Listen to the latest episode of PESPod – the podcast of the European PES Network – to discover how the Public Employment Service (PES) of the Brussels region in Belgium (Actiris) has been working with employers to improve the diversity of workforces and why this is not only ‘the right thing to do’, but can deliver better results and improve job matching.

In the latest episode of PESPod hear how an employer and a PES not only share a vision of the importance of workplace diversity, but how they have worked together to put this into practice. We are delighted that for the first time since its launch, this episode of PESPod welcomes an employer as a guest.

Listen to Bjoern Storim, CEO of The Bank of New York Mellon SA/NV, explain why he believes that “diverse teams are better” and how this became a key part of the bank’s vision for itself. Hear also why Caroline Mancel, deputy CEO of the Brussels Region PES, Actiris believes that “if companies are aware that they need this diverse workforce the matching will be much easier”.

Beyond this shared vision, hear how Actiris has been supporting employers to develop tailor-made ‘Diversity Plans’ for their company – a total of 332 plans so far, affecting over one in eight workers in Brussels – and how these plans can have a major impact on aspects including recruitment and selection, people management and external positioning.

Diversity is multi-faceted, covering differences from age to ethnicity and from gender to education levels. In this light, hear how BNY Mellon has so far worked with Actiris in developing two diversity plans: one ‘global’; and one ‘thematic’ on disability and how these have supported the company on its ‘journey’ to becoming a more diverse and inclusive employer.

Listen as Caroline and Bjoern discuss the importance of taking inspiration from different industries, why the whole company – bottom-up and top-down – has to be on board and why PES need also to look at their own inclusion practices as major employers themselves.

Bjoern Storim is keen to emphasise that “For us, it's important we… learn from others. And Actiris is a perfect partner for doing so.” How to make this partnership a success? It’s all about “the journey and the openness to listen,” he concludes.

Download the episode wherever you listen to your podcasts or listen online to find out more about this inspiring work. Any comments about PESPod? Write to us at: EMPL-PES-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu.