Increasing attractiveness as an employer and development programs for specific target groups

A human resources policy that promotes a work-life balance is a major component of Volkswagen’s attracttiveness as an employer; in particular, it contributes to greater gender equality. We are working continuously to develop family-friendly working time models and to increase the number of women in management positions. For Volkswagen AG, we have also set targets for the proportion of women in management in accordance with German legislation. In line with the Gesetz zur gleichberechtigten Teilhabe von Frauen und Männern an Führungspositionen (German Act on the Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions) and section 76(4) of the Aktiengesetz (AktG – German Stock Corporation Act), Volkswagen AG set targets for the period until the end of 2025 of 16.5% for the proportion of women in the active workforce at the first level of management (senior management, top management and brand Board of Management) and 23.4% for the second level (management). As of December 31, 2022, the proportion of women in the active workforce (excluding employees in the withdrawal phase of their time asset bonds) at the first level of management was 14.2% and at the second level of management it was 19.7%. The Group Board of Management and Supervisory Board are regularly informed of the figures achieved and the current target paths.

In order to encourage women with great potential to advance within the Company, we have set targets relating to the development of the proportion of women in management for every Board of Management business area at Volkswagen AG. This approach is supported by many different measures ranging from cross-brand mentoring programs to a quota system for the management selection procedure and targets for the share of women among external hires.

The Group also has a large number of collective regulations in place to make it easier for employees to balance the demands and needs of work and home life and allow staff to arrange their own individual working model. In addition to flexible working hours and the use of working time accounts and flextime, these include variable part-time work and shift models, leave of absence enabling employees to care for family members, the possibility to convert salary components into paid leave, childcare services that are associated with the company or are company-owned, and remote working. “Meine AusZeit” is a program offered by Volkswagen AG that allows employees to take a self-financed leave of absence with an upfront payment from the Company.

Hybrid working – a combination of remote working and working onsite – gives employees greater flexibility in terms of when and where they work and is increasingly becoming the norm for the Volkswagen Group. In the reporting period, we again refined and expanded virtual and hybrid communication and collaboration, as well as new formats of knowledge transfer and training. Major topics included:

• Design or expansion of the works agreements for remote working at Audi AG and Volkswagen AG
• Preservation of mental health
• Reinforcing the culture of leadership and trust in the context of the changing world of work (Culture and Change Factory)

In addition, we continued developing the Guide for Digital and Hybrid Collaboration, which is intended to provide guidance on successful communication and organization for employees, managers and teams. We also continued working on the Office 2025 initiative, which is designed to drive the modernization of offices and the world of work at Volkswagen AG.

The Volkswagen Group attaches particular importance to its employees being able to act with agility and entrepreneurial drive. Together with 30 publicly traded large companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, we developed a skills matrix for training and professional development in the area of agile business processes under the umbrella of the DACH30 initiative. As part of these endeavors, the Volkswagen Group Academy set up an agility training portfolio.