Since 2013 in Germany and 2017 in Austria, the transnational network di.to. (“different together”) has provided a platform for the visibility and support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer employees. The network has almost 100 members in Austria and around 350 in Germany.
di.to. Strategy circle in Vienna - exchange with Mario Lindner (SPÖ) and Thomas Weber (NEOS)
Every year, di.to. speakers from Germany and Austria meet for a strategy circle. The aim is to further develop initiatives, exchange best practices and create new synergies. This year's meeting took place in Vienna. In addition to internal topics, the focus was also on dialog with political decision-makers. National Councillor Mario Lindner (SPÖ) took the group on a tour through the Austrian parliament. Together they discussed the importance of diversity and equal rights in the world of work and beyond. This was followed by an exchange at Vienna City Hall with Member of Parliament Thomas Weber (NEOS). The focus was on the question of which measures can contribute to an open and non-discriminatory society.
Hamed Mohseni, BILLA Sales Director, took part in the parliamentary tour: “The tour of the Austrian parliament was a valuable opportunity to talk directly to political decision-makers. The exchange showed us once again how important it is to continuously introduce these topics into the political discussion. This is the only way we can ensure that an open and inclusive society is promoted in all areas - including the working environment.”
Erich Szuchy, BILLA Management Board member on promoting openness and inclusion at BILLA: “For us, diversity is far more than just a buzzword - it is part of our BILLA DNA. Everyone should be able to develop with us without fear. As one of Austria's largest employers, we see it as our social responsibility to actively contribute to inclusion. Our goal is to create a working environment that respects and includes all people. The exchange with politicians is essential in order to jointly shape a future in which diversity in business and society is and remains a matter of course.”
Mario Lindner, SPÖ spokesperson for equal treatment, diversity and LGBTIQ+: “We live in a diverse society and it is precisely this diversity that also represents an enormous opportunity in the world of work: di.to has therefore rightly been known for years as a real model network - not only for strengthening queer employees, but also for promoting an inclusive, colorful working world as a whole! It is therefore a great pleasure for me to exchange ideas with the representatives of di.to and REWE and to work together for our vision of a fair, inclusive society!”
Thomas Weber, Member of the Vienna State Parliament and LGBTIQ+ spokesperson for NEOS Vienna: “I am very pleased about the valuable exchange with REWE's LGBTIQ+ network di.to. Our common goal: to see diversity as real added value and to create an environment in which all people can live freely. I would like to thank the di.to. network, REWE and everyone involved for their great and important commitment to sustainably strengthening diversity”.
