Fostering Inclusion Through our new JTI Culture and a Comprehensive DEI Plan
#breakthebias
#inclusion
As a global organization, we had many policies in place that were supporting our DEI agenda, at the same time we were in the process to be certified by EY Global Equality Standard.
While we had a global approach for DEI, we were missing the true implementation locally, that fit our local organization’s needs and would support us in the future.
We started by focusing on inclusion and raising awareness around our own bias. In this, we were supported by the introduction of our new global culture “OurWay”, that put an enhanced focus on emphasizing with others and creating a safe space.
We introduced the Virtual Reality „Men in Business – In the Body of a Woman“ experience through Advance to our senior leadership team first, followed by our mid managers. This year, we are offering this experience on a voluntary basis to whoever wants to sign up and learn more about unconscious bias. In addition to the VR experience, we also had a comprehensive DEI plan with different sessions and training.
We have started observing better conversations between managers when discussing team members. Managers are increasingly valuing different perspectives, which has led to more balanced performance reviews and a more inclusive approach to recruitment.
This shift has resulted in increased positive feedback in our employee engagement survey, with significant improvements in scores related to inclusive management. These higher scores are a positive sign of progress across the organization.
This Best Practice was first published in the Gender Intelligence Report 2024.
Fostering inclusion through our new JTI culture and a comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy came with both rewards and challenges. The foremost goal was to gain the buy-in of our local leadership team. In the past, employees often felt that leaders didn’t effectively hold themselves accountable for DEI initiatives. To overcome this, we started to connect DEI strategies to business goals, our company values and behaviors, emphasizing how they contribute to overall success.
Involving stakeholders in our DEI aspiration was and remains a challenge to some degree. For meaningful involvement into the JTI DEI agenda, it is key to ensure diverse perspectives are considered during the planning process (i.e. Employee Resource Groups, ERGs) while moving beyond superficial measures, embedding DEI into the organization’s DNA. We continue to encourage cross-cultural competencies and engage every employee in DEI efforts to foster a true sense of belonging.
Our DEI strategy aims to create a more inclusive workplace by promoting diversity, equity, and belonging. Continued awareness of our DEI agenda and relevance to JTI Switzerland is key to building a strong foundation for our programs. Ultimately, we are seeking to increase representation at JTI of underrepresented groups (such as women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities & people of color) at all levels – from hiring to promoting and to leadership positions. Implementing fair policies and practices is crucial, as well as addressing pay gaps, ensuring unbiased performance evaluations, and providing equal opportunities for career advancement. Developing inclusive leadership skills is essential. Leaders are trained to actively listen, value diverse perspectives, and bring out the best in our people. Respect and understanding are fostered via training, workshops, and resources to promote empathy across diverse backgrounds.
Our DEI initiatives are centered around health & wellbeing, unconscious bias awareness, gender equality and our DEI ERG. We have increased our focus on the physical and mental health of our employees by giving access to wellness programs, mental health resources, and promoting work-life balance. We have also been offering employees the possibility to be certified as a Mental Health First Aider.
We actively address unconscious biases that affect decision-making. Regular training (inclusive recruitment for line managers), work sessions and awareness programs (Dr. Laura Wunsch – The Neuroscience of Bias) help employees recognize and mitigate biases, promoting fair treatment and equal opportunities. Our commitment to gender equality involves promoting equal pay, representation, and career advancement for all genders. We strive to create an inclusive workplace where everyone’s contributions are valued equally so this year, we are rolling out psychological safety training for all line managers.
“At JTI, our competitive environment requires us to bring out the best in our people and to provide an environment where people can thrive. We are creating a culture of belonging and equity by partnering with Advance and bringing the VR experience to our people managers. This has been a great way to ignite a dialogue between people to support a culture of inclusion.”
Bernadett Sumegi (People & Culture Director)
Dr. Laura Wunsch – Neuroscience consulting – Bias Day Inclusive Recruitment.
We have experienced positive momentum in our annual Employee Engagement Surveys, particularly in the areas of wellbeing, purpose, and inclusivity. This progress can be attributed to several key factors.
Advance Virtual Reality experience: „Men in Business – in the Body of a Woman“.
For more information about this Best Practice, reach out to the authors:
Bernadett Sumegi
People & Culture Director
Bernadett.Sumegi@jti.com
Stefan Suter
People & Culture Business Partner
Stefan.Suter@jti.com
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