WHU Pledges Its Commitment to Gender Equality in the Workplace

According to the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), a voluntary association of the nation’s universities, the German education system still has a way to go when it comes to gender equality. To date, women hold around 26% of the country’s professorships and occupy only 25% of the managerial positions at its universities. 

Diversity and equality have always been core values at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. And the school has taken steps ever since its founding to ensure that the inequalities between all genders will eventually become a thing of the past. This year, WHU has become one of the first academic institutions in Germany to pledge its commitment to increasing gender equality in professorships through the HRK.

In May of this year, the HRK proposed “Auf dem Weg zu mehr Geschlechtergerechtigkeit bei Berufungen,” a voluntary resolution that outlines specific actions that can help contribute toward the realization of this shared goal. In taking on this challenge, the signees have recognized the importance of reducing the level of gender inequality when appointing professors. The HRK strongly advocates actively seeking more women in the earlier phases of their academic career, thereby widening the applicant pool.

“We are not blind to the inequalities that all women face in the workplace,” said Professor Christian Andres, Dean of WHU. “This project is one way we can help women in academia assume their seat at the table.” Indeed, WHU’s involvement in this initiative is more than a mere signature on a piece of paper. Rather, it implies voluntarily adopting new measures, tracking progress, and submitting updates to the database maintained by the Center of Excellence Women and Science (CEWS). 

This is not the only measure WHU has taken toward ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion on its campuses. The school offers scholarships designed for aspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders. It has also recently published its Gender Equality Plan, drafted under the guidance of Professor Nadine Kammerlander, who now holds the role of Associate Dean of Sustainability & DEI. She emphasizes, “At WHU, we benefit from the diverse perspectives provided by our faculty members. We are committed to continuously assessing how we can foster diversity, equity, and inclusion even further within the entire WHU community, including among our professors.” The school’s various student clubs, including FEM – Female Leadership at WHU, WHU Women in Business, SensAbility, Diversity@WHU, and WHUSH – WHU Students Help, are driven by a need to ensure a brighter future for all, reflecting the school’s core value of inclusiveness.