Diversity Report 2021

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  ŠKODA AUTO

  DIVERSITY REPORT 

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Pages 2 – 5

  FOREWORD

  Pages 15 – 17

  Pages 6 – 14

   MILESTONES

  SUPPORTING DIVERSITY

  Pages 50 – 56

  INTERNATIONALISATION

  Pages 57 – 59

  DIVERSITY IN PRACTICE

  Pages 60 – 62

  WE SUPPORT

  Pages 63 – 65

  VISION 

  Pages 18 – 24

  UNCONSCIOUS BIASES

  Pages 25 – 49

  ŠKODA IS FOR. . .

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  MAREN GRÄF

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  FOREWORD

  ŠKODA AUTO had quite a ride in 2021 – and

  we denitely took a leap in driving diversity and

  inclusion forward. Thank you for joining us on this

  thrilling journey.

  I joined ŠKODA AUTO on 1 March 2021,

  and am humbled to be surrounded by so much

  positivity from the ŠKODA team! What I value

  most is your solidarity – not only between each

  other, but also with the outside world. This year

  saw a continuous ght against the COVID-19

  pandemic, semiconductor shortages and even

  a devastating tornado in Moravia. I’m proud to

  say that in the midst of these challenges, our

  employees showed the spirit of solidarity at

  ŠKODA AUTO, and lived up to our values by

  oering the human touch that is part of our

  DNA. I’d also like to thank Jaroslav Povsik and his

  team at KOVO Unions for their cooperation and

  support, especially in these challenging times.

  Our employees’ warm approach is at the core

  of our diversity and inclusion management.

  We, at ŠKODA AUTO, as well as the entire

  Volkswagen Group, are in the midst of the

  greatest transformation our industry has

  experienced: new competitors on the horizon,

  and an evolution from being a car manufacturer to

  a technological company that focuses on software

  and digitisation. We’re going through turbulent

  times, that’s for sure!

  In 2021, we said goodbye to the “Human

  Management Resources” Department and

  introduced “People and Culture”. I established

  a new Diversity and Inclusion team to help drive

  this topic forward across all functions and areas.

  Mixed teams deliver the best results and are more

  innovative. And best of all, working for such

  a diverse team is great fun!

  Although there are still steps to take, I can clearly

  see a shift in understanding the spectrum of

  diversity: from gender initiatives, to parental

  rights, to supporting communities like LGBT+ or

  International employees. At the end of the day,

  diversity is about each of us – and our uniqueness.

  Please enjoy reading the Diversity Report 2021.

  Let’s continue to support our community and

  share your story in the 2022 edition!

  Your sincerely,

  Maren Gräf

  Board Member for People and Culture

  Dear colleagues,

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  OUR THOUGHTS

  JAROSLAV POVŠÍK

  DR. JOHANNES NEFT

  CHRISTIAN SCHENK

  Chairman of the Works Council KOVO Unions

  ŠKODA AUTO is well prepared for diversity and

  inclusion, as there has always been scores of

  multicultural employees and their families here.

  And with the Volkswagen merger, it all gained

  a new dynamic. A great brainstorming of abilities,

  intellect and capabilities is being created from

  a multitude of cultures from all over the world.

  This system, when earnestly and distinctly

  supported, brings high added value to ŠKODA

  AUTO, great competitive advantage, and for

  its employees, an enrichment of their lives

  by multiculturality and preparation for a fully

  connected human world.

  Board Member for Technical Development

  I am convinced that diversity leads to higher

  creativity and better solutions. This is, then,

  reected in our products with a higher added value

  for our customers. Our customers are also diverse,

  which is why it is important to approach this

  problem from dierent perspectives. Common

  sense dictates that a diverse team tends to be

  more eective.

  Board Member for Finance and IT

  I believe in the strength and creativity of diverse teams

  because dierent experiences help to generate new

  solutions. Creative ideas are especially important in

  these challenging times of transformation. I also enjoy

  working in diverse teams to increase my knowledge

  and gain new ideas. My life has always been enriched

  by new unknown encounters, new cultures, new

  topics. I have always wondered how much we could

  achieve if we all were open to these new perspectives.

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  KARSTEN SCHNAKE

  MARTIN JAHN

  DR. MICHAEL OELJEKLAUS

  Board Member for Procurement

  I have worked in dierent locations throughout my

  life, with colleagues and partners that come from

  dierent cultures, and it has always enriched both my

  professional and private life. This is also why I try to

  bring this approach to my own team. I nd diversity

  and inclusion key to securing well-functioning teams.

  It is analogous to what good purchasers do – the

  best ones always work with diverse partners from

  dierent regions and cultures and with various skills.

  Board Member for Sales and Marketing

  A combination of views across race, gender,

  ethnicity, sexual orientation or socio-economic

  perspectives is always benecial in a work

  environment. I, myself, strive to have a diverse

  team. It is the best way to acquire a wide scale of

  competencies and a creative approach to fullling

  our goals and mutual inspiration.

  Board Member for Manufacturing and Logistics

  As a sponsor of Mindset Change, I would like to

  challenge all of our colleagues to become actively

  involved in implementing the goals of NEXT

  LEVEL ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030. We need to

  reach a point where we ask the question together:

  what can I do for the company? What do I need

  to change in order to properly face the challenges

  around me? Diversity is a part of these changes.

  We need a unique company culture with clear

  attributes, such as implementation strength,

  a human approach and excellent team spirit. Let’s

  work together on a common goal: “EXCELLENCE

  WITH JOY”.

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  SUPPORTING

  DIVERSITY

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  EACH PERSON’S

  UNIQUENESS FORMS

  THE FOUNDATION

  OF THE DIVERSITY

  WITHIN ŠKODA AUTO

  DIVERSITY MANIFESTO

  EVERYONE WHO FEELS THAT THEY ARE TRULY

  THEMSELVES IN THEIR WORKING ENVIRONMENT

  HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY THEIR SKILLS,

  GAIN THE RESPECT OF THEIR TEAM AND CAN

  ALLOW THEIR UNIQUENESS TO FLOURISH.

  AND THAT UNIQUENESS IS WHAT MOVES OUR

  COMPANY FORWARD. THEREFORE, WE FULLY

  SUPPORT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AND AIM

  TO LOOK AT THE WORLD WITH OPEN EYES AND

  WITHOUT BIAS. HUMAN DIVERSITY IS A GIFT

  AND WE, AT ŠKODA AUTO, VALUE IT.

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  NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA

  STRATEGY 

  More international, more electried and more

  digital – that’s ŠKODA AUTO’s goal for

  the remainder of this decade. In 2021,

  the carmaker introduced the next NEXT LEVEL

  ŠKODA 2030 strategy, which gives a clear

  roadmap to where the company’s transformation

  is headed. Once it reaches its destination,

  ŠKODA AUTO will be much stronger in domestic

  and foreign markets than it is today.

  “ENGAGE” is a priority, in which the company

  emphasises digital customer experience and

  ecology. It also has ambitious goals regarding

  diversity and education. According to the new

  strategy, by 2030, every fourth management

  position will be held by a woman. To ensure

  this goal, the company oers a wide range

  of activities from motivating young women

  to study in technical elds to providing practical

  experience to future female managers.

  We will oer strong support throughout employee

  training during this transformation process. With

  the declining number of repetitive manual jobs,

  there is a growing urge to invest in this area. From

  2022 until 2030, ŠKODA AUTO will invest 500

  milion euros in training and education. The aim is

  to ensure jobs in the future.

  THOMAS SCHÄFER

  “

  “To achieve our goals, we will focus on three priorities: EXPAND, EXPLORE and ENGAGE.

  These are the pillars from which we will build upon. With our social partner KOVO Unions,

  we will take the company to a higher level in the coming years. We will remain faithful,

  of course, to our brand values – Simplifying, Human, Surprising. Our values have always set

  us apart – they are strong and remain relevant.”

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  NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA

  PEOPLE STRATEGY

  

  OUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE MAIN DRIVER OF SUCCESS FOR ŠKODA AUTO. THAT’S WHY WE NEED

  THEM TO BE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY REGARDING THEIR SKILLS, BUT ALSO THEIR

  ABILITY TO OPEN UP TO NEW IDEAS. DEPARTMENT S – PEOPLE AND CULTURE CREATED THE NEXT

  LEVEL ŠKODA PEOPLE STRATEGY, WHICH IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE COMPANY-WIDE STRATEGY.

  IT STEMS FROM THE NEEDS OF THE EVOLVING LABOUR MARKET, REACTS TO CHALLENGES

  BROUGHT ABOUT BY TRANSFORMATION AND INTRODUCES ACTIONABLE STEPS AS HOW TO

  ACHIEVE THE NEW GOALS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF KOVO UNIONS, WE ARE WORKING TO CREATE

  A NEW EMPLOYEE CULTURE THAT FOCUSES ON DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT.

  HR Strategy Specialist

  TEREZA ŠŤASTNÁ

  “

  “In the automotive industry, the word ‘transformation’ is often linked to electromobility.

  However, it is important to realise that every area of our company is undergoing transformation.

  Our product is changing, our methods, the tools we use to do our work and our employees’

  priorities as well. That’s why we are working on connecting more closely with our employees

  through our new strategy; we listen to their needs and give them space to co-engage on

  strategic projects. The future of our success depends on quality employees and diverse teams”.

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  Just like the company’s main strategy, the ŠKODA PEOPLE STRATEGY also consists of three pillars –

  EXPAND, EXPLORE, ENGAGE. Each of these pillars includes three initiatives and a total of 24 strategic

  projects, which focus on a wide range of topics, including diversity and inclusion.

  We will increase qualications for the future

  We are systematically planning for new skill sets needed in the near future, so we can securely utilise

  all of our employees based on the changing requirements that this transformation brings.

  We are growing our eorts to become a strategic business partner

  We are focusing on strategic planning with respect to the upcoming changes that will inuence the company’s

  operations. We are also strengthening the connections and cooperation in other regions we are active in.

  We are searching for future talent

  ŠKODA AUTO’s goal is to attract and retain both Czech and international talent. We are developing strategic

  partnerships with universities and oering a new concept for our work environment.

