Inclusive Language at Siemens

What did you want to achieve? 

Inclusive language is a key part of making sure all our people feel welcome, safe, supported, and respected at work. A focus on mitigating our unconscious bias with inclusive language reflects our diverse and global workforce and encompasses our values.

What did you do? 

To support everyone in mitigating their unconscious bias, and to offer them guidance on how to use inclusive language – with practical examples – we launched an Inclusive Language Guide. As of June 2022, the Inclusive Language Guide applies for all official English- and German-language documents produced by Siemens. The Inclusive Language Guide offers concrete tips and examples on how to communicate in a more inclusive way – helping to avoid unconscious discrimination regarding different diversity dimensions such as age, gender, ethnicity etc. Our Inclusive Language guide is continuously promoted on a global level through articles, Viva Engage posts, podcast episodes and training sessions.

What are the results so far? 

In our initial launch phase, we reached around 5,000 colleagues – with a lot more being added continuously through our on-going communications measures. Having a clear guide on using inclusive language has not just been a great resource for all our people but provides a clear guideline to our colleagues in the communications department who are looking to improve both their internal and external communications in regard to inclusivity.

What have you learned? 

Challenging the way we speak or have spoken in the past and advocating for more inclusive wording, is an on-going effort that requires continuous activities to raise awareness and educate. However, clear guidelines with concrete tips and do’s and don’ts help and make it easier for colleagues to adapt to this change and challenge their unconscious bias.