The WLC Launches in Germany

Founded in 2001, the Women's Leadership Council (WLC) is the longest standing diversity council within PPG and it has risen through the ranks, reaching across nations and being established in the EMEA region in 2011.

Celebrating its international journey and commemorating the 16 years of hard work and strategic planning made by the council, the WLC hosted the first ever German WLC event in Bochum, in North-Western Germany.

Melanie Barth, Quality Director EMEA and appointed Leader of WLC for Germany, invited 30 talented women and senior managers to join them for a day of networking, interesting speeches and engaging workshops led by inspirational women. In the afternoon, women were invited to attend several specialist workshops.

Cristina Bianchi, an external trainer who works closely with Isabela Ercole, the WLC EMEA Leader, has supported PPG's WLC campaigns in many other international events and delivered a key workshop on how to be resilient and a positive influence in the workplace. PPG's own Juliane Meixner and Jessica Barth also led workshops in Career Management and Work Life Balance, where the attendees developed ideas for potential improvement projects within PPG.

In the meantime, René Latten, HR Country Director in the Netherlands addressed the male audience by giving insight into "Unconscious Bias" that can distract everyday perceptions and negatively impact how you see yourself and your ability to value your own work. The event concluded with a speech from WLC Germany's Leader Melanie Barth highlighting that the event was only the beginning to an important journey.

Following up on the ideas created during the workshops, all women in Germany are invited to become part of an affinity group that will work to establish a greater workplace where talented women are equipped with the confidence and power to break into senior management roles and diversify the workforce.