Are management and employee representatives at VW moving closer together again after a lot of friction? The CEO already saw a “solid basis of trust” in the new top works councilor.
VW CEO Herbert Diess sees the new chairman of the works council, Daniela Cavallo, as an important partner to promote cultural change and diversity and to jointly control the upheaval in the industry for the workforce.
“I think what Daniela Cavallo has already initiated in her first 100 days is very positive,” said Diess in an interview with the news agencies dpa and dpa-AFX. “It will certainly now also set new priorities in terms of content. That is very promising and positive for our company. “
The 46-year-old – since May also in the presidium of the supervisory board – had announced at the beginning of her office that she would resolutely represent the interests of the employees. Cavallo also advocated open communication and better advancement of women in management jobs.
VW has changed a lot since the diesel crisis, said Diess, looking back on the work-up that has now taken almost six years. In addition to the legal proceedings, the group tried to clarify internally the responsibilities surrounding the exhaust gas fraud that was uncovered in 2015. Some critics see a climate of pure obedience and decision-making structures based on alliances between men as factors that could have favored the manipulation for the period before “Dieselgate”.
Diess stated that he perceived a “much better situation” today. At the same time, the manager emphasized: “But there is still a lot to do. Kulturwandel is a long-term project. The company is very complex, is active in many regions, and has many very different brand cultures. ” Their further development and modernization as well as a “focus on integrity” remained central.
The CEO, who after turbulent months has just received a new contract until 2025, said that with Cavallo there was “now an opportunity for a different tone of communication with one another, for a better culture of dialogue”. Her predecessor Bernd Osterloh and Diess had often clashed violently, disputes had rocked up.
There have recently been reports that VW could possibly dissolve the department for compliance and good corporate governance under the direction of its only board member, Hiltrud Werner. “This is a discussion that is being held in the supervisory board,” said Diess. «I would like to say: We have made good progress, Hiltrud Werner did a great job. We have really turned the company inside out – processes, the whistleblowing system, a code of conduct anchored with continuous training programs. She really made a big contribution. ” But that is not the end of the group: “Volkswagen still has great need for cultural change.”
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