  We oer a new concept for work

  Together, with KOVO Unions, we oer a modern and innovative work environment, which is CSR compliant

  and supports inclusion. We simplify processes and look for tools to aid eective collaboration between units.

  We develop performance management within the company

  We support employee motivation and engagement through a fair, transparent and digital compensation

  management system.

  We are becoming digitised

  We are preparing a unied IT system, based on employees’ needs. For example, our digital HR services

  are designed to be easily accessible to every employee 24/7.

  We give space to diversity and sustainability

  ŠKODA AUTO is an inclusive employer that supports diversity throughout the company and its surroundings.

  Through the ŠKODA AUTO Endowment Fund, we strive to increase the quality of life in all of the regions that

  we operate in.

  We are initiating changes in the company culture

  We are the driving force behind the shift in the company culture, helping employee development by using

  an individual approach at both personal and performance levels.

  We take care of the overall health of our employees

  We provide employees with a work environment that is compatible with their personal preferences and tools

  to support their physical and mental health in order to create a work-life balance.

  EXPAND

  EXPLORE

  ENGAGE

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  SX TRANSFORMATION

  OUR SX TRANSFORMATION DEPARTMENT WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER  AND OPERATES

  UNDER THE S AREA – PEOPLE AND CULTURE. WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE DEVELOPMENT

  OF A NEW FUNCTIONAL STRATEGY AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A COMPLEX FRAMEWORK OF

  ACTIVITIES – STARTING FROM STRATEGY DESIGN TO MANAGING THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE

  PORTFOLIO. A BIG PART OF THE DEPARTMENT’S ACTIVITIES IS SHARING AND IMPLEMENTING

  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TOPICS IN THE WORKPLACE. LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE IN

  CHARGE OF SEARCHING FOR MODERN APPROACHES FOR WORK AND OUT-OF-THE-BOX

  THINKING. OUR MAIN FOCUS IS ON:

  has a long-term interest in diversity and inclusion

  and is a passionate diversity ambassador.

  ◼ DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

  ◼ COMMUNICATION

  ◼ EVENT MANAGEMENT

  ◼ STRATEGY

  ◼ TRANSFORMATION

  ◼ SEARCHING FOR NEW IDEAS

  AND OPPORTUNITIES

  taps into her long-standing experience

  in marketing for the automotive industry.

  has worked as an ambassador for digitisation

  for many years. He focuses on broadening

  horizons and is convinced that during times

  of transformation, nothing is impossible.

  is an HR professional with an overlap across topics

  that she seamlessly connects together.

  JAN KOTÍK

  MARTINA ZIMMERMANNŠTĚPÁN ŠPRINGL

  NATÁLIA HUDECOVÁ

  “

  “We are proud to help create diversity within ŠKODA AUTO. We are driven forward, not only

  by the growing positive response from management, but by our employees’ own initiatives

  across the entire company. We truly cherish this openness for change and want to strengthen

  it responsibly. We have a lot of tasks concerning the development of diversity and inclusion

  ahead of us, but this support lls us with excitement for the job moving forward”.

  Head of Transformation D&I Team

  D&I TeamD&I Team

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  THOMAS SCHÄFER

  Chairman of the Board at ŠKODA AUTO

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  LEADING BY EXAMPLE

  Thomas, you are a passionate ambassador for

  diversity and inclusion. Why do companies

  need to promote diversity and create inclusive

  workplaces?

  On the one hand, diversity and inclusion enrich

  a company, change the meeting culture and open

  up new perspectives. On the other hand, they are

  essential for business success. Countless studies

  have proven that diverse teams achieve better

  results. In addition, we must not forget that our

  customers are diverse. As a car brand, we also

  need to be as diverse as possible to meet their

  needs.

  What are your best practices on how to

  promote diversity and inclusion? What is the

  role of management in doing so?

  One thing is clear: you have to exemplify diversity

  and inclusion from the top down. It won’t work

  unless the management team has understood

  and internalised this topic. Diversity and inclusion

  are just as crucial to a company’s success as

  protability or other metrics. That’s why we have

  clear goals that we implement consistently. For

  example, by 2030, at least one in four managerial

  positions will be held by a woman.

  What is your personal experience in terms of

  diversity?

  During my career, I have experienced a wide range

  of corporate cultures – from backwards-looking

  to very cosmopolitan and progressive. The truly

  remarkable thing is that diverse teams inherently

  have a better team spirit, which leads to a more

  dynamic way of working and, of course, more

  fun and satisfaction. However, since this is by no

  means the case everywhere, I still see a great

  need for action, especially within the Volkswagen

  Group.

  We know that diversity is not about favouring

  groups but about respecting each other and

  equal opportunities. Do you ever wonder why

  a topic like this evokes such strong emotion?

  It’s naturally a very emotive topic because it

  aects each one of us. And as such, I welcome

  critical discussions and many perspectives on it.

  What I do not accept, however, is when someone

  actively works against equal opportunities or even

  blocks them. That’s my red line.

  The topic of diversity and inclusion goes hand

  in hand with corporate culture. How do you

  see the role of a manager regarding this topic?

  As someone who speaks up and considers

  diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities as

  the basis of their actions and unconditionally

  exemplies these principles every day.

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  15

  2021 MILESTONES

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  DIVERSITY MEETUP

  FEBRUARY

  2021

  EUROPEAN

  DIVERSITY

  DAY

  CZECHITAS

  PRIDE BUSINESS

  FORUM

  ŠKODA OPEN

  TALK: DIVERSITY

  ŠKODA PROUD

  MAY EUROPEAN

  DIVERSITY

  MONTH

  Online discussion about women in management and their support,

  with participation from Česká Spořitelna Board Member Daniela

  Pešková, who is responsible for retail banking, and Chairman of the Board

  at ŠKODA AUTO Thomas Shäfer. On the same day, 10 February,

  ŠKODA AUTO announced the arrival of Maren Gräf, who became

  the rst female board member in the company’s 125-year-long history.

  ŠKODA AUTO became a general partner.

  Signing of Memorandum 2017+

  ŠKODA AUTO’s goal is to oer a tolerant

  and inspirational environment without the need

  keep one’s identity nor sexual orientation hidden.

  Linking strategy and diversity

  The ŠKODA OPEN TALK was the biggest

  meeting held so far, with over 100 employees

  in attendance. Many topics were discussed,

  including working parents, goals

  and internationalisation.

  Thomas Schäfer, Maren Gräf, Head of HR

  Operative Care Jana Růžičková and Head

  of External Relations Michal Kadera attended.

  ŠKODA AUTO, as a golden signatory

  of the European Diversity Charter,

  attended the prestigious European

  Diversity Day conference, held in

  the Czech Parliament and organised

  by Business for Society.

  An internal employee group, which focuses

  on a safe and open work environment, was

  established.

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  AUGUST

  NOVEMBER

  DECEMBER

  DIVERSITY

  COMMUNITY

  MEETUP

  BE THERE

  MEETUP

  WITH ESTER

  JANEČKOVÁ

  WOMAN

  TO WOMAN

  S – PEOPLE

  AND CULTURE

  TOP

  RESPONSIBLE

  COMPANY AWARD

  An open discussion about diversity and inclusion

  with Maren Gräf and 70 colleagues from various

  elds and employment levels.

  A recruitment campaign was launched with the aim

  to hire people regardless of gender, who would like

  their futures connected with innovation and cutting-

  edge technology in IT, development and production.

  A streamed discussion was held with employees

  on the topic of inclusive workplaces. It was led

  by the employee group ŠKODA Proud, with

  moderator Ester Janečková, patroness

  of the counselling website Sbarvouven.cz.

  After a successful pilot programme, a project

  was launched connecting female talent with

  female managers, helping them improve their

  work and management skills.

  At the S – Forum, S Area – Human Resources

  Management introduced changes that

  will help to full the NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA

  STRATEGY 2030.

  As of now, the whole area is called S – People

  and Culture. The newly established SX

  Transformation Department, which includes

  the Diversity and Inclusion team, is also part

  of S – People and Culture.

  ŠKODA AUTO received a special jury award

  at the TOP Responsible Company for Diversity

  competition for a project called Promoting

  Diversity and Managing Unconscious Bias.

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  UNCONSCIOUS BIASES

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  “

  “

  “

  “

  “

  “

  “

  . . . WE ARE IN CZECHIA, THEREFORE

  EVERYONE SHOULD SPEAK CZECH.

  . . . ALL WOMEN

  WANT TO

  PRIMARILY STAY

  AT HOME AND

  CARE FOR THEIR

  CHILDREN.

  . . . I AM OFFENDED

  BY THESE

  UNFAMILIAR

  WORDS –

  DIVERSITY,

  INTEGRITY,

  COMPLIANCE.

  I AM SURE WE

  HAVE SOME NICE

  CZECH WORDS

  FOR IT.

  . . . I WOULD

  FORBID ALL

  THIS DIVERSITY

  NONSENSE.

  . . . WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY

  AND IT WORKED WELL.

  . . . EVERYONE

  WAS MAKING

  FUN OF HIM,

  SO I JOINED IN

  ORDER TO FIT IN.

  . . . WOMEN ARE

  GENERALLY

  BAD DRIVERS

  AND DO NOT

  UNDERSTAND

  TECHNOLOGY.

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  “

  “

  “

  “

  “

  . . . I WOULD

  RATHER KEEP

  MY MOUTH SHUT,

  IN ORDER NOT

  TO STAND OUT

  TOO MUCH.

  . . . THE BOSS IS ALWAYS RIGHT,

  WHY BOTHER.

  . . . IT BUGS ME

  THAT VARIOUS

  MINORITIES

  ARE BEING

  SUPPORTED AT

  THE EXPENSE

  OF THE SILENT

  MAJORITY.

  . . . YEAH, SURE,

  I CAN ALREADY

  SEE HOW

  SOMEONE

  ACTUALLY

  WORKS DURING

  MOBILE WORK.

  . . . THIS TASK

  WILL NOT TAKE

  LONG, WE CAN

  TAKE THIS OLD

  PRESENTATION

  AND JUST

  REPLACE THE

  NUMBERS.

  DO THESE SENTENCES SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?

  THEY ALL STEM FROM REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS,

  AND MAY NOT EVEN COME FROM A NEGATIVE

  PLACE. BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BIASES ARE

  NATURAL TO PEOPLE. A CLOSER INSPECTION CAN

  BE FOUND ON THE NEXT PAGE.

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  DO YOU HAVE BIASES?

  WORKING WITH BIASES IS THE FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPING DIVERSITY

  AND INCLUSION IN OUR SOCIETY. BIASES ARE NATURAL TO EVERY

  PERSON AND GROUP, BECAUSE OUR BRAIN IS WIRED TO PERCEIVE THEM.

  IN FACT, ONLY % OF ALL INFORMATION IS CONSCIOUSLY PROCESSED.

  UNCONSCIOUS BIASES INFLUENCE US PRACTICALLY NONSTOP, BE IT

  THROUGH OUR OWN EXPERIENCE, ACQUIRED EXPERIENCE OR PASSED

  DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. EVERYONE HAS THOUSANDS

  ROOTED WITHIN THEM, AND SO, IN ŠKODA AUTO, WE TEACH OUR EMPLOYEES

  TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND (AND AN OPEN HEART) WHEN CONFRONTING THEIR

  OWN BIASES. WE ARE, THUS, REWARDED WITH BETTER INTERPERSONAL

  RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENTS AND MORE DIVERSIFIED TEAMS.

  THE MOST COMMON BIASES

  AT ŠKODA AUTO

  AUTHORITY

  BIAS

  BANDWAGON

  EFFECT

  STATUS QUO

  BIAS

  PLANNING

  FALLACY

  The tendency to attribute greater accuracy to

  the opinion of an authority gure (unrelated to its

  content) and be more inuenced by that opinion.

  The tendency to do something primarily because

  other people are doing it, regardless of their own

  beliefs.

  The tendency to prefer that one’s

  environment and situation stay relatively

  the same.

  The tendency to underestimate the time

  needed to complete a task.

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  A well-functioning team is built on mutual respect amongst its members. In order to help people

  better understand the principles of cooperation between men and women at work, the diversity

  team, in collaboration with ŠKODA Academy, prepared a special workshop. In the workshop,

  the attending employees learn to honour their male and female characteristics and learn to work

  with them. This gender identity workshop takes 3.5 hours either in-person or online. Several

  teams (e.g., PF. GKU and SX) attended in 2021 and we will, again, hold the workshop in 2022.

  After a successful launch, a series of interactive educational workshops for superiors, based on

  real-world examples and experiences, continued running throughout 2021. E-learning courses

  focused on supporting diversity and managing biases followed last year’s workshops. These

  helped to check the minimal diversity standards in the company.

  During the workshop, attendees learn to distinguish biases that they encounter each day.

  An integral part of this process is participating in model situations, which help to manage our

  own biases in real life.

  Another part of the course is focused on nudge management, a method that is derived from

  the scientic examination of human behaviour, as well as applied management and organisational

  methods that naturally make a positive inuence on employees’ subconscious behaviour.

  WORKSHOP FOR WORKING WITH

  UNCONSCIOUS BIASES

  WORKSHOP FOR MALE AND FEMALE

  PRINCIPLES AT WORK

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  QUIZ: ARE YOU WELL ACQUAINTED

  WITH DIVERSITY?

  . INCLUSION MEANS

  . HOW MANY TYPES OF BIASES ARE THERE?

  . HOW MANY PERCENT LESS DO WOMEN EARN IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC,

  CONSIDERING THEY HAVE EQUAL QUALIFICATIONS AND POSITIONS AS MEN?

  . WITH A BETTER USE OF WOMENS’ POTENTIAL, BY , THE POTENTIAL

  GDP IN THE CEE REGION COULD INCREASE BY

  . WITH A BETTER USE OF WOMEN’S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL, BY ,

  THE GDP IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA INCREASE ROUGHLY BY

  . HOW MANY GENERATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN THE GLOBAL

  LABOUR MARKET?

  a/ diversity among people

  b/ division of people into various groups d/ taking people as they are

  c/ recognition of minorities, but only if they assimilate

  into the majority

  a/ 40+

  b/ 70+

  c/ 120+

  d/ 150+

  a/ 9%

  b/ 12%

  c/ 19%

  d/ 20%

  a/ 20 billion euros

  b/ 83 billion euros

  c/ 146 billion euros

  d/ 193 billion euros

  a/ 3%

  b/ 8%

  c/ 12%

  d/ 14%

  a/ 3

  b/ 5

  c/ 7

  d/ 9

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  CORRECT ANSWERS

  BONUS QUESTION: DO YOU PERSONALLY THINK THAT

  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CAN HELP YOU?

  NUMBER OF CORRECT ANSWERS

  

  

  

  a/ yes b/ no

  Inclusion is the key to success, protability and

  team work. To include someone means to respect

  the person exactly the way they are and to give

  them a feeling of belonging and an opportunity to

  express themselves. (correct answer: d)

  The Gender Pay Gap (GPG) is the dierence

  between the salaries of men and women and it

  varies between the EU countries. At 18.9%, the

  Czech Republic has the 5th widest gap.

  The highest GPG is in Estonia, at 21.7%.

  (correct answer: c)

  Gen Z (1997–2012), Gen Y – millennials (1981–

  1996), Gen X (1965–1980), Baby boomers

  (1946–1964), the Silent Generation (born before

  1945). (correct answer: b)

  Biases are often unconscious and are perceived

  by everyone. We are not born with them and,

  sometimes, do not even know we have them.

  They develop from childhood based on our culture,

  society, family, education and so on. Oftentimes,

  they are not based on actual proof or experience.

  There are more than 170 types of biases in

  Google’s search results. (correct answer: d)

  More about unconscious biases can be found

  in last year’s Annual Diversity Report.

  Source: McKinsey & Company

  (correct answer: c)

  Source: McKinsey & Company

  (correct answer: b)

  The right answer is YES. Getting acquainted with new things,

  cultures, people and gaining new views about them helps us:

  ◼ Have more empathy towards others

  ◼ Support our own creativity and thinking

  ◼ Learn something about ourselves

  ◼ Mitigate conicts with others and lower depression

  ◼ Improve our ability to see things from dierent perspectives

  ◼ Stimulate our brain (we are constantly exploring and

  learning)

  These questions and other similar ones

  will be included in a playful introduction to

  diversity and inclusion for ŠKODA AUTO

  employees in 2022. The SIMPLY DIVERSE

  quiz, sponsored by Marek Jancák, Head of

  Vehicle Manufacturing, was created under

  the patronage of the Mindset Change

  initiative. It is also part of the NEXT LEVEL

  ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030.

  - BEGINNER (LEARN MORE ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, OR JOIN OUR COMMUNITY FOR

  SUPPORT IN THESE TOPICS)

  - INTERMEDIATE (EXPERIENCE D&I IN PRACTICE, JOIN ONE OF OUR DIVERSITY PROJECTS OR

  GET ACQUAINTED WITH NEW COLLEAGUES)

  - PROFESSIONAL (YOU ARE APPARENTLY WORKING FOR THE SX TRANSFORMATION DEPARTMENT)

  

  

  

  i

  i

• Page 27

  5

  25

  ŠKODA AUTO

  IS FOR. . .

• Page 28

  26

  FOR EVERYONE

  men 79.6% men 79.7% men 79.4%

  women 20.4% women 20.3% women 20.6%

  total total total33 881 34 514 35 153

  2019 2020 2021

  ŠKODA AUTO IS TRADITIONALLY ONE OF

  THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.

  THANKS TO ITS COMPANY CULTURE AND

  CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT, IT IS ALSO A SOUGHT-

  AFTER EMPLOYER. OUR GOAL IS TO OFFER AN OPEN,

  EQUAL AND SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR

  ALL, SO THAT EMPLOYEES CAN USE THEIR FULL

  POTENTIAL. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE ARE DOING

  THE BEST WE CAN TO FULFIL THE NEXT LEVEL

  ŠKODA STRATEGY  OBJECTIVES. ONE OF

  THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS IS TO INCREASE

  THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN MANAGERIAL

  POSITIONS. BY , WE PLAN TO HAVE % OF

  THE POSITIONS HELD BY WOMEN AND BY ,

  % OF THEM HELD BY WOMEN.

• Page 29

  2727

  2019

  2019

  2019

  2020

  2020

  2020

  2021

  2021

  2021

  men 595 men 612 men 655

  women 98 women 99 women 112

  men 8 682 men 8 670 men 8 257

  women 2 449 women 2 430 women 2 420

  men 17 702 men 18 223 men 18 999

  women 4 355 women 4 480 women 4 710

  78.0% 78.1% 77.3%

  21.9%22.0% 22.7%

  85.9% 86.1% 85.4%

  14.1% 13.9% 14.6%

  80.3% 80.3% 80.1%

  19.7% 19.7% 19.9%

  MANUFACTURING POSITIONS

  ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS

  MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

• Page 30

  28

  ŠKODA AUTO OFFERS FAIR TREATMENT, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

  AND AN INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT. WE OFFER WIDE SUPPORT

  AND HELP IN DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF OUR CURRENT

  AND FUTURE EMPLOYEES.

  BE THERE

  WOMAN TO WOMAN

  A new recruitment campaign called Create the Image of the Future With Us began

  in August 2021. ŠKODA AUTO presented itself as a modern tech company that

  emphasises diversity in all of their locations and oers an inspiring work environment.

  This campaign helped shift the perception of the company as a prestigious employer

  that is suitable for women.

  Click the link below for more info

  www.skoda-career.com/bethere

  Women that are part of our talent programme can sign up for Woman to Woman

  mentoring sessions, which were ocially launched after a successful pilot run.

  In these sessions, experienced female managers help our female talent improve

  their work and management skills. Supporting female talent with the aim to ll

  management positions should help the NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030

  goal for having 25% of these positions held by women.

  For more information, please contact Martina Ficková (ŠKODA Academy)

  Head of SB – Operative HR care, HR Digitisation 4.0

  JANA RŮŽIČKOVÁ

  “

  “A woman’s perspective in nding solutions for some of the dicult situations she encounters

  in reaching a management position diers from that of a man’s. Sharing information with

  experienced female managers can help them on their way”.

  i

  FIND YOUR

  WAY

• Page 31

  29

  EMPLOYEE GROUPS

  BOARD TO TALENT

  Employee groups, in which employees voluntarily

  meet up, are a vital part of our company culture.

  They are the cornerstone for developing diversity

  and inclusion, and thanks to them, engagement

  and solidarity within the company is increasing.

  The groups have proven to support the adaptation

  of foreign colleagues. They are a benet for both

  the employees and the company. At ŠKODA

  AUTO, the group Internationals @ ŠKODA is

  available to join and, since May 2021, ŠKODA

  Proud has represented LGBT+ talent.

  ◼ The groups are created and operate based on

  our employees’ volunteer activities once their

  foundation is approved by SX.

  ◼ Group and member activities take place

  outside of working hours.

  ◼ Employees create events focused on diversity,

  e.g. coming-out in the workplace, intercultural

  evenings or informal community gatherings.

  The idea to create a mentoring programme was initiated by Board Members

  Thomas Schäfer and Maren Gräf. The mentor and the mentee meet once a month

  to discuss relevant topics. Women in various phases of their career and from dierent

  backgrounds can attend this programme. Board to Talent is also enriching from

  a networking perspective, since solid relationships are built between the mentor

  and mentee. This programme is a great and benecial tool to support women on their

  way into management positions, with real results.

• Page 32

  30

  What does Mindset Change mean to you

  personally? Is there a dierence between the

  perception of diversity from ve years ago?

  I’ve never doubted the benets of diversity and

  I am sure I am not the only one. The question is,

  how do we promote it? I recently read an article

  about a signicant tech company that forbade its

  IT sta to use terms, like blacklist and whitelist,

  master and slave. I laughed at rst. Who would be

  oended by terms like these that have been used

  for decades. Then, I realised that these words have

  strong symbolic meanings. This kind of banality,

  which borders on the nonsensical, is a way to gain

  a lot of attention. Moreover, no one will ever doubt

  your intolerance for more severe situations than

  this. A company’s culture resides at the base line

  of what management will tolerate. That’s why

  I side with quotas for women in management.

  Simple recommendations will not lead anywhere.

  Everyone is talking about quotas and everyone

  has to take them seriously. Quotas will help bridge

  the phase of doubt about female managers, and

  will be followed by how obvious the need is.

  And when we reach that moment, we can, then,

  abolish the quotas.

  Have you personally experienced a moment

  or an event that translated into an essential

  change?

  In my professional life, yes. I experienced this

  moment when I was presenting, before a brand

  new Head of Manufacturing and Logistics, an idea

  for improving processes, coupled with necessary

  expenses, but which would bring in a higher

  prot. Two minutes into the presentation, Michael

  Oeljeklaus interrupted me and asked why I was

  showing him this. Raised by our old company

  culture, I replied that I would like him to authorise

  it. His response took me by surprise: “If you are

  convinced that it is benecial, just do it. If you

  have any doubts then we are just wasting time”.

  That was the seismic shift in my management

  approach. Because “trust” has a sister called

  “responsibility”. So, if I ever lost sleep because

  of my previous superior’s decisions, from this

  moment on, it could only be my own fault. If you

  apply this principle on all levels of management,

  you will nd yourself in an agile, decisive and

  eective company. The ability for managers, on

  all levels, to make decisions is vital in achieving

  this. The more you invest into human resources,

  the less you need to check on everything and

  everyone.

  What advice would you give your potential

  young colleagues concerning the Mindset

  Change topic?

  Life is change, even when it is not pleasant.

  Everyone should ask themselves, at the end of the

  day, what did I manage to change and what idea

  did I prepare for tomorrow? If they cannot nd the

  answer, it is time to make the biggest change –

  changing your position.

  is Head of Vehicle Manufacturing at ŠKODA

  AUTO and very active within the Mindset

  Change initiative.

  MAREK JANCÁK

• Page 33

  31

  Do you feel like there has been a change

  in the perception of women in the workplace

  throughout your career?

  Yes, especially recently, with the support of

  women on their career path. There are great

  benets available, such as mobile work and job

  sharing.

  Have you personally encountered the bias that

  only men should hold positions like yours?

  I have never encountered something like that in

  my professional life; quite the opposite. Choosing

  the best candidate has always been done in the

  spirit of equal opportunity, although in a dierent

  sense than it is today. I am talking about a strict

  men to women ratio, which can, ultimately, be

  counterproductive.

  You have two children. What, in your view,

  best helps to balance work and family life?

  As I have already mentioned, exible job

  arrangements, which I would have embraced back

  then, are a great help. There was nothing like that

  available previously, so I had to rely on the support

  of my wider family. But, I live by my motto: “What

  doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.

  Do you have any spare time for hobbies?

  My biggest hobby is playing sports. As a child

  I was a competitive ice skater and it is still dear

  to my heart, whether on ice or in-line. I ski,

  practice yoga, and I love travelling, and organising

  and planning my own trips. Furthermore, I love

  reading, photography, theatre and cooking.

  You participated in the Woman to Woman pilot

  programme. How did it go?

  The Woman to Woman project has its roots

  in the V Area, an area in which core business is

  completely dierent. Working on it was a kind

  of a hobby. Our Simply Clever project was created

  with the support of the S Area. I happily share my

  experience with young talent and I enjoy meeting

  them on their career path. Sharing of experiences

  and skills goes both ways, of course. That is why

  this cooperation with young talent is inspiring to me.

  What are the crucial questions a woman on

  her way into management should nd the

  answers to?

  A woman on her way into management most

  probably wants to have a family. Balancing a career

  and family is doable. It is important to understand

  that doing both at 100% will never be possible.

  My advice is to set your priorities and, in some

  instances, prefer family, and in some, prefer work.

  has worked at ŠKODA AUTO for 30 years,

  25 of those years were spent in management

  positions in the F, G, S and V Areas. Currently,

  she is the Head of the Customer Centre.

  EVA KANCNÝŘOVÁ

• Page 34

  32

  CLICHÉS ABOUT WOMEN

  IN MANAGEMENT

  SOCIETY, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE JOB MARKET, IS CHANGING. HOWEVER, FOR DECADES, NEARLY

  EVERY COMPANY RELIED ON THE SAME MANAGEMENT TEAMS, CONSISTING OF THE SAME MEN,

  OF A SIMILAR AGE, WITH A SIMILAR BACKGROUND AND WITH SIMILAR EDUCATION. THAT’S

  THE REASON WE HEAR THE SAME OLD PHRASES THAT, UNDER CLOSER SCRUTINY, DO NOT HOLD.

  THE MOST COMMON ONES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED BY THE INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT BASED

  IN STOCKHOLM AND BERLIN, THE SWEDISH-GERMAN ALBRIGHT FOUNDATION. HAVE YOU EVER

  HEARD ANY OF THEM FROM AN EMPLOYER IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC? COUNTER THEM WITH FACTS.

  Companies with a good management team mix are more protable, innovative and make less risky decisions.

  A modern inclusive management and company culture attracts the best talent, both male and female, which will

  decide the future competitiveness of the company.

  ◼ THERE ARE ALREADY WOMEN

  IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

  ◼ WE CAN NOT PRIORITISE EQUALITY

  FOR ECONOMIC REASONS

  ◼ THIS GENDER HYPE WILL PASS

  ◼ WE DO NOT EVALUATE BASED ON GENDER, ONE’S

  QUALIFICATIONS ARE THE DECIDING FACTORS

  ◼ I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED FEMALE

  DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE

  ◼ WE ARE DOING FINE WITHOUT WOMEN,

  JUST LOOK AT OUR RESULTS

  ◼ MEN MOSTLY WORK IN MY INDUSTRY, WHICH IS

  WHY THERE ARE FEW WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT

  ◼ FOCUSING ON GENDER WARPS THE QUESTIONS

  REGARDING REAL ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

  The problem exists. Women are often unintentionally and unconsciously disadvantaged. They are less

  compensated for the same amount of work and are less often nominated for leading positions. If they have

  children, the burden of childcare rests mainly on them, which is why they are often underestimated at work.

  THERE IS NO

  PROBLEM

  EQUALITY HAS NO

  ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES

  2

  1

• Page 35

  33

  ◼ WOMEN ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BUSINESS,

  THEY STUDY EDUCATION OR LIBERAL ARTS

  ◼ WE OFFERED WOMEN MANAGERIAL

  POSITIONS BUT THEY TURNED THEM DOWN

  ◼ VERY FEW WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCE

  IN TOP MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

  ◼ WOMEN ARE NOT GOOD

  AT NETWORKING

  ◼ WOMEN CHOOSE FAMILY

  OVER CAREER

  ◼ WOMEN ARE NOT ENERGETIC

  ENOUGH

  ◼ TOO FEW WOMEN HAVE THE RIGHT

  EXPERT QUALIFICATIONS

  ◼ NO WOMEN APPLIED FOR

  MANAGERIAL POSITIONS

  In reality, business schools are favoured by men and women equally. The number of business administration

  graduates is higher for women than for men. But, when lling managerial positions, men are preferred.

  When there are no women applying for managerial positions, or turning them down, it is not the women’s fault

  and their inability to adapt. Companies should, on the other hand, analyse why they are not attractive enough

  for women. A sustainable company needs to be exible and open, with an inclusive company culture.

