Freudenberg Zeroes In On Diversity

PLYMOUTH, Mich., April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Freudenberg, a German conglomerate of companies is taking diversity to the forefront of its human capital management. In North America, Freudenberg is piloting its first "Culturally Competent Leadership Development Program," making sure that a diverse pool of future Company executives is equipped with leadership skills that fully embrace regional and global demographic trends.

"We want to make sure we maintain and increase the diversity of thought. To help achieve that goal, we have to integrate diversity and inclusion into the core of our leadership competencies," says Leesa Smith Freudenberg North America president and regional representative and adds, "Our Company is inherently diverse, starting with the fact that our products span a variety of markets, from healthcare technology and IT services to automotive and aerospace industry. To maintain our competitive advantage, we need to maximize our creativity and innovation through workforce diversity."

Workforce and government statistics show that the population entering the workforce will become significantly more diversified through 2020. At the same time, just in 2014, companies of the Freudenberg Group will be hiring nearly 200 professionals in North America, with an expectation for trend to continue or even increase in subsequent years. That is why embracing demographic change and maintaining and strengthening a culture of inclusion is a priority at Freudenberg.

To start with, Freudenberg performed a benchmark study which showed that its companies in North America are either slightly above or very close to industry averages on diversity. "That is a good starting point," says Sarah O'Hare, Freudenberg's regional vice president of Human Resources, "However, if we want to make sure that our future workforce truly reflects the demographics of our region, the global nature of our company and fully utilizes our potentials, we need to do more, especially in the area of leadership diversity."

The results prompted Freudenberg to introduce an eighteen-month long development program which prepares high-potential employees from all 15 Freudenberg businesses in North America for leadership roles. On April 10, the first generation of 20 candidates is graduating from the program which included multiple interactive and hands-on modules. Apart from traditional leadership skills, the program has a specific twist: it emphasizes the competitive advantages of diversity, but also discusses challenges of managing a diverse workforce. In other words, it aims to build culturally competent future leaders.

Once the candidates complete the leadership program, they become a part of Freudenberg North America-wide talent pool which individual Freudenberg companies tap into to fill leadership positions. This process benefits both the Company and the employees, who now have significantly broadened career growth opportunities.

Freudenberg plans to repeat the program in regular intervals.

About the Freudenberg Group: The Freudenberg Group is a family-owned company offering customers technologically advanced and support-intensive products and services. The Group develops and manufactures seals, vibration control technology components, filters, nonwovens, surface treatment products, release agents and specialty lubricants, medical technology and mechatronic products. Freudenberg also develops software solutions and IT services primarily for small and medium-sized enterprises. Consumers enjoy Freudenberg's state-of-the-art household products marketed under the vileda®, O-Cedar®, Wettex®, Gala® and SWASH® brands. In 2012 the Freudenberg Group had 37,453 employees in 57 countries and generated revenue of more than 6.3 billion euros. More information about Freudenberg is available on the internet under www.freudenberg.com.

About Freudenberg in North America: Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership is the North American holding company for Freudenberg & Co. of Weinheim, Germany that owns a family of companies which operate 15 unique businesses at 86 locations in North America. Together, these companies provide innovative products and solutions to customers in industries ranging from automotive, aerospace, and medical to chemical, oil and gas, and construction. For further information, please visit www.freudenberg.us.

SOURCE Freudenberg North America