Manuela Schwesig drives initiatives for women in leadership positions

Schwesig promotes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as a location for women in leadership positions

Minister President Manuela Schwesig highlighted the conditions for women in leadership positions in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern at the Hanse Sail Business Brunch. According to her, the state offers favorable prerequisites for strong and well-educated women.

Schwesig pointed out that companies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are open to diversity and can attract women with modern working conditions. As further location advantages, she named the free kindergarten fees as well as the quality of life with landscapes, restored old towns, and cultural wealth.

Companies and figures

As examples of companies that, according to the Minister President, have recognized that economic strength also means equality, she named 50Hertz, AIDA, and Liebherr.

At the same time, Schwesig referred to existing shares of women in the state's economy. According to this, about 37 percent of top executives in the private sector in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are women. The share of women in startups is 33.5 percent, according to her statements.

Political measures for equality

Schwesig emphasized at the same time that this development is not self-driven. Political guidelines and support are needed. In this context, she reminded of the first law for the women's quota in supervisory boards, which she, according to her own statements, initiated in 2015 as Federal Minister for Women's Affairs. This law is effective, and the share of women in the affected companies is now higher than the required quota.

According to the Minister President, the state government has also introduced a new equal opportunities framework program with measures to promote balanced participation in all areas. With the Equal Opportunities Act, the state wants to increase the share of women in leadership positions in the public sector in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and guarantee parity representation in committees.