A powerful work environment thrives when individual skill is bolstered by collaboration. As previously stated by the Director of TBS Energi Utama, Juli Oktarina. ideas get stronger when nurtured together and heterogenous perspectives create rich discussions that lead to improvements. To prove the importance and value of workplace diversity, McKinsey & Company did research that ultimately found companies with greater executive diversity have 22% more likelihood to surpass their industry counterparts in terms of profitability. With full acknowledgment of its significance, TBS Energi Utama champions Diversity and Inclusion as an integral aspect of the TBS2030 initiative.
While the energy industry has long been male-dominated, societal advancements have opened doors for women to participate and assume leadership roles in this sector. Gender diversity is now the future of the energy industry and TBS supports this by ensuring equal opportunities and actively promoting mutual understanding within the organisation. In line with this objective, TBS invited employees from various departments and divisions to explore the true essence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) through an internal workshop held on 7 July 2023.
With the theme “Diversity is No Adversity”, the workshop aims to raise awareness and give a core understanding of diversity and inclusivity issues. It was split into two sessions led by two experienced speakers in DEI Practices, the Director of Human Resources & Education of RSCM, Dwi Fatan Lilyana, and the Director of People & Culture of HM Sampoerna, Ripy Mangkoesoebroto.
Through a series of interactive discussions and engaging activities, all participants are taught about the advantages of workplace diversity and how to avoid unconscious judgments. One activity involving illusion art demonstrates how everyone sees different things, but when these diverse viewpoints are brought together, they finally see the complete and broader meaning of the picture. “Getting the bigger point of view can lead to innovations. We used a curiosity mindset approach so that we can further explore and try to understand other people's points of view from their perspective,” Ms. Dwi asserted.
Although many different pillars exist in DEI, the TBS2030 agenda in Diversity and Inclusion prioritizes the promotion of gender balance across all TBS businesses. Out of the other two main categories; educational levels and demographic age, representation is still mostly behind in the gender criteria. As of the publication of TBS2030 last year, the representation of female employees stood at only 14% of the total personnel. Furthermore, a mere 17% of the manager and above positions were held by women. To accomplish the TBS2030 gender diversity initiative, we aim to enhance the overall ratio of female representation by focusing on these two aspects, setting a target of 25% females in both the total workforce and executive role holders by 2030.
Over the next 7 years, TBS is determined to establish an empowering environment that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds who aspire to grow alongside the company. The workshop marks TBS’ initial step to prove its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workspace. By providing educational resources for employees to enhance their understanding of Diversity & Inclusion issues and creating strict policies to handle acts of discrimination, TBS strives to establish a pleasant working atmosphere for all. In the long run, not only will the company reap the results in the form of innovations and better outcomes, but the overall well-being of all individuals will also be strengthened as they feel safer and more comfortable.
“We want our employees to experience a comfortable working environment at TBS, where they feel valued and supported in their work. This will enable us to achieve our targets and continuously improve,” said Metz Manurung, SVP of Human Capital at TBS Energi Utama.
