DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

As a global company, LEDVANCE employs people of different backgrounds and views of life. It is a mutual understanding of the management at LEDVANCE that an inclusive environment fosters the company’s success. We expect all employees to treat subordinates, peers, colleagues, and managers, as well as all other stakeholders, in a fair manner and to respect each other in everything we do.
 
Fair dealing includes respect for the human rights of every individual who works for or with LEDVANCE. LEDVANCE prohibits child and forced labor as well as modern slavery in all business activities and ensures that neither children under 15 years of age nor forced laborers are employed in our value chain.
 
Both, the “guiding principles of the UN Global Compact” and the “guidelines of the International Labor Organization” (ILO) are an integral part of our corporate ethics and thus binding for all LEDVANCE employees and activities worldwide. We oblige our business partners and suppliers to comply with LEDVANCE's strict social and ethical standards and check this regularly.

Within LEDVANCE, performance of our employees counts just as much as their personality, regardless of age, origin or nationality, gender, sexual identity, disability, religion, or ideology.
 
We are convinced that different views and approaches of a divers team enriches LEDVANCE and help to further develop and ensure our business success. We do not and will not tolerate any form of discrimination and enhance an inclusive leadership style and environment.
 
It is one of the management’s most important tasks to promote diversity, always bearing in mind country-specific requirements. We strive to build an inclusive environment within the organization every day.
Our LEDVANCE managers develop strategic visions for their area of responsibility and are responsible for driving the performance of their teams. We expect every LEDVANCE manager to create a culture of trust that enables everyone to live the LEDVANCE values every day.
 
Our managers foster and encourage our employees by acting as mentor and coach, helping them to grow professionally and personally through open, regular and constructive feedback. Our managers provide guidance to our employees in times of change. They exemplify what they expect from their employees and act honestly. Our managers welcome regular upward feedback from their employees.

LEDVANCE is open to all candidates, regardless of age, origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion or ideology, or physical limitations. All applications are reviewed in a fair, transparent selection process. Internal and external candidates go through an interview process. This involves matching the job requirements with the candidate as well as benchmarking between candidates.

The goal of the onboarding process is to ensure that the employee is able to perform his or her duties effectively, is integrated into the company, and feels welcome. Our steps of the onboarding process are:
 
1. Provide information that enables the employee's orientation and familiarization
2. Prepare a training plan
3. Assign a Buddy for support
4. Give feedback and evaluation during and after the probationary period
In today's professional world, it is essential that employees continuously acquire new knowledge and skills. It is LEDVANCE's goal to prepare its employees well for these challenges of the future. The best way to do this is through a culture of lifelong learning, where it is natural to proactively engage with new topics and broaden one's horizon.
 
Learning for the current job
Every manager must review, at least once a year, whether the employees have the knowledge and qualifications necessary to do their job well. This review process must be documented for ISO audits. Identified knowledge gaps shall be closed (e.g. by learning on the job, learning from others, trainings).
 
Learning for the future
LEDVANCE provides an e-learning platform for the majority of our employees which offers a wide range of trainings – business related or of general nature. These trainings support the continuous learning of employees in different fields of knowledge. All managers are called upon to encourage their employees to make use of this learning offer.
LEDVANCE offers every employee the opportunity to participate in our Open Mentoring Program. The program is based on our belief that we can learn from each other regardless hierarchy, location, or function, which is why every employee can become a mentee as well as a mentor. The program is also open in terms of content, it can be used in a variety of ways such as for personal as well as professional development, networking, professional exchange and much more. Each country HR shall promote the Open Mentoring program.
Feedback
Mutual feedback is important to grow further and develop as a team. On the one hand, this applies to employees who need regular feedback on their performance to develop personally but also in terms of content and performance. On the other hand, this applies to managers, who need the feedback of their employees to grow in their leadership and communication skills.
Each national subsidiary at LEDVANCE therefore ensures that every employee receives feedback at least once a year, which must also be documented accordingly.
 
As part of the annual feedback, the employee's development needs and development opportunities should also be discussed. The employee’s feedback to the manager is also part of this annual meeting.
 
Both, employee and manager, shall handle feedback as an integrated part in their regular exchange. Giving and receiving feedback shall not be limited to one annual meeting (the documentation itself is mandatory once a year).
 
Employee Satisfaction Survey
In addition, it is also important that employees can give their feedback to LEDVANCE. For this reason, LEDVANCE conducted a global employee survey in 2023 and derive appropriate measures from the survey for each country. The employee survey will be repeated regularly thereafter.
 
Suggestions for Improvement & Change
In our open company culture, we appreciate any suggestions for improvement. Employees are encouraged at all times to discuss suggestions of improvement and change with the manager.
 
Grievance process
Employees who feel they have been discriminated against or treated unfairly, can initiate the grievance process through their manager, local HR department or through our whistleblowing tool LEDVANCE Integrity Line (LILi) tool at any time.
 
No employee will suffer any disadvantage as a result of the factual presentation of complaints and requests.
 
At LEDVANCE, competence and career development take place in close coordination between employee and manager. The employee is responsible for his or her professional development and is supported by his or her manager as part of the feedback sessions. We foster a culture where we promote and develop employees regardless of age, origin or nationality, gender, sexual identity, disability, religion, or ideology.