SAP has 65,500 employees of 141 nationalities worldwide. Its global offices are powerhouses in their own right.
Over the years, SAP has grown its business using insight from its workforce who each have something unique and original to bring to the table.
Says Mike Montalban, a senior billing analyst in San Francisco: “I’ve been dared to dream, work fearlessly, and have been given the freedom to invest time in what I inherently love. I bring my talents in both numbers and creative communication into one purpose so that I can do good for others on behalf of the organization.”
Communication Director Tara Galvin says that despite the diversity, all SAP employees all know the language of their shared values. “When I come to work, I know that I’m part of a culture that fuels my passion. Our shared values translate in every language with colleagues across the globe, which means that we’re all on the same page when it comes to defining success!”
From Bangalore, India, development manager Sumeet Shetty says it is important to give people the freedom to take risks. “At SAP, we’re allowed to make mistakes – and to me, that’s empathy at its best. ”
Carmen O’ Shea believes diversity is behind innovation, which is the driving force of SAP. Of Spanish-Irish origin but born in the United States, she says that inclusion makes the generation of more and better ideas possible.
Silvio Bessa is Brazilian but had the chance to move to the United States because of his work with SAP. His three children are all American. He makes it a point to remind them of their Brazilian roots — soccer, for instance — as they grow up in the US.
Brigette McInnis-Day says that SAP has given her “a world of friends”. In any organization, one must know who one is, what one represents and stands for. It is also important to look beyond the package and shed our preconceived notions about other people.
These and many other stories show how diversity in SAP leads to a rich, vibrant culture that makes the organization truly inclusive and innovative.