women and men laughing

Be unique, be yourself!

Diversity and inclusion are essential to CARIAD and its people. As a future-oriented and responsible company, we aim to set standards for a diverse and inclusive work environment that inspires employees and ensures equal opportunities for individual development. It's time for more innovation and progress to transform the automotive industry.

Our Commitment

We incorporate diversity and inclusion principles into our processes and projects to ensure that they remain a core part of our everyday business in the long term. By promoting our employees' diverse perspectives and skills, we're establishing a culture that's open and inclusive. We also support our leaders in being the role models necessary for success.

We have zero tolerance for discrimination and take all complaints seriously. We offer a safe work environment so that all employees can be themselves at work. Everybody is responsible for treating others with respect and acting in accordance with our Code of Conduct, the Social Charter and our Diversity & Inclusion Strategy.

Our Mindset

We take a holistic approach towards diversity. CARIAD has signed the Diversity Charter, strengthening our commitment to creating a work environment characterized by mutual respect and free of prejudice. In addition, we offer comprehensive diversity training for all teams and managers.

Our Global Statement Diversity & Inclusion forms the basis for actions implemented across multiple functions at CARIAD. It underpins our joint efforts to embed diversity and inclusion in processes, projects and everyday business.

Gender

Gender-diverse teams are proven to be more creative and more productive. They promote higher job satisfaction, as well as strengthen employee engagement and retention.

In order to reflect our diverse atmosphere and expertise, the CARIAD Board of Management has approved the target of 20% women in leadership positions by 2025. We're continuously implementing measures and regularly reviewing our progress as we strive to become a leader in diversity and inclusion.

Internationality

Our CARIDIANS hail from over 88 countries – and the number is growing! This internationality brings with it a wealth of different perspectives, helping us to better recognize problems, discover new solutions and understand the diverse needs of customers. With these benefits in mind, CARIAD has set itself the goal of further increasing internationality within the company.

Ethnic background

Discrimination on the basis of origin means the devaluation of individuals on the basis of their (assumed) origin, their skin and hair color, their (supposed) nationality or their language. It doesn't matter whether the association is true; discrimination is based on prejudices and stereotypical ideas about certain groups of people.

At CARIAD, we have zero tolerance for any kind of discrimination. Inclusive and successful cooperation between people of different cultural backgrounds requires an open corporate culture with a common understanding and appreciation of differences and similarities. To promote this, we offer awareness training in cooperation with Volkswagen.

Physical and mental abilities

CARIAD's Diversity management helps to emphasize the capabilities and potential of people with disabilities, as well as to optimize work processes. Among other aspects, this also involves barrier-free access to the workplace.

We value the potential of persons with disabilities at CARIAD and take measures for an inclusive working environment in which they can optimally contribute their talents. We do not only look at visible, such as physical disabilities, but also at invisible ones, which are not apparent at first glance.

CARIAD aims to increase the proportion of employees with disabilities. We recognize our responsibility to provide this significant segment of society with a fair professional opportunity. In addition, people with disabilities can contribute aspects to our product development that help us to meet the needs of our customers.

Signed in 2022, CARIAD’s Inclusion Agreement contains rules and goals for the participation of people with disabilities, in particular for personnel planning and development, workplace design, working hours and organization.

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is part of everyone's identity and represents a focus area at CARIAD. But what does sexual orientation actually have to do with the job? Whether during small talk at the coffee bar or at company parties, a heterosexual partnership is usually assumed.

We aim to create an open working environment free of prejudice. In this way, everyone can perform at their best. We not only promote tolerance, but demand acceptance.

Age

We want to shape the future across generations, so age is one of our focus areas. Competence is independent of age, and knowledge transfer is not a one-way street.

In order to ensure a variety of knowledge and experience, it's important that we form teams that are as generationally diverse as possible.

