German media, as well as Bertelsmann employees, have recently and repeatedly inquired about Bertelsmann’s position on diversity and anti-discrimination. The Code of Conduct makes it clear that the Group does not tolerate any discriminatory behavior based on ethnic origin or nationality, for example. But how international are our 33,187 employees in Germany?
What is Bertelsmann’s position on diversity and anti-discrimination? What regulations does the Group have for its companies in this area? These questions have been repeatedly put to Bertelsmann in recent weeks by the German media, as well as by employees. The company has issued this statement in response: “Bertelsmann is firmly committed to the basic democratic order and requires its businesses to comply with all applicable laws and the Bertelsmann Code of Conduct. This globally applicable code of conduct stipulates that Bertelsmann does not tolerate any discriminatory behavior based on ethnic origin or nationality, for example. Our company is committed to diversity, respect and tolerance. It respects human rights, personal rights and the dignity of employees and all third parties. Bertelsmann itself is diverse and international: Our company does business in more than 50 countries around the world. Our media are a global testament to pluralism and diversity. Our 33,200 employees in Germany alone come from 131 different nationalities. We are happy that they are with us – and we couldn’t work without them.”
A closer look at the figures sheds light on how important the contribution of employees of different nationalities is for Bertelsmann in Germany. At first glance, they show that internationality has long been part of everyday life at German Bertelsmann companies. More than ten percent of employees, 11.51 percent to be precise, are not German nationals – that’s 3,820 of Bertelsmann’s 33,187 employees (as of December 31, 2023) in Germany. These 3,820 colleagues come from a total of 129 other countries plus Kosovo, which is not internationally recognized as a country. With the exception of Antarctica, all continents of the world are represented, i.e. Europe, North and South America, Africa, Australia and Asia.
“The impressive number of people from 130 nations who work for us in Germany shows how international Bertelsmann is – not only overall, with businesses in more than 50 countries around the world, but also in its home country,” says Bertelsmann Chief HR Officer Immanuel Hermreck. “These people make a valuable contribution in many different places in the Group and make Bertelsmann a colorful, diverse company. We are very happy that they are with us.”
In addition to the 29,364 employees of German nationality, the largest group of colleagues working at Bertelsmann in Germany comes from Poland (431 people), followed by Turkey (368) and Italy (226). Larger groups also come from other European countries: Romania (152), Spain (141), Greece (112), Austria (99), France (86), Bulgaria (81), the Netherlands (77), Hungary (70), the U.K. (66), Croatia (63), and Portugal (52). Other coworkers come from India (117) and the U.S. (42). In addition to these larger groups, there are individual colleagues from many other countries around the world, for example from Burkina Faso, Western Sahara, North Korea, La Réunion, Mauritius, Madagascar, Moldova, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mongolia, and Cape Verde.
Finally, the major conflicts of recent years have also brought large numbers of people to Germany and to Bertelsmann. For example, 118 people from Syria, 84 from Ukraine, but also 95 from Russia, 53 from Eritrea, 50 from Afghanistan, and six people from the occupied Palestinian territories have found work and future prospects at German Bertelsmann companies.
