viadonau knows: Equal opportunities for everyone expand the performance spectrum and benefit the business – thus, equality of opportunity is a key factor of successful modern business strategies. On the occasion of International Women’s Day the company is this year once again presenting in the Report on Equal Opportunities the activities and impulses of viadonau that aim at creating framework conditions for an equal treatment of employees regardless of sex, religion, ethnic origin or belief.
Photo: © viadonau/Pilo Pichler
When it comes to equal opportunities in the workplace, viadonau has a concrete solution: Flexible working hours, telework, part time leadership or an active maternity management including educational and care leave are rights ensured a long time ago – in that way, the company addresses the individual living conditions of the employees. Esteem, integration and promotion regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation or disabilities is through a key principle of viadonau. A diverse workforce expands the company’s horizon internally and externally – diversity is understood as an important resource. In order to consolidate this business philosophy and to continue in the direction regarding equal rights, viadonau is coordinating both internally organized working group equal opportunities and externally within the platform equal opportunities – a network of 50 state-related companies – as well as in the framework of the diversity network meeting initiated by BMVIT (since 2020 BMK – Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology) in 2017. A current focal point is digital accessibility.
The toughest barrier for women on their way to higher diversity in the workplace is often a lack of perception. A high number of professional worlds related to the Danube are still dominated by men. This also applies for the transport sector, where currently only 20 percent of the employees are female. At the same time the events organized in the framework of the Austrian EU Presidency 2018 showed an increasing share of female specialists and top managers in an upcoming transport branch. At the Danube Business Talks as well as at the RIS COMEX Stakeholder Forum in Vienna renowned experts like Désirée Oen (EU coordinator Rhine-Danube-Corridor), Karin de Schepper (Inland Navigation Europe), Catherine Rivoallon (chief executive officer Port de Paris), Vera Hofbauer (Director of Navigation BMK) and Nicolevon Klaveren (Port of Rotterdam) were able to get involved in a competent way. viadonau aims at strengthening this positive development to more diversity and equal opportunities along the Danube. Thus, the company is supporting the EU initiative “Women in Transport” and at the same time is raising awareness of the young generation for working at the Danube. On the annual Vienna Daughter’s Days and the Federal Girls’ Days in the End of April viadonau is traditionally inviting girls to get to know the varied professional world of the company. Experts talk about their everyday working situations, specific education and extensive experience. The focus is on playful discovering, fascinating technical processes and rich nature along the Danube. viadonau is convinced that attention creates interest and opens new perspectives – for future female logistics specialists, project managers and captains.
In the report on equal opportunities at viadonau 2019 the company is giving insights in important impulses, offers and current developments in order to make possible equal chances for everyone in a varied and constantly changing working world.
Further links:
www.facebok.com/Frauentag
twitter.com/hashtag/frauentag
www.bmnt.gv.at/service/kalender/land/Weltfrauentag.html
www.femtech.at/en/femtechs-database-female-experts (Female expert database)
