​HELLA wants to further increase the proportion of women. This target has now been firmly agreed: for example, the proportion of women in management positions is to rise to 27 percent by 2027. Measures to achieve the targets have already been initiated.

Friday 2022-08-12

In many companies in the automotive industry, there are too few women represented, particularly at management levels. HELLA wants to change this in its own company and has therefore defined corresponding targets: Group-wide, the aim is to increase the proportion of women in management positions (Managers & Professionals) to 27 percent by 2027. In 2019, the figure was 22 percent. "Heterogeneous teams are proven to be more successful. After all, diversity plays a key role in opening up new perspectives and finding creative solutions. Thus, the increasing role of women at HELLA will help accelerate our improvements and performance," says CEO Michel Favre, explaining the HELLA management's decision to adopt the goal for the advancement of women and to anchor it in the sustainability strategy.

Attracting and retaining female talent for HELLA

Particularly technically oriented companies like HELLA operate in a challenging environment in this respect: There are still too few women pursuing a technical career. This is also reflected in technical courses, where women are underrepresented. Consequently, fewer women than men apply for jobs at HELLA. In order to increase the proportion of women in the company, HELLA is therefore taking a holistic approach - starting with recruiting, through employee development, to the design of flexible working time and parental leave models. Throughout the company, HELLA aims to recruit and retain more women in managerial and professional level positions. One aspect of this, for example, is closer support for women on parental leave and returning to work.

Large regional differences in the proportion of women

Currently, the proportion of women at HELLA varies greatly from region to region. Especially in Romania (40%) and China (35%), many women are already working at the Manager & Professionals level. In Germany (15%), Slovenia (13%) and India (13%), on the other hand, the values are significantly below the current HELLA average (23%). The reasons for this are not least related to the respective characteristics of the locations, whether they are development, production or administration sites. Measures are therefore designed and tailored by HR departments on a regional basis. Groupwide measures include increased offers to promote specialist and managerial staff through training, for example in the Faurecia Learning Lab, and the formation of women's networks.