  Source: Albright Foundation

  IT IS WOMAN’S FAULT FOR NOT

  BEHAVING CORRECTLY

  BUSINESS IS NOT

  FOR WOMEN

  4

  3

• Page 36

  34

  MATERNITY LEAVE

  FOR PARENTS

  A LONG CAREER PAUSE FOR PARENTAL LEAVE CAN

  CAUSE A LOT OF PARENTS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN

  WHO STAY AT HOME FOR SEVERAL YEARS, TO DOUBT

  THEMSELVES. ŠKODA AUTO KNOWS THAT HAVING

  CHILDREN DOES NOT MEAN THAT PEOPLE MUST

  GIVE UP ON THEIR CAREER GOALS. THE PARENTAL

  LEAVE PERIOD IS FULL OF CHALLENGES. BUT, WITH

  THE RIGHT SUPPORT, THIS TIME CAN ALSO FURTHER

  CAREER GROWTH. WE DEBUNK THE MYTH

  OF THE TRADITIONAL FEMALE CAREGIVER ROLE

  AND SUPPORT MEN WHO DECIDE TO TAKE A BIGGER

  PART IN RAISING THEIR CHILDREN. WE HOPE THIS

  NUMBER CONTINUES TO INCREASE EACH YEAR.

  WE STAY IN CONTACT WITH OUR TEAM OF PARENTS

  AND TRY TO OFFER AS MUCH SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE

  DURING THIS WONDERFUL, BUT DIFFICULT, PERIOD.

  men 0% men 0% men 0.5%

  women 100% women 100% women 99.5%

  total total total188 212 222

  2019 2020 2021

• Page 37

  35

  PARENTAL LEAVE

  UNPAID LEAVE FOR PARENTS OF

  CHILDREN UP TO  YEARS OF AGE

  men 1.7%

  men 0%

  men 0.9%

  men 2.6%

  men 1.2%

  men 1.2%

  women 98.3%

  women 100%

  women 99.1%

  women 97.4%

  women 98.8%

  women 98.8%

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  706

  55

  773

  76

  847

  82

  2019

  2019

  2020

  2020

  2021

  2021

• Page 38

  i

  36

  PARENTS (AND ENTIRE FAMILIES) WERE TESTED BY THE EVENTS OF ; E.G. THEIR ABILITY TO

  ADAPT AND REACT QUICKLY TO SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS CLOSING DUE TO COVID-.

  APPLYING OUR LEARNINGS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, ŠKODA AUTO HAS TRIED

  ITS BEST TO ACCOMMODATE PARENTS WITH SUPPORT FOR WORK AND FLEXIBLE HOURS. A NEW

  MANUAL WAS ALSO PREPARED FOR PARENTS.

  JOB SHARING

  Are you returning to work post-parental leave and are unsure how to manage all of your new responsibilities?

  You don’t have to choose between your family and your career. A shared job position makes it easy to handle

  both. Job sharing isn’t standard yet, but employees may create a constructive solution and agreement with their

  management. And if it goes well, hopefully we’ll see more positions like this in the future.

  WORK-LIFE

  BALANCE

  1

  TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

  Contact the coordinator or department head

  in your respective Area. Begin your inquiry a year

  in advance, as job sharing positions are scarce

  and may take time to become available.

  Forward Sourcing Department (two mothers sharing one position – securing tenders

  for suppliers for serial production)

  IVA KOUŘILOVÁ, MARTA JEŽKOVÁ

  “

  “Each of us manages our own processes, which we, alone, are responsible for.

  Each of us has our own inquiries that we must take care of. This is how we remain

  independent and alleviate the need for us to rotate at xed times. We set up our

  workow beforehand with our superior”.

• Page 39

  37

  TYPES OF FLEXIBLE WORK

  GUIDE TO MATERNITY

  AND PARENTAL LEAVE

  PARENTAL DEVELOPMENT

  THE SOUL MATTERS

  WEBINAR FOR PARENTS

  During the dicult pandemic period especially, many

  parents appreciated exible forms of work (exible

  hours, mobile work, DPČ, DPP, part-time work).

  ŠKODA AUTO oers employees (upon agreement

  with management) the ability to work a suitable

  amount of hours outside the workplace and with

  a daily schedule that ts the employee’s needs.

  The company also oers training focused on eective mobile

  work for all employees.

  www.poliklinika.skoda-auto.cz/prevence/na-dusi-zalezi

  CONDITIONS

  ◼ Suitable technical equipment

  ◼ Double voluntariness and non-sickness

  ◼ Suitable employee technical equipment

  ◼ Safe handling of secured information

  ◼ Secured contact between employee

  and colleagues

  There is an updated manual available for parents that can guide them through the entire parental period,

  from their pregnancy announcement to their return to work life. They can nd a complete list of legal

  rights and obligations, benet oers, educational options and many tips on how to handle their return

  to work. The manual also introduces the ŠKODA Space portal, which is now available on mobile devices.

  Parents can easily access all information available and communicate with their employer through

  this portal.

  The parental leave period may be a great time for some parents to further their education. ŠKODA AUTO

  oers all parents a wide variety of options for self-study, using online databases for webinars and e-learning

  materials. The company also supports foreign language study. You can nd more information in our new Guide

  to Maternity and Paternity Leave.

  “The Soul Matters” is an online education programme on how (not only) parents can keep their mental state

  healthy. There is also a company psychologist available for employees.

  A webinar for parents planning to return to work took place in April 2021. The online meeting “Welcome Back

  Onboard” presented attendees with news from the company and options for returning parents.

  i

  3

  4

  5

  6

  2

• Page 40

  38

  VERONIKA BEJDÁKOVÁ HAS BEEN WORKING AT ŠKODA AUTO FOR SIX YEARS. SHE WORKED IN THE

  SB DEPARTMENT – OPERATIVE HR CARE UNTIL SHE STARTED MATERNITY LEAVE. CURRENTLY, SHE HAS

  A % EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AS A HR PROFESSIONAL FOR THE SPP DEPARTMENT (HR PLANNING

  AND WELFARE SERVICES). HER HUSBAND RADEK BEJDÁL WORKS AS A PROJECT COORDINATOR IN

  THE SP/ DEPARTMENT – IMPROVEMENT. THEY TAKE TURNS CARING FOR THEIR TWO-YEAR-OLD SON.

  BOTH PARENTS HAVE

  THE RIGHT TO WORK

  AND SPEND TIME WITH

  THEIR CHILDREN

• Page 41

  39

  When did you agree to take turns caring for

  your son?

  Veronika: Before our son was born, we agreed on

  dividing the parental leave period. Over time, we

  became increasingly rm in our conviction. I think

  spending time with a small child is priceless. Both

  parents should enjoy their children’s early years as

  much as they can. Originally, I wanted to return to

  work after two years, and then my husband would

  take care of our son for another year. We did not

  want to send such a small child to kindergarten or

  daycare, and unfortunately, our parents live too far

  away.

  Did you negotiate with your employer far

  in advance, or did you nd a quick solution?

  Veronika: Approximately eight months before

  my planned departure, I contacted the personnel

  department to see how a return in the spring

  of 2022 would look like. Due to the fact that

  I worked as a contractor during my maternity

  and parental leave, I did not lose contact with

  the company. Over time, we decided, with my

  husband, that we would both prefer to have part-

  time employment contracts – or to try to combine

  them. We would like to say thank you to our

  coordinators (Miroslav Němec, Petra Kučerová),

  who have supported us through this transition.

  What does your regular workday look like

  now?

  Veronika: I have a 40% part-time contract, so

  I am physically in the oce one day a week,

  which I use for meetings and working with

  my colleagues. Other than that, I usually work

  during the day when my son sleeps, or in the

  evenings and weekends. Currently, I am also being

  onboarded for a new position.

  Radek: There has been no signicant change on

  my side, except that I am at home with my son

  one day a week. So, I adapt my weekly work

  programme to concentrate on activities that

  require less interaction with colleagues and are

  focused on managing and developing the IT

  system. I also focus on other conceptual tasks that

  I can do at my own pace and optimally distribute

  them throughout the day.

  Would you recommend this system to other

  families?

  Veronika: Denitely. It allows my husband to

  spend time with his son. My employment also

  brings more money to the family budget. But,

  others might object to working at the expense of

  their free time.

  How does your son react to this kind of care?

  Veronika: My son is used to me, so he tries to look

  for me in the morning. But, he enjoys spending

  time with his dad and they do dierent things than

  they would do on a regular day with me. He greets

  me excitedly in the afternoon and does not want

  me to leave his room.

  What was your main motivation for returning

  to work?

  Veronika: Even before leaving for maternity leave,

  I knew that I wanted to stay in contact with my

  colleagues. I did not want to fully leave work, but

  of course, work in a way in which my son would

  still be my number one priority. I worked for the

  SB Department as a part-time contractor, which

  was very exible and that suited me well. It helped

  me rest from ordinary activities. So, once I got

  an oer to work on a part-time employment

  contract, I did not hesitate.

  Which benets of this joint-care model have

  worked best for you?

  Radek: I am still getting used to this new model.

  Each day is better and better. Soon, I may be able

  to cook lunch and not just reheat the food my wife

  prepares. It denitely gives me more time to spend

  with my son. One, quite vague benet is also the

  feeling of security. For example, if my wife gets

  sick, I know I would be able to take care of our

  son. I have also realised that taking care of a child

  is demanding and intensive. I denitely agree that

  parental leave is in no way a vacation. I salute my

  wife, and all women for that matter.

• Page 42

  40

  FOR LGBT+ PEOPLE

  ŠKODA AUTO AIMS TO PROVIDE A TOLERANT AND INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT

  FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, WHO CAN BE OPEN ABOUT THEIR IDENTITY OR

  SEXUAL ORIENTATION. DIVERSE TEAMS ACHIEVE DEMONSTRABLY BETTER

  RESULTS. AN EQUAL APPROACH TO ALL EMPLOYEES IS ALSO PART

  OF THE NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA STRATEGY  AND OUR CODE OF CONDUCT,

  OR COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT. OUR ACTIVITIES IN  PROVED THAT

  THESE ARE NOT JUST EMPTY STATEMENTS, BUT REAL ACTIONS.

  ŠKODA

  PROUD

  VISION

  ◼ APPROXIMATELY  MEMBERS

  ◼  ORGANISERS

  ◼ OPEN TO ALL LGBT+ EMPLOYEES

  AND THEIR ALLIES

  skoda.proud@skoda-auto.cz

  STAND UP FOR ALL LGBT+ EMPLOYEES (LESBIANS,

  GAYS, BISEXUALS, TRANSGENDER AND AND PEOPLE

  WITH OTHER SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS OR GENDER

  IDENTITIES)

  Promote equality, raise awareness, reduce biases, help

  create an open workplace, connect, educate and encourage

  employees through collective activities.

