Better performance and more innovation thanks to mixed teams

“Diverse teams perform better, are more innovative, come up with more creative solutions and they are more attractive to new talent” says Implenia CEO André Wyss. So mixed groups, in which experienced and young people, women and men with diverse backgrounds and different disciplines work together, are therefore a success factor for companies.

But diversity doesn’t just happen: In its directive to “Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion” Implenia is focusing on the diversity of employees with regard to age, culture, nationality, ethnicity, physical abilities, political and religious beliefs and sexual orientation. It wants to grow teams that contain a wide range of experience, training and knowledge – multi perspective as a key to success.

Implenia has already launched a series of concrete measures to implement the diversity strategy. Internal networks like Women@Implenia or Young generation are set up to strengthen the sense of togetherness among women and employees under 30 in working groups and discussions and enable them to actively represent their interests within the company.

The proportion of women at Implenia is already encouraging in the area of real estate services and in central functions such as HR, legal services, purchasing or marketing and communications. However, women are still under-represented in the operational construction business, even though increasing digitalisation and industrialisation are making construction professions more attractive.

One of Implenia's specific goals is to continue to significantly increase the proportion of women from 24 percent, especially in management positions. "To achieve this, everyone at Implenia is pulling in the same direction, especially the management team," says CEO André Wyss. "Management and employees see the added value of mixed teams and therefore work together to promote diversity in the company."

External partners are also helping Implenia on its way to a diverse future. For example, Implenia is working with Advance - the leading business association for gender equality in Switzerland. And in Norway, Implenia has joined the Diversitas nettverk – the country’s leading network for diversity and gender balance in the construction industry. Its aim is to rebalance the gender ratio and increase diversity across the industry.

Linn Marie Bjørvik, Sustainability Manager at Implenia Norway, is delighted with this partnership. “By becoming part of a wider diversity movement, we can help our industry become more productive.”