‘It’s not just about the pretty words’
When Scrum Master Stephan Horn-Janson read about Capgemini’s Rainbow Network, he thought: that’s where I want to work. Now he is a board member, and enthusiastically dedicates himself to the LHBTQIA+- community. He is proud of his work: ‘You can sense that the attention for diversity and inclusion comes from a place of intrinsic motivation.’
‘I’m convinced that you can bring out the best in people when they feel at home within their company. Being yourself is an important part of that. I felt welcome at Capgemini right away. From day one, I was open about belonging to the LHBTQIA+- community. Everyone reacted positively to that. It didn’t surprise me, because I knew about Capgemini’s Rainbow Network. In fact, that was the last little push I needed to apply for the job last year.
As a Rainbow Network board member, one of the things I do is organize after-work drinks. Like the 030 event. Every month, employees of large companies in Utrecht come together to share their best practices. I feel it’s really important to speak with people from other organizations on a regular basis. That gives you a more balanced image of how you’re doing. There’s always room for improvement, of course, but I think that we’re on the right path. The attention for diversity and inclusion comes from a place of intrinsic motivation. And you can feel that.’
More than just a rainbow flag
‘I think an inclusive work environment is one where you can be yourself, where you see a cross-section of society, and where you respect and accept each other for who they are. One of the conditions for that is letting your employees do their thing, and supporting the employee network. Instead of a party organized by HR or marketing, it’s a party by the employees themselves. You can hang up a rainbow flag, but if you don’t invest any more time, money or attention in the issue, then you’re missing the point.
So I’m proud that in addition to the intrinsic motivation, Capgemini also offers financial support. It’s not just about the pretty words here - they actually do something about it. Some examples include the stairway lit in rainbow colors, an information stand, and our participation in Utrecht Pride. But that’s not all. We also pay attention to holidays like Eid al-Fitr and the Holi festival.’
Feeling like you belong
‘I think that the open and tolerant mindset we have here is unique. It makes me enjoy coming to work, where I can be myself and perform at my best. When you work at a consultancy firm, that requires extra attention. Because you also need to feel like you belong when you’re out working for a client. I’m happy that’s taken care of here. Another thing that makes me happy are the opportunities for growth within the organization. They really keep the promise: ‘Get the future you want’. You can take the courses and study programs you want, and you have plenty of chances to spar with your supervisor about your future.
When my current assignment starts to wind down, I want to work more on behalf of the Rainbow Network. I want to build more connections with colleagues, for example by organizing lectures. And I feel that gender-neutral communication is so important that I want to dive into that too. Yes, I have plenty of ideas.’
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