  STEFAN WEBELHORST

  “

  “Being active and involved in ŠKODA Proud has a lot to do with the fact that

  in my earlier years in my jobs, I would have liked to see more diversity in LGBT+

  representation, especially in leadership positions. The opportunity to have role models

  you can identify with sends the message ‘Be yourself. What you bring to the table

  is great’. That’s why the ŠKODA Proud employee group is so important when

  it comes to representation, support and sharing”.

• Page 43

  41

  BE PROUD

  “After CEO Thomas Schäfer was appointed

  in 2020, there was a mindset change throughout

  the company. Topics, such as corporate culture,

  integrity, diversity and inclusion were identied

  as focus topics for the sustainable success of the

  company and were actively put on the agenda.

  At the same time, colleagues approached us from

  Volkswagen’s ‘We Drive Proud’ employee group,

  an LGBT+ initiative that has been successfully

  active in the VW Group for a long time. This

  motivation and the ambition to positively shape

  corporate culture was the starting point for the

  creation of ŠKODA Proud”.

  ŠKODA Proud came at exactly the right time.

  Its foundation was announced on the International

  Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and

  Transphobia on 17 May, when Maren Gräf and

  Thomas Schäfer signed the Memorandum 2017+

  and ŠKODA AUTO joined the Pride Business

  Forum, a club of Czech employers committed to

  LGBT+ equality in the workplace.

  “It was a 100% grassroots initiative. And we were

  happy about the consistently positive reactions

  from colleagues and the active support for our idea

  from management” explains Stefan Webelhorst,

  one of the founding members of the group.

  One of the major challenges for the new employee

  group over the past year has been to provide

  relevant content to ŠKODA AUTO employees.

  It turned out that there was a lot of interest

  in these topics. For example, more than 200

  people attended the talk with Ester Janečková

  in November 2021.

• Page 44

  42

  FOR EVERY AGE

  THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE GENERATIONS OPERATING IN THE GLOBAL LABOUR

  MARKET. WE CAN FIND EMPLOYEES FROM EACH OF THESE GENERATIONS WORKING

  IN ŠKODA AUTO. NOW, MORE THAN EVER, WE REALISE HOW IMPORTANT AGE

  DIVERSITY IS IN EACH TEAM AND WE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING ALL AGE CATEGORIES.

  DEVELOPMENT OF AVERAGE

  AGES AT ŠKODA AUTO

  39.8

  39.4

  40.2

  2019

  2021

  2020

• Page 45

  43

  2021

  OVERVIEW

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  total

  205

  2 202

  4 548

  5 044

  5 171

  5 807

  5 538

  3 392

  2 308

  938

  0 - 20

  20 - 25

  25 - 30

  30 - 35

  35 - 40

  40 - 45

  45 - 50

  50 - 55

  55 - 60

  60 +

• Page 46

  44

  MAREN GRÄF

  “

  “The automotive industry is going through a period of profound change

  and is heading toward electromobility and digitisation. In order to successfully

  undergo this transition, we, at ŠKODA AUTO, educate recent college graduates

  via our yearly training programme Tech Trainee in the areas of electromobility,

  digitisation and cyber security. As an employer, we feel obliged to prepare young

  talent for future tasks. In order to prepare them for the future, we are going to

  invest 45 milion euros in the next two years”.

  BY , THREE-FOURTHS OF THE EMPLOYEE BASE AT ŠKODA AUTO WILL CONSIST

  OF MILLENNIALS BORN BETWEEN  AND . THEREFORE, IT IS HIGH TIME TO SUPPORT

  INTEREST IN TECHNICAL FIELDS AND ENCOURAGE NEW TALENT TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY.

  HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ONLY RELATE TO STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO PROFESSIONALS

  VIA EDUCATION AND RETRAINING. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON OLDER GENERATIONS

  THAT MUST BE ABLE TO FIND A RESPECTABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY CAN APPLY

  AND WIDEN THEIR SKILLS. THE GOAL OF THE COMPANY IS TO HAVE INTERGENERATIONAL

  HARMONY, LEADING TO STABILITY AND ONGOING COMPANY DEVELOPMENT.

  FROM STUDENTS

  TO SENIORS

• Page 47

  45

  TECH TRAINEE PROGRAMME

  EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE

  THE RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT

  END WITH RETIREMENT

  ŠKODA AUTO UNIVERSITY

  ŠKODA AUTO A.S, MECHANICAL

  ENGINEERING VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

  This new training programme is mainly focused on electromobility and digitisation.

  People who have graduated college within a maximum of two years ago are eligible to

  join. While the standard trainee programme allows trainees to choose their eld while

  within the company, this new programme leads graduates directly to a specic eld.

  ŠKODA AUTO is a traditional employer with a wide base of loyal and motivated

  employees, who remain with the company for a large part of their lives. It is, therefore,

  in the company’s best interest to take care of their employees’ physical and mental

  well-being. ŠKODA AUTO owns its own clinic and oers high-quality prevention and

  healthcare programmes. Also, thanks to an extraordinary cooperation with KOVO

  Unions, the clinic’s breadth keeps growing. There are rehabilitation programmes,

  voluntary vaccination subsidies and psychosocial care currently on oer.

  Even after retiring, there are several benets available for ex-employees, e.g. subsidised

  car leasing, convalescent stays and more. At the same time, the company motivates

  seniors to participate in more activities and, in case of interest, oers them a more

  convenient position or dierent types of part-time work. For example, ex-manufacturing

  employees can apply at specialised schools as part-time practice supervisors.

  ◼ The only university in Czechia whose founder is a multinational company

  ◼ Undergraduate and graduate tracks available

  ◼ English study options available

  ◼ Internship opportunities at ŠKODA AUTO

  ◼ Thesis consultation possibilities with experts at ŠKODA AUTO

  ◼ Laurin & Klement Award for the best thesis with a prize of 80K CZK

  ◼ Fields with a vocational certicate

  ◼ Mandatory practice at ŠKODA AUTO

  ◼ Girls Day – an annual day with interactive programmes for grammar school students

  in years seven and eight

• Page 48

  46

  FOR PEOPLE WITH

  DISABILITIES

  AT FIRST GLANCE, YOU MAY NOT NOTICE IT, BUT WORK CAN BE FULL OF OBSTACLES FOR SOME

  EMPLOYEES. THAT’S WHY ŠKODA AUTO SUPPORTS INCLUSION AND TRIES TO, NO MATTER

  THE DISABILITY, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO WHAT THEY ARE GOOD AT.

  NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WORKING

  AT THE SHELTERED/PROFILE CENTRE

  426

  394

  429

  2019

  2021

  2020

• Page 49

  i

  47

  E.G. PEOPLE WHO HAVE UNDERGONE A TRANSPLANT,

  HAVE HEAVY ALLERGIES, HAVE CARDIAC PROBLEMS

  E.G. PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY, RHEUMATOID OR

  PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CROHN’S

  DISEASE

  USUALLY SOMEONE WITH A VISIBLE DISABILITY, OR PEOPLE

  WHO RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS ILLNESS

  WHO IS A PERSON WITH

  DISABILITIES?

  WHO IS A MEDICALLY

  DISADVANTAGED PERSON?

  LEVEL 

  LEVEL 

  LEVEL 

  Level of disability based on the decrease of working abilities

  People with a disability, who are capable of continuous work, but their ability to perform

  their job is limited in the long term due to an unfavourable health condition (based on

  medical knowledge, their health condition lasts longer than a year and severely limits their

  physical, sensoric or mental abilities and, thus, their work performance).

  You might have a severe allergy, asthma, celiac disease or diabetes. Have you undergone

  a transplant or have been diagnosed with an oncologic disease? You can turn to our HR

  department for help with any situation and to nd a suitable working environment.

  personalistika@skoda-auto.cz

• Page 50

  48

  THE GOAL FOR ŠKODA AUTO IS NOT ONLY TO FULFIL THE MANDATORY

  QUOTA (TO EMPLOY % OF OUR WORKFORCE WITH PEOPLE WITH

  A DISABILITY), BUT TO BE A TRULY ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER FOR EVERYONE

  REGARDLESS OF PHYSICAL OR SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS.

  Once an employee undergoes their mandatory medical check, they are not obliged

  to report any further health complications to their employer. However, ŠKODA AUTO

  tries to create a work environment that oers openness and trust on both sides.

  Employees registered as persons with a disability or medical restriction are oered

  an extra week of vacation and other benets by the company.

  ŠKODA AUTO operates six continually modernised sheltered plants, where almost

  430 employees work. For the last six years, we have operated our sheltered/proled

  workplace for people with physical and/or social restrictions. People who, due to

  a temporary or permanent disability, are unable to perform their original work tasks

  are employed here. They are fully barrier-free workplaces that can be best adapted

  to various needs.

  WITHOUT LIMITATIONS

• Page 51

  49

  For employees with disabilities, what is it truly

  like to work at ŠKODA AUTO? Petr Stanislav

  (24) started working at ŠKODA AUTO after

  graduating from the local specialised school

  and has been working as a HR Administrator

  since 2018.

  Have you felt that the company was ready for

  employees with special needs from day one?

  It really depends on what kind of work

  environment we are talking about. However,

  there are plenty of workplaces that are

  customised. Fortunately, I did not have any special

  requirements. I am completely satised with

  the building having an elevator.

  You are a passionate race car driver. Was that

  one of the reasons why you chose

  ŠKODA AUTO as your employer?

  I would not say that, but there is certainly

  a connection. As I am keen on motorsport,

  I started attending ŠKODA AUTO Vocational

  School in 2012, where I trained as an auto

  mechanic. As a successful graduate, I was oered

  the position I am still currently employed in.

  Do you pursue racing in your spare time?

  Sports are an indivisible part of my life. They

  have always been. Apart from that, they also

  help me stay in good physical shape. Currently,

  I am engaged in endurance o-road racing and

  basketball. I love an active lifestyle, therefore

  I spend two to three hours a day pursuing my hobbies.

  What has been the biggest obstacle for you

  at work? And, conversely, what about

  ŠKODA AUTO’s approach towards employees

  with disabilities has pleasantly surprised you?

  As I started working at a department that

  I knew very little about at rst, there was a lot to

  learn. Fortunately, I was, and am, surrounded by

  wonderful colleagues that are helpful in every way.

  Thanks to this atmosphere, I was able to adapt

  quickly.

  How do you perceive support from your

  colleagues?

  Their support was amazing from day one. We have

  a great team that does not have a problem helping

  each other out.

  Have you felt a shift in the company mindset

  towards diversity and inclusion since you

  started working at ŠKODA AUTO?

  Yes, since I started working here, a huge amount

  of work has been done. Practically everyone is

  acquainted with these principles, from students

  to employees across the board. Considering how

  many people work here, I think this is an important

  topic. And a lot of emphasis is justiably put on it.

  I’VE FELT SUPPORTED FROM

  THE START

  BEHIND THE WHEEL WITHOUT BARRIERS

  One of ŠKODA AUTO’s CSR priorities is supporting people with disabilities.

  A guide to the world of barrierless mobility, ŠKODA Neřídit, was published mid-2021

  in collaboration with Cesta za snem. This brochure, named after a long-term company

  project, answers questions related to people with disabilities learning to drive. Part

  of this activity is an already functioning grant programme, from which people with

  disabilities are able to ask for a subsidy of up to 15 thousand Czech crowns to

  complete driving school.

  i

• Page 52

  6

  50

  INTERNATIONALISATION

• Page 53

  51

  3

  6 35 032 48

  1 15 18 29 1

  INTERNATIONALISATION

  EACH CUSTOMER IS UNIQUE, AND ŠKODA AUTO IS JUST AS DIVERSE. TEAMS CONSISTING

  OF DIFFERENT CULTURES HELP US UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND NEEDS

  OF OUR CUSTOMERS. THANKS TO OUR OPENNESS TO INTERNATIONAL TALENT, WE ARE

  ALWAYS ABLE TO FIND THE BEST EXPERTS AND OFFER THEM ATTRACTIVE JOBS AND SUPPORT

  IN ADAPTING TO A NEW ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE CREATING A TECHNOLOGICAL FUTURE

  BASED ON DIVERSITY.

• Page 54

  52

  83%

  95.2%

  81.5%

  84.1%

  95.3%

  80.8%

  85.9%

  95.2%

  80.6%

  17%

  4.8%

  18.5%

  15.9%

  4.7%

  19.2%

  14.1%

  4.8%

  19.4%

  MANUFACTURING POSITIONS

  ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS

  MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

  Czechs 10 600

  Czechs 17 977

  Czechs 575

  Czechs 10 576

  Czechs 18 337

  Czechs 598

  Czechs 10 166

  Czechs 19 112

  Czechs 659

  Foreigners 531

  Foreigners 4 080

  Foreigners 118

  2019

  2019

  2019

  2020

  2020

  2020

  2021

  2021

  2021

  Foreigners 524

  Foreigners 4 366

  Foreigners 113

  Foreigners 511

  Foreigners 4 597

  Foreigners 108

• Page 55

  53

  AN INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEE MIX HAS BEEN INSEPARABLY PART OF ŠKODA AUTO FOR MANY YEARS

  NOW – ON EVERY JOB LEVEL. THANKS TO THIS, THE COMPANY HAS HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMES

  AND ACTIVITIES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS, WHICH ARE BEING CONTINUALLY EXPANDED.

  BUSINESS TRAINEE PROGRAMME

  MINDSET CHANGE

  CULTURAL DIALOGUES

  ALL NATIONALITIES

  ARE WELCOME

  INTERCULTURAL

  MANAGEMENT COURSES

  An international programme focused on marketing, sales, strategy and HR is aimed

  at business-oriented university graduates, who graduated a maximum of two years ago.

  During the rst year, trainees get a chance to try out dierent departments, including

  an internship abroad. It is an unique opportunity to get to know ŠKODA AUTO experts

  and other trainees from all over the world and create lifelong connections.

  Tolerance and an open mind are prerequisites for a well-functioning company.

  Throughout 2021, there was a cycle of six online cultural dialogues in Czech

  and English that introduced employees to the culture inside of ŠKODA AUTO.

  Together, employees are guring out how to improve the work environment.

  These meetings are motivation for proactive changes within the company.

  Mutual understanding between colleagues, who oftentimes stem from dierent

  cultural backgrounds, is an important aspect of a properly functioning team. That is

  why ŠKODA Academy regularly oers courses, webinars and e-learnings that help

  prevent possible conicts. They also support foreign employees in adjusting to

  the Czech environment. During the year, there were nine course slots that helped

  the attendees introduce the culture, habits and behaviours of people in, e.g.,India,

  China, Germany, Russia and of course, the Czech Republic.

• Page 56

  54

  Sales Planning Specialist for the German market

  AIDA MERUŠIĆ

  “

  “I originally looked for a job in my native country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I accidentally

  stumbled on the ŠKODA Trainee Programme on social media. I did not intend to move abroad

  at that time, but I very much liked how the programme was structured and what it oered.

  During the year, I could switch departments every two to three months; all were sales related.

  This helped me get a complete picture of how the company operates in this area. After that,

  I was able to start my position as Sales Planning Specialist for the German market.”

• Page 57

  55

  What was your journey to ŠKODA AUTO like?

  When I came to Prague, I did not know this brand

  at all. In a situation where I had to close down my

  company with a half a milion euro loss, I received

  a message from a headhunter at ŠKODA AUTO.

  I deep dived into what ŠKODA does, its history

  and aliations, and it was like love at rst sight.

  I celebrated my third anniversary at ŠKODA AUTO

  in January 2022.

  Do you mind telling us more about yourself?

  I was born in Cuba, grew up in Miami and have

  Spanish roots. I beat cancer at the age of 16,

  which gave me a new perspective. There are

  no problems, just solutions. My dream was to

  become a pilot, but I was unable to pass the

  physical endurance tests. I love aeroplanes and

  I was good at maths, so I became an aviation

  engineer (I also obtained a private pilot licence,

  so I managed to make half of my dream come

  true). But one of the biggest lessons I learned

  at an early age was that experience is not one

  thing; it is everything. That is why I decided to

  work for one of the biggest aviation component

  manufacturers full time and study at university

  at the same time. These were crazy days. I woke

  up before six a.m. and came back home from

  school or work at night. Four years (and some hair

  loss) later, the sacrice paid o. I became the QA

  Manager for the US, EU and Asia regions. At that

  point, I knew the operations so well that I became

  my boss’ boss. I had six years of experience,

  at the age of 24, in the commercial aviation area

  and wanted to do something on my own. That’s

  when the idea for Progressive Aircraft Service was

  born. We travelled to South America (especially

  Colombia and Brazil) with my best friend, bought

  private jets, and then xed and sold them in the US.

  Stories from our international employees are colourful and inspirational. Romny Romero, from the

  EX1 Department, has one of these stories about his journey to ŠKODA AUTO. He has now been living

  in the Czech Republic for ve years.

  THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS, JUST

  SOLUTIONS

• Page 58

  56

  Why did you end up in the Czech Republic?

  We operated Progressive Aircraft Service for

  a year when the Airhero idea came around.

  We wanted to give everyone the opportunity

  to y (a plane that can y autonomously, but

  is connected to a land-based station in case of

  emergency). We found the only suitable aeroplane

  here. At that time, the political situation in

  the US was not great and I was recently divorced,

  so I decided to leave. After two years of

  development, we ran out of money and we had

  to stop the project. That’s when I got an invitation

  for an interview at ŠKODA AUTO.

  Do you still remember your rst impression

  of the Czech Republic?

  I remember the cold, since I had just arrived

  from Miami in December. I was born and studied

  in Cuba, so I had seen the same types of buildings,

  and Russian cars and trucks. I was not sure how

  well I was going to be able to adapt, but in the ve

  years that I’ve lived here, the tempo of progress

  has been exponential. I honestly believe that

  Prague is going to become the next business

  capital of Europe in 15 to 25 years.

  What do you like most about life here?

  Prague is a very international city, so I am happy

  to explore new cultures. It is also a very safe and

  strategic city for doing business and travelling.

  I was fortunate enough to surround myself with

  people I now call family. I keep saying that I came

  to Prague for money and stayed for love. But

  I can not forget to mention the great beer and,

  of course, ŠKODA AUTO.

  Have you encountered any problems as an

  expat?

  Five years ago, there was a crazy amount of

  bureaucracy for me. I needed to deal with all of

  the government institutions in the Czech

  language. Almost nothing was electronic, each

  of the forms were only available on paper. It was

  dicult to pay using credit cards and people did

  not trust foreigners much.

  And how did you feel when you started

  working at ŠKODA AUTO?

  I was fortunate to end up in one of the most

  diverse and open departments (EX) as part of

  the Technical Development team. People speak

  Czech, Slovak, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish,

  English, German, French, Italian, Hindi and Korean.

  We are a very young, motivated and international

  team, where everyone works on taking ŠKODA

  AUTO to the next level. And we have a very open-

  minded supervisor, who knows how to listen to

  the craziest ideas and is always constructive. Our

  department also knows how to help foreigners

  feel at home (we even have our EX-Dream Team

  Whatsapp Group).

  What would you recommend our other

  international colleagues do in order to t in?

  I would not necessarily recommend blending in.

  We need more contrast (not everything can be

  one colour). What I would recommend to my

  international colleagues is to be yourselves. Your

  culture, background, experiences and points of

  view will challenge your team and make them nd

  better solutions or dierent ways of cooperation.

  You make ŠKODA International. For instance,

  you work in a Czech company where the internal

  business and management communication

  language is German. That right there gives you

  grounds to not let the language tabu (CZ, GER)

  limit your ability to be an asset to this company.

  Are you missing any kind of support from your

  employer?

