Text: Lisa Bockberger
People & Culture Specialist
Finding My Place:
A Personal Journey of
Diversity & Inclusion at JTI
I’ve always believed in the power of diversity, but it wasn’t until I joined JTI Austria that I truly understood its impact. This is my story of how working in an inclusive environment has changed my perspective and career.
From my first day at JTI Austria, I knew this place was different. Walking through the office, I encountered a lively mix of cultures, experiences, and ideas coming together. JTI Austria is part of Japan Tobacco International – a leading global tobacco company. Locally, we have app. 500 employees from 25 nationalities working in commercial and R&D fields.
I felt welcomed from the first second, glad that everyone, regardless of their position, took the time to get to know me. During the application process, I learned about the numerous benefits offered by JTI: global job opportunities, continuing education, sports and culture activities, an Employee Assistance Program, and more. However, it wasn’t until I arrived that I realized this is about much more than company benefits to attract new talents.
It was easy for me to find my way around the company and integrate. My team, networking events, cross-functional projects, and job rotations all contributed to my smooth onboarding. As a member of the People & Culture team, I am responsible for our wellbeing initiatives. From the beginning, I learned that wellbeing and mental health are high priorities at JTI. One of my most profound experiences was during a team brainstorming session. As a new member, I was hesitant to voice my ideas. However, my manager encouraged me to share, reminding me that every perspective was valuable. This motivated me even more to help planning various initiatives such as our wellbeing month. Personally, I think mental health is talked about far too rarely, which is why this excites me.
My personal highlight was the founding of our local Pride Group, which I am a proud member of. Our group is dedicated to fostering inclusion, celebrating diversity, raising awareness, and empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies within our organization. Through advocacy, support, and education, our group strives to create a workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued.
Looking back, I see how much I’ve grown. The D&I training sessions (e.g., No Bias Training, Feedback Culture) helped me develop cultural competence and a deeper appreciation for the richness that diversity brings. Also, my participation in our mentoring program, where I found a great mentor, supporting me in my further development, made me realize that the freedom to be myself and have people around who appreciate that is more than I ever wanted.
My journey at JTI Austria has shown me the real impact of diversity and inclusion. It’‘s more than a corporate goal; it’s a way of life that enriches us all.
