in order to take the next step on the career ladder. Through this experience (along with her longstanding career), she realized that there was not only a lack of access and opportunities for many female-identifying leaders, but for others that fall within various diversity dimensions. And with that, Vicky decided to not only create a network to break the “glass ceiling” that women face, but one that works on supporting all individuals who are part of communities that have been, and continue to be, overlooked, left out, and not given equitable opportunities in the business world.
How long do you want to be involved?
We are fully committed to furthering diversity, equity and inclusion until diversity in business and society is valued and all individuals are given equitable opportunities when companies are filling executive and supervisory board positions.
What does diversity mean?
In Germany, gender is usually thought of when referring to diversity, but diversity goes well beyond gender—it is a full range of dimensions that includes, not only Gender, but Disability, Generation, Ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, and Social Mobility. At BGA, we are working to broaden how German companies, and society, defines and views diversity, so that it can truly become a valued and crucial part of our economy.
What does inclusion mean?
In the common German usage, inclusion has come to mean the integration of people with disabilities. However, it is much more than that. Inclusion is what makes real participation possible within a group or structure. More than simply diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging.
What is diversity management?
Diversity management is the endeavor to utilize the diversity of people for the competitiveness and creativity of the entire company and to prevent discrimination against underrepresented groups.
Do you perceive other networks and initiatives as competitors?
Not at all. We believe that it will take countless companies, organizations, and individuals working together to create a more diverse and inclusive economy, and so the more initiatives and networks there are committed to diversity and equal opportunities, the better. We are open and committed to cooperation and are happy to make our contribution through networking and joint activities to make Germany more diverse and inclusive.
What makes you different from other initiatives and networks?
BeyondGenderAgenda is an initiative for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and advocates for equal opportunities for all managers and top executive positions. And as a digital initiative, we offer our platform, together with our community, to promote DE&I in a way that attracts public attention, cultivates meaningful dialogue, uplifts innovative ideas, and as a result, bring about cultural change.
Quota - yes or no?
BeyondGenderAgenda believes diversity and inclusion should be on the agenda of the German economy and wants to anchor them integrally in the DNA of companies and through positive examples, resources, and suggestions on how equal opportunities and participation can be successfully implemented in day-to-day business, we hope that companies come to create changes on their own. But if all efforts do not lead to the desired cultural change in business, politics and society, then we do support quotas as methods for change. Our advisory councils and ambassadors may disagree, but we at BGA hold this belief within our own organization.
Are there personal meetups?
BeyondGenderAgenda is an exclusively digital initiative, therefore we do not hold personal meetups. However, we have an active and growing digital community so please feel free to use all digital opportunities to exchange ideas comments, ratings, articles, videos or podcasts with us and our community.
How can I get involved?
Anyone can join our initiative and community simply by personally advocating for diversity and inclusion. We invite anyone who is passionate about this work to campaign for our topics on your own channels and share content from BeyondGenderAgenda channels, where you can also interact with our posts, videos and podcasts. If you would like to get involved in a more formal role, you can also initiate a partnership with BeyondGenderAgenda through your company. Here you can inquire a strategic partnership.
We also offer ambassador membership for private individuals. This form of membership also enables private individuals to get involved on behalf of BeyondGenderAgenda for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
What do you expect from your partner companies?
We expect our partner companies to be committed to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and to be seriously and credibly working to promote the topic within their own organization and in public. If you would like to become a partner of BeyondGenderAgenda with your company, feel free to contact us. Here you can inquire a strategic partnership.
What does the BGA advisory board do?
Our advisory board members act as ambassadors for BGA and for the topic of DE&I, both internally (within their own company) and externally in public. They also play a great role in informing our work and connecting to some of Germany’s largest companies, so that we can create change. Our advisory board members are actively committed to diversity and inclusion and thus contribute individually, and through their partner companies, to cultural change within politics, society, and the economy.
How do you become a member of your advisory board?
We are very purposeful when it comes to selecting our advisory board members and take a variety of qualifications into consideration when inviting individuals to join. So BGA will reach out directly to perspective boad members and invite them to a personal exchange. If both the individual addressed and the company behind them are interested in promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and supporting BGA’s mission, a new and impactful partnership is created and they will join our board. Companies alone can also become partners of BeyondGenderAgenda without having an individual staff member on our board. Here you can inquire a strategic partnership.