True to the motto “Let’s Talk Money,” the group-wide A1 Kick-Off event for the Female Empowerment Initiative took place on November 5, 2025. At the heart of the program is a clear goal: to support women at A1 in shaping their financial future independently. To achieve this, an inspiring space is being created, practical financial knowledge is being shared, and resources are being provided to foster real interest in financial topics. A1 aims to break down barriers, strengthen confidence in dealing with finances, and encourage our female colleagues to make informed and self-assured decisions.

At A1, people are at the center of everything we do—which includes our aspiration to create genuine gender equality and fair opportunities. Our key corporate objectives are to reduce the adjusted gender pay gap to 1% or less by 2030 and to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions to 40% by 2030. With numerous Female Empowerment programs across our countries, we are already making important contributions toward these goals. The “Let’s Talk Money” initiative is another crucial piece of the puzzle.

At our kick-off event, our CFO Sonja Wallner and external financial expert Anna Rennhofer launched “Let’s Talk Money” with an inspiring livestream. They highlighted the social relevance of the topic and demonstrated why financial education is especially important for women: women are more likely to work in lower-paid jobs, carry out the majority of unpaid care work, often suffer financial disadvantages after the birth of children, and as a result receive lower pensions in the long term—which makes them more dependent on private retirement planning, especially in an uncertain pension system. At the same time, our speakers emphasized the importance of the right mindset and self-confidence as the foundation for financial competence.

“Financial education is not just about factual financial knowledge itself, but often much more about confidence, independence and equality,” said Sonja Wallner.

This aspect was thoroughly explored in the afternoon during Anna Rennhofer’s interactive hybrid workshop “Building a Positive Money Mindset.” Through her engaging presentation, she encouraged participants to bravely question their own beliefs about money. With clear impulses and practical tools, she demonstrated how to handle finances with confidence. The open atmosphere sparked an inspiring dialogue that made financial competence tangible and relevant, inviting everyone to think in new ways.

The successful start of “Let’s Talk Money” impressively demonstrates how seriously A1 takes its commitment to financial education and female empowerment. With exciting events, we are continuing our initiative and supporting our female colleagues step by step toward greater independence and self-confidence in managing their finances. Upcoming events, such as a workshop on Investment Basics with the Vienna Stock Exchange, promise further valuable insights and make it clear: at A1, female empowerment is lived in practice.