Networks

CARIAD Diversity Networks were created to promote diversity and openness. These networks are open to anyone who would like to support a diverse and open corporate culture at CARIAD. Cross-site meetings and events are organized annually, and the community is always striving for continuous growth. By considering the individual needs of our CARIDIANS, we aim to provide an open and attractive work environment for everyone.

women network at CARIAD

Women@CARIAD

Women@CARIAD focuses on promoting female empowerment. Its members develop network initiatives, while promoting information about ongoing company initiatives and enriching the network itself by sharing outside resources. All female employees at CARIAD are welcome to join Women@CARIAD.

code as you are - LGBTIQ* Community

#codeasyouare

#codeasyouare brings together LGBTIQ+ CARIDIANS and allies to raise visibility of LGBTIQ+ issues at CARIAD and in the community. The network encourages open exchange and provides a safe space for discussion – without fear of judgment. Through #codeasyouare, employees at CARIAD can connect with each other on a functional and cross-functional level, as well as learn and share about LGBTIQ+ issues.

international network at CARIAD

Internationals@CARIAD

Internationals@CARIAD helps CARIDIANS from around the world to reach their full potential, creating an environment to network and expand their contacts across the entire company. Members organize networking events for the international community and anybody interested in international matters. In addition, they advise the company on diversity awareness, multicultural integration and interaction with international employees.

the dads at CARIAD

The Dads

The Dads advocate for equal opportunities and an environment where there's no need to choose between a work and family life. The network provides space for discussion about family, career and children from the perspective of fathers. By offering advice, breaking down stereotypes and questioning outdated role models, it helps us at CARIAD to further strengthen our diverse culture.

Diversity News & Stories

  • Become a pioneer: Apply for the A. Lovelace Trainee Program 2022
    LifeAtCARIAD A. Lovelace Traineeship
    09/05/2022
    Become a pioneer: Apply for the A. Lovelace Trainee Program 2022
    Get the space to mold your own ideas and further development, become part of an innovative team and help shape the future of mobility: from October 1, 2022, this could be your everyday reality – as an A. Lovelace Trainee at CARIAD!  
  • How manly is your smartphone?
    LifeAtCARIAD A. Lovelace Traineeship
    08/11/2021
    How manly is your smartphone?
    Janina Mütze is founder and CEO of Civey. In her guest post, she talks about algorithm bias, how to overcome it and why we need to rediscover the mindset of Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper.
  • Credits: bidt/Das KRAFTBILD
    A. Lovelace Traineeship LifeAtCARIAD
    07/10/2021
    #ShowToGrow: I wish women would advertise themselves more!
    Anja Hendel is Managing Director at diconium, a technology and digital agency within the Volkswagen Group. Like the rationale behind CARIAD’s A. Lovelace Traineeship, she believes that "The more women make their successes visible to others, the more equal the world will become.”
  • CTO customcells
    A. Lovelace Traineeship LifeAtCARIAD
    29/09/2021
    Women in science: Be a giant!
    Dr. Daniela Werlich is responsible for the development of lithium-ion battery cells as CTO of CUSTOMCELLS. In this article, she describes what needs to be done to bring more women into STEM professions and, like the A. Lovelace Traineeship at CARIAD, points to Ada Lovelace as an inspiration.
  • Female digital talents wanted for CARIAD Trainee Program
    A. Lovelace Traineeship LifeAtCARIAD
    21/06/2021
    Female digital talents wanted for CARIAD Trainee Program
    With the A. Lovelace Traineeship, CARIAD is launching a 12-month program for young female digital talents, starting 1 October 2021. The newly designed curriculum is named after Ada Lovelace, who is considered the first-ever computer programmer.
  • #CodeThatMovesTheWorld: What did we learn from our colleagues?
    LifeAtCARIAD CodeThatMovesTheWorld
    11/06/2021
    #CodeThatMovesTheWorld: What did we learn from our colleagues?
    Over the past few months, we talked to a just a handful of our great digital minds at CARIAD to get an insight into their work, see what drives them and hear about their visions for future automotive mobility. In this article, we take a look back at the five most interesting things we learned.
  • “Mobility must be considered as a whole”
    LifeAtCARIAD CodeThatMovesTheWorld
    01/06/2021
    “Mobility must be considered as a whole”
    In our #CodeThatMovesTheWorld series, we’re talking to a few of our digital minds that work at CARIAD to get an insight into their work, see what drives them and hear about their visions for future automotive mobility. This week, we’re talking to Carmen Krumm, Function Developer - Electromobility.
  • “We can make vehicle functions available to a huge amount of people”
    LifeAtCARIAD CodeThatMovesTheWorld
    25/05/2021
    “We can make vehicle functions available to a huge amount of people”
    In our #CodeThatMovesTheWorld blog series, we’re talking to a few of our digital minds that work at CARIAD to get an insight into their work, see what drives them and hear about their visions for future automotive mobility. This week, we’re talking to Peter Kanischew, Product Owner, Project SUSAN.