The A1 Group takes a stand for all individuals at A1. The company does not discriminate among people; instead, it connects them. With the focus areas of 100% equality, LGBT+, generations, culture, and disability and skills, it promotes inclusion and puts diversity into practice. It sends a signal for all colleagues with the motto “Just be yourself.”

In November 2020, A1 Austria and A1 Digital founded the Diversity Community. The goal is to create a platform for existing and future employees, whatever their sexual orientation or gender identity. The network organizes regular events, training courses, and workshops to raise awareness and sensitivity toward LGBT+ in the workplace and promote diversity.
 
Diversity is also promoted at A1 Belarus, where people can enjoy an “inclusive coffee” in three shops that are specially tailored to the needs of people with disabilities. They are thus adapted for those who work in the shops and are open to everyone who wants to have a coffee. At A1 Serbia, meanwhile, people with disabilities work in the telesales team as part of a cooperation with the NGO Forum of Youth with Disabilities.

At A1 Austria, a plan for promoting women has been drawn up to define measures for more equal opportunities. These aim to promote more career development opportunities for women and to improve the compatibility of work and family life. With the establishment of the women’s network “women@A1,” a platform has also been created for sharing ideas and expertise, as well as for networking and mutual support among female managers.
 
Another A1 Group initiative is the “A1 STEMfemme” program in Croatia, launched in 2022. This project was established as part of the internal ideas contest Empowering Ideas, an intrapreneurship program looking for sustainable (ESG) projects in 2022. A total of 63 teams were formed throughout the Group, in some cases internationally, and presented their ideas. The jury made up of CEOs and national ESG officers then invited ten teams to the “Innovation Camp,” where their ideas were transformed into projects. In the end, six of the teams convinced the jury with their closing pitch and were recognized as “A1 ESG Champions 2022.” With the idea “A1 STEMfemme,” the A1 ESG Champion Croatia launched a mentoring program for young women and girls with the aim of supporting women in STEM fields. During their training, talented young women are given a deeper insight into the business world of A1 with support from mentors.
 
The “MINTchanger” event has been taking place since 2022 with the motto #MakeItHappen. Together with fantastic women and role models, the participants discuss roles, professional opportunities and obstacles, mutual empowerment, and why everyone can drive change.

The A1 Group is sustainably digitalizing the future of Austria. To do so, it needs a motivated team with the right expertise.
 
With ROAD – the A1 performance model – it aims to help strengthen strengths, provide feedback from many different colleagues, offer plenty of flexibility, and place the focus on the future. All of this optimally promotes further development and is an important part of how colleagues are supposed to work with one another at the A1 Group.
 
The A1 Skill Development Program gives employees the opportunity to learn new skills, give their career a boost, and switch to a future-oriented job. As a supporter of sustainable further development, the A1 Group therefore invests in comprehensive, role-based training with the A1 Skill Development Program, including certification, to prepare employees for new tasks. The A1 Group believes in its talented young employees and therefore gives them the opportunity to drive change with openness and energy as part of the Group Young Potential Program. This program gives participants the scope to experiment, work on real projects, network, and get to know themselves better.

The compatibility of family and work is an important key for ensuring equal opportunities and encouraging job satisfaction. With the “Karenz@A1” package, mothers and fathers on parental leave at A1 Austria are given support with planning their return to work and in some cases using this as an opportunity for career development. These measures include support for parents when they return to work after parental leave. But even during parental leave, the “Business@Breakfast” initiative aims to ensure that mothers and fathers can be kept up-to-date, contribute, and stay in contact with colleagues and the company. This concept has proved very popular, especially in the case of longer absences, and helps facilitate an easier, successful return to work.

To ensure a good work-life balance for its employees, A1 Bulgaria offers high-quality care for their children. The “Funky Monkey” kindergarten, just a few meters away from the headquarters, offers comfortable and spacious areas for learning, playing, eating, and sleeping. The project has undergone continuous improvements since it was first launched in 2009 and was expanded by 1,000 m² in 2021.