OneSBB Meeting Points (Leadership Dialogues) on Diversity and Respect

ABB Switzerland is transitioning from traditional “Disability Management” to a strength-based “Ability Management” approach in health promotion. The company aims to significantly reduce absenteeism. Related targets will be integrated into leadership performance assessments. Through initiatives like the Icebreaker campaign, which encourages open dialogue about mental health challenges, ABB has already achieved measurable improvements in psychological safety and employees’ sense of belonging.

Swiss Re launched the Career Returnees initiative in July 2024 to tap into the underutilized talent pool of professionals returning to work after career breaks, recognizing that traditional recruitment often overlooks this experienced group. The program is built on four pillars: open positions for returnees, equal pay for equal work, development opportunities and flexible work options, with explicit career returnee advertising, internal awareness and a manager support toolkit, and external outreach campaigns. Since launch, the initiative has welcomed over 62 employees across 12 countries, with 92% onboarding satisfaction and 82% upskilling satisfaction, demonstrating that career breaks occur across all genders and career stages while returnees integrate quickly and deliver effectively.

MSD Switzerland implemented a Global Job Policy in 2024 requiring all roles to be posted and introduced a structured selection processes with panel interviews to address inconsistent recruitment practices and employee concerns about unequal opportunities. The company developed competency frameworks, behavioral interview techniques, and neurodiversity-accessible assessments to counter unconscious bias and ensure fair candidate evaluation. These inclusive recruitment practices have increased diversity in hiring decisions, improved employee engagement scores, and strengthened organizational culture with better business outcomes.

dsm-firmenich launched the Mental Fitness Champions (MFC) initiative following a merger to support employee well-being during organizational transformation, training colleagues to listen to and support peers. The Global Vitality Office partnered with HSE Global to deliver a customized 7-hour peer support program based on a Canadian Armed Forces framework, training internal instructors and offering courses in six languages across 36 countries. Since launching in April 2024, the initiative has engaged 500+ colleagues in 60+ courses, with 95 certified champions in Switzerland alone, creating a peer-support network that promotes psychological safety, reduces mental health stigma, and fosters an inclusive workplace culture.

Alpiq launched a leadership transformation program centered on "Secure Base Leadership" to drive cultural change in the volatile global energy market, where culture serves as a key competitive advantage. Starting with the Executive Board and cascading through the organization, the program focuses on Care, Dare, and Share philosophy, training internal ambassadors as IMD-certified coaches to foster inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and diverse perspectives. The initiative has already trained one-third of Alpiq's workforce, resulting in significant improvements including NPS scores rising from +1 in 2022 to +42 by 2024, Great Place to Work certification across all locations, and inclusivity questions ranking in the top 5 survey results.

Job sharing was introduced at Nestlé Switzerland in 2020, and after some initial challenges in factories, it was successfully implemented at Nestlé Waters Switzerland in May 2023. This initiative helped retain a valuable engineer by offering a reduced activity rate. It resulted in the company's first job-sharing arrangement in a factory setting with two engineers working at 60% capacity each. The positive outcomes have led to more job sharing pairs in factories across Switzerland, with a focus on continuous improvement and flexibility.

As a global organization, JTI had established several policies to support the DEI agenda and were in the process of being certified by the EY Global Equality Standard. However, they recognized the need for a more localized implementation that met the specific needs of the organization at the time. By focusing on inclusion, raising awareness around bias, and introducing initiatives like the Virtual Reality „Men in Business – In the Body of a Woman“ experience, they have started to see positive changes in conversations, employee engagement, and inclusive management across the organization.

Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily work, but with its use comes exposure to inherent biases. To address this, Accenture brought together experts from GenAI and inclusion to discuss these issues, focusing on promoting inclusivity through thought leadership and responsible AI frameworks. This collaborative approach aims to ensure GenAI is used responsibly and fairly, leveraging progressive governance to adapt to rapidly evolving technology.

The new parental leave policy offers 16 weeks of fully paid leave to all employees regardless of gender, supporting natural, adoptive, same/opposite sex partners, and single parents. The policy has been well-received by employees, fostering equity and inclusion, supporting the transition to parenthood, and contributing to improved retention and engagement.

Unlock financial savviness with Zurich Insurance as they empower women to enhance their financial knowledge and skills. Explore the WIN Financial Awareness Program, fostering a supportive community and providing personalized services to boost financial confidence.

Experience KPMG's commitment to empowering employees through flexibility and work-life integration. Discover their diverse initiatives challenging traditional norms and supporting new parents, fostering a thriving workplace for all.

Involving employees pays off - learn what happens when the entire workforce sets the agenda for gender parity.