‘Diversity & Inclusion’ is a key part of ISS’s corporate strategy. D&I focuses on five dimensions: generations and age; cultures, background and ethnicity; sexual orientation; abilities and disabilities; and gender equality. The year 2022 is all about ‘gender balance’. Julia Braun, Director of People & Culture, explains why D&I is not an end in itself, but a business decision.
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Julia Braun, Director of People , and Culture, and a member of the Executive Board at ISSSwitzerland
Julia Braun has headed the People & Culture division since 2021 and is a member of the Executive Board. With 12,000 employees, ISS is one of the ten largest private employers in the country. Prior to joining ISS, Julia Braun held various global HR leadership roles at publicly traded corporations in Switzerland and Austria. Her credentials include an Executive MBA from the Business School Lausanne and a MAS/MSc in Human Resources & Organizational Development.
Julia Braun, many companies are currently championing concepts such as diversity & inclusion, gender balance, and similar issues. How does ISS Switzerland ensure that gender equality doesn’t remain just a buzzword?
At ISS Switzerland, 65 percent of our workforce is female. As an employer in a highly competitive job market, we must focus on the needs of these female employees. But our goals and measures aren’t just about women: We want to be an attractive employer in all areas and for all genders. That’s why, for example, we offer work schedules ranging from 20 to 100 percent, which can be scheduled during the middle of the day or during off-peak hours. This benefits not only women, but also parents in general.
ISS Switzerland is a founding member of “EqualVoice United” and signed the “UN Women’s Empowerment Principles” in February. Why is ISS taking such an active role in this issue right now?
ISS Switzerland has long been committed to gender balance and is well-positioned in this area. With the launch of our global corporate strategy, this issue is once again being prioritized and brought into sharp focus. With the new strategy, we’re setting clear, ambitious, and measurable goals - both globally and locally. Furthermore, gender balance is an integral part of our business strategy. We work with many large, global companies that share these same goals. There are numerous points of connection here, as well as ideas on how we can support our clients in this area. And believe me, these days you can’t participate in any RFP and ignore this issue!
ISS wants to become more attractive to female employees and female executives. Should men be concerned?
No, absolutely not! We don’t want to exclude anyone. But that also applies to women in leadership positions. The goal is to raise and sharpen awareness that diverse teams are more successful. In areas where women are significantly underrepresented, we will certainly focus on recruiting them - always provided they have the same qualifications. But that, too, is a business decision.
EqualVoice | UN Women’s Empowerment
Equal Opportunities Are Better Opportunities
Gender equality has been enshrined in the Swiss Constitution for more than 40 years. Much has been achieved since then, but it is still not enough. That is why ISS Switzerland is committed to the “EqualVoice United” initiative as a founding member. The specific goals and measures for the current year have now been established.
“EqualVoice United” was launched by the media company Ringier. In addition to ISS Switzerland, participating companies include Bank Cler, eBay, the Insel Group, Mastercard, Migros, Oerlikon, Swiss Post, and Sunrise/UPC. The initiative aims to advance gender equality in the Swiss economy. It strives for a balanced representation of women and men at every management level and monitors progress on an annual basis. “EqualVoice United” requires participating companies to monitor and measure their own compensation practices.
“EqualVoice United” is an important initiative of which ISS Switzerland is very proud and which it takes very seriously. The following measures have been defined and will be implemented as early as 2022:
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Equality begins with language and imagery. ISS is committed to using gender-inclusive language and gender-equitable imagery.
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In recruitment, female applicants with equivalent qualifications will be given greater consideration. ISS commits to including at least one woman on every shortlist of candidates during the recruitment process.
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To make this commitment more visible both internally and externally, the logos of “EqualVoice United” and the “UN Women’s Empowerment Principles” will be integrated into ISS’s email signatures.
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Our participation in this important initiative will be highlighted in internal and external media as well as on our social media channels.