Everyone knows him - one or another "Thomas" from the management level. No wonder! A cycle has even been named after him: the 'Thomas cycle'. And it's quite simple, because Thomas has a clear favorite when it comes to recruiting: himself!...
Or Michael and Stefan. The main thing is that they have a similar age, background and origin. This is why there are actually more Thomas's and Michaels (5%) on German executive boards than women overall. And even though the proportion of women in DAX management has now risen to over 25%, a new study has shown that they have to vacate their positions more often than men.
Nothing against Thomas, but the research is now quite clear: Diverse teams are more innovative, more economically successful and take fewer risks. The suspected reason? Different backgrounds and perspectives lead to more creative solutions and a more conscious approach to risk. But while women have a hard time in German companies, the situation is even bleaker in other places.
A look at the chocolate industry shows that women bear the brunt of the work - but earn significantly less than their male colleagues. According to Oxfam, they do up to 75% of the work on cocoa plantations, but only receive a fraction of the wages. Decision-making positions? Almost exclusively occupied by men. Yet it is often the women who organize cultivation, harvesting and fermentation and thus ensure the quality of the cocoa in the first place. But they have little to no access to land rights, training or loans - a structural problem that further reinforces the cycle of inequality.
And that is exactly why we need International Women's Day. Not as a nice "Thank you for being there!", but as a political wake-up call. We at Theyo celebrate this day with a chocolate box that honors women in the chocolate industry - women who keep the business running despite systematic discrimination. We want to give them the attention and appreciation that they actually deserve every day. That's why our box is not just available on March 8th, but all year round. But we use International Women's Day as an opportunity to inspire as many people as possible to do the same. Equality does not come at cost. It must be fought for, especially in times of (democratic) crisis!
Speaking of recognition: This is where you come in!
Because appreciation often starts small, we invite you to take part in our International Women's Day competition . Write a 'Letter of Appreciation' to a colleague in your organization who deserves more recognition - regardless of whether she works in your team or in a completely different department.
Send us a "copy" of the text (name does not have to be mentioned!) to: hallo@theyo.de, stating your organization, the role of the colleague and the size of the team that would receive the tasting. For organizational reasons, we may have to divide very large teams into sub-groups.
We will draw a woman from all the entries and she and her team will be able to look forward to a particularly fair and delicious Women's Day tasting. And if she wins, we will contact the person who has put in the effort for this woman - including a little surprise.
Join in and share our call in your organization! We look forward to receiving lots of appreciation on one of the most important holidays of the year!