  I speak four languages (English, Spanish, Italian,

  Portuguese). I can literally communicate with over

  85% of the world’s population. But, sometimes

  it doesn’t seem to be enough, especially when

  German is not part of my repertoire. I would

  appreciate transparency in how someone who

  does not speak Czech or German can become

  a board member or a manager. Alternatively,

  what are the options in career advancement for

  international employees? I would also appreciate

  the ability to work from abroad.

• Page 59

  7

  57

  DIVERSITY IN PRACTICE

• Page 60

  58

  A DIVERSE YEAR AT PKD VRCHLABÍ

  There are periods that can move the entire company years forward. Last year was one of those years for PKD.

  Thanks to the immense eort and openness of the management and employees, Vrchlabi is now an example

  for others when it comes to the implementation of diversity and inclusion principles.

  The Speed+ competition, which takes place amongst concerned plants for component manufacturing,

  was one of the motivations for change in PKD. It consists of ve parts, one of them being diversity. In 2021,

  the PKD department of the Vrchlabí Plant experienced three online audits that evaluated progress, and checked

  on compliance and development. From 46 scored questions in eight blocks, we managed to uphold all but two.

  Head of the ŠKODA AUTO Vrchlabí Plant

  IVAN SLIMÁK

  PKD VRCHLABÍ PLANT’S GOALS

  “

  “The transformation of the Vrchlabí Plant ten years ago meant change in terms of internationalisation.

  Our plant was visited by colleagues from Volkswagen and our employees started venturing abroad

  as well. The topic of diversity is self-evident for us, which can be demonstrated by the support

  and motivation of women and girls in our technical training. In 2021, for example, the rst meeting

  between our female colleagues and year eight and year nine students took place. They shared their

  work experiences and presented options for part-time work or internships at the Vrchlabí Plant.

  We also thoroughly support foreign language skills – we nancially supported the municipal library

  in Vrchlabí in order to acquire 300 English books and audio books for elementary and high school

  students. We also supported the English study programme at the local high school that culminates

  in an internationally recognised American graduation certicate”.

  A recommended minimum of two activities per year for managers (open door for subordinates,

  shadowing, charity with the inclusion of the entire team, environmental support).

  Occupancy of job positions for workers with work limitations (two-year temporary solution,

  a sheltered working centre has been established for permanent purposes).

  Search for new qualied workers before this generation retires (long-term cooperation with

  regional schools, universities, apprentice work, technical toys for kindergartens, motivation

  for girls to pursue technical subjects, etc.).

  ROLE MODEL PROGRAMME

  PROFILE POSITIONS

  BABY BOOMER GENERATION

• Page 61

  59

  ACTIVITIES IN PRACTICE

  Plant management, in collaboration with PK Human Resources, launched the monthly updated Cockpit

  Diversity Report that is based on the VW Components standard. It stresses international cooperation and

  knowledge sharing between VW Components plants. The PK Diversity team was established, where each PKx

  department has its own representative. All PKD employees underwent “Getting to Know Diversity in 2021”

  training. A long-term activity is working with nudges (a means to guide people to better conscious decision

  making and more open communication across the company), which has been rated very positively by Speed+.

  ◼ Diversity-inspired PKD team group established (videos and articles about unconscious

  biases, paternal roles, etc.)

  ◼ Interactive questionnaire about D&I

  ◼ Emphasis on fullling all four levels of inclusion within the company (integrative

  management, authentic model, interconnectedness and visibility, clear career paths)

  In addition to activities directly at the plant, its representatives present at various events and debates, e.g.,

  at the company diversity meetup. The School Expert project was also successful. Last year, the rst meeting

  with the students took place. It was attended by two female production foremen and three women in various

  technical positions. The main goal of the project is to support and motivate girls in elementary schools to

  choose technical education.

  Concerning education, the Vrchlabí Plant also supports technical education and technical extracurricular

  activities.T he Vrchlabí PKD Collective has been engaged in various elds for many years, regardless

  of any competitions. The workers regularly attend the “Shoebox” charity event, where they support

  the Diakonie ČCE – centre Světlo in Vrchlabí and even adopted a cheetah in the Dvůr Králové Zoo.

  ◼ Compile comprehensive materials acquainting topics of diversity and inclusion, including clear examples

  ◼ Interactive screens in meeting rooms and shared team spaces with the Diversity Icon, which provides

  exhaustive information about D&I (a new online platform was launched in May 2021 and the concept

  was taken over by the entire PK area in 2022)

  ◼ A series of 20-minute meetups focusing on unconscious biases, diversity and inclusion in select

  logistics groups

  Technical worker, responsible for Speed+ activities in the area of diversity

  IVONA DOSTÁLOVÁ

  “

  “It is important to communicate the topic of diversity clearly. People often do not realise that diversity is present

  all around us. We have older colleagues, younger colleagues, dierent educational backgrounds, positions and

  experiences. Each one of us has a dierent way we view the world, and have dierent joys, sorrows and cultures.

  We all create one whole functioning unit”.

  TECHNICAL POSITIONS

  WORKER POSITIONS

  PKD

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  WE SUPPORT

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  EU DIVERSITY CHARTER /

  BUSINESS FOR SOCIETY

  CULTURE FESTIVAL

  IN MLADÁ BOLESLAV

  On 21 May, Thomas Schäfer and

  the Head of Diversity Management

  at Volkswagen Elke Heitmuller

  attended the European Diversity

  Day International Conference, held

  at the Czech Parliament. The main

  topic of this prestigious event was

  how to conceptually anchor the

  topic of diversity in the company

  management. The debate was joined

  by representatives from areas

  of business, politics and science.

  The ŠKODA AUTO Endowment

  Fund has, for the third time,

  supported the September cultural

  festival, which took place at the

  Výstaviště park in Mladá Boleslav.

  Over one weekend, attendees

  could explore the culture, customs,

  or cuisine of the Vietnamese,

  Thai, Nepalese, Turkish, Indian and

  Mongolian minority living in the

  Czech Republic.

  The conference was organised by

  the Business for Society Alliance,

  which is the national guarantor

  for the European Diversity Charter.

  ŠKODA AUTO joined in 2019.

  This employer initiative for company

  and workplace diversity is currently

  supported by more than 12,000

  companies and organisations across

  Europe.

  The Culture Festival is organised

  by the city of Mladá Boleslav, in

  collaboration with the Centre for

  Integration of Foreigners SUZ MV

  ČR. Since its rst year, the festival

  has also been funded by the ŠKODA

  Endowment Fund.

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  PRIDE BUSINESS FORUM

  CZECHITAS

  On the International Day Against

  Homophobia, Biphobia and

  Transphobia, Thomas Schäfer and

  Maren Gräf signed Memorandum

  2017+, announcing ŠKODA AUTO

  as a member of the Pride Business

  Forum.

  Over the summer, ŠKODA AUTO

  supported the rst Summer IT School

  for female high school students

  (Prague, Liberec). It was a weekly

  camp, with an intense and varied

  programme, aimed to support the

  interest of girls in computer-related

  elds and simplify the entrance into

  technical subjects at universities.

  22-24 September, ŠKODA AUTO, as

  a conference platinum partner, and in

  cooperation with Czechitas, attended

  the ACM Celebration of Women in

  Computing: womENcourage 2021.

  The goal was to connect women

  from various technical elds and

  encourage them in their IT profession

  and training.

  ŠKODA AUTO became the 33rd

  member of the Pride Business Forum

  initiative, whose goal is to support

  LGBT+ diversity in companies and

  secure fair treatment regardless

  of sexual orientation and gender

  identity.

  In September, the ŠKODA Academy,

  together with Czechitas, launched IT

  courses for employees aged 42 to 56.

  The three-month-long course helped

  retrain employees’ digital capabilities,

  so that they apply them in their work.

  Czechitas is a non-prot organisation

  that focuses on IT education for

  women and children. It helps to

  overcome the cliché that technology

  and IT elds are not for women.

  ŠKODA AUTO has been their general

  partner since 2021. The partners

  jointly prepare public courses, courses

  for female high school students, and

  also special courses for employees on

  maternity and parental leave.

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  VISION 2022

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  UNIFY, PINPOINT AND CORRECTLY

  COMMUNICATE DIVERSITY AND

  INCLUSION ACTIVITIES AT ŠKODA AUTO

  CREATE A DIVERSITY PLATFORM ON ŠKODA

  SPACE. SUPPORT AND ENLARGE THE

  DIVERSITY COMMUNITY AT ŠKODA AUTO

  DATA WORK – TRANSPARENCY AND

  MONTHLY REPORTING INCLUDING GOAL

  MANAGEMENT

  PREPARE NEW DIVERSITY NEXT LEVEL ŠKODA

  STRATEGY 

  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TEAM

  VISION 

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  CREATE A PLAN FOR THE TRANSPARENCY OF

  INFORMATION IN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

  COMMUNICATION – EASY TO UNDERSTAND

  AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION ABOUT

  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

  FOCUS ON SPECIFIC PILLARS OF D&I

  ◼ FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICY

  ◼ INTERNATIONALISATION

  ◼ AGE MANAGEMENT

  ◼ LGBT+ INCLUSION

  ◼ EMPLOYEE GROUPS

  ◼ MINDSET CHANGE AND UNCONSCIOUS

  BIAS MANAGEMENT

  ◼ EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES

  ◼ ROLE MODEL PROGRAMME

  ŠKODA AUTO GROUP – KPI STEERING FOR

  THE ENTIRE GROUP

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  EVERYONE CAN

  FIND SUPPORT

  According to a survey on Mindset Change, 33% of employee respondents

  fear standing up against unfair treatment. Let’s change that!

  All photos included in the Diversity Report are of ŠKODA AUTO employees

  and are used with their consent.

  WHERE TO TURN TO, IF YOU DON’T FEEL

  SAFE AT WORK?

  Consult with your superior

  If your superior is not trustworthy, or refuses to deal with

  the situation, contact HR (SB)

  Contact the Compliance Department (GO)

  Use the anonymous VW Whistleblower System

  (ombudsman also available in Czech)

  Talk to the company psychologist (The Soul Matters – free

  psychological consultations)

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  CONTACT US AT

  DIVERSITY@SKODA-AUTO.CZ