BFC Business Frauen Center: We congratulate Michael Schwarzenbacher who has taken over as CEO of UNiQUARE Software Development GmbH. We are pleased that Uniquare will remain a BFC enterprise member in 2023.
After six years of managing UNiQUARE together with Vera Led – a BFC Board Member, and Boris Grasser, Schwarzenbacher assumed individual company management in November 2022. We have invited him to an interview on the subject of diversity .
HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY TACKLE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND DIVERSITY?
We have always had a culture of diversity. This has been influenced by our international customers and our employees. It has gained even more importance in recent years. In a purely service sector, flexibility and equal opportunities are crucial for both the employee and the employer. We have flexible working time models as well as no gender pay gap.
IN YOUR VIEW, WHAT STEPS MUST BE TAKEN IN SOCIAL POLICIES SO THAT WE CAN GET CLOSER TO GENDER JUSTICE?
We are already on a moving train, at least in large parts of Europe. It is important to continue on this path. I am optimistic. Among the millennials it is almost taken for granted and there is not much need for persuasion. Unfortunately, the framework conditions lag a step behind. There is still a lot to be done in childcare and future care for the elderly. There are even certain stereotypes when it comes to the choice of education. I still see an influence of the older generations in ‘pink’ and ‘blue’ directions. There is definitely still potential here to get rid of it completely.
HOW CAN WE GET MEN ON BOARD AS WELL? HOW ARE YOU PERSONALLY COMMITTED TO THIS?
A lot of people in the UNiQUARE family are already on board and ever more are coming. Of course everything could go much faster socially, but I think every successful example of women in managerial positions or mixed teams in the immediate environment delivering top results means that more join in. As the CEO, I can create the framework for this and try serving as a role model.
Picture: ©Gernot Gleiss