Inclusive workplaces are the best environment for innovation and delivering world-class services, but DHL Group realised that they were not fully tapping into the potential of their diverse workforce. To celebrate the diversity of their employees and foster inclusivity, they recognised the need to help all employees feel that they belong.
The objective of this campaign was to promote a culture of inclusivity and belonging across all divisions of DHL Group, spanning 220 countries and territories with a workforce of approximately 600,000 employees.
We devised a creative strategy that distilled the concept of belonging into a simple and relatable campaign – ‘I Belong’.
Real employees took centre stage, showcasing how belonging extends from their personal lives into the workplace through blended images. To ensure authenticity and unity, we utilised a versatile frame device that allowed employees to share their stories across internal and external channels, harnessing the power of user-generated content.
To drive consistency, we created a global toolkit encompassing campaign assets, videos, and a user-generated content toolkit for employees. This enabled engagement across diverse regions and cultures within the business. Leveraging the #iBelong hashtag and frame template, the campaign resonated with employees of all genders, ages, ethnicities and with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Through amplification across internal and external channels, we ensured equal access for all employees to participate and contribute their authentic stories.
The results of the campaign were remarkable. During the main campaign period, we observed a significant engagement, including 1,870 posts shared on the employee app, Smart Connect, and 1,669 postings on internal social walls. The top story on Smart Connect received 18,785 visits, indicating high levels of engagement. On LinkedIn, over 25,000 reactions were generated. The campaign successfully fostered dialogue and connection among employees, reinforcing the importance of belonging and diversity in the workplace.
Through employee engagement and participation, the campaign encouraged individuals to share their authentic stories, creating a platform for open dialogue and connection. The campaign’s global reach and impact extended the message of inclusivity beyond the organisation.
By reinforcing the importance of belonging and diversity, DHL Group demonstrated a strong commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees feel that they belong.
This campaign won a Silver MUSE Creative Award in the ‘Branded Content – Diversity / Equity / Inclusion’ category.
Thank you for all your support on the I Belong campaign development! You might have seen on LinkedIn (just enter #iBelong in the search function) that colleagues all around the world have posted the template with their belonging stories. Our internal DEIB social wall is just flooded with more than 1,000 posts and people keep on posting. We can already say after a few days it is a very successful campaign engaging so many colleagues who are proud to work for DHL Group!
Head of Corporate Team in Digital & Internal Comms, DHL Group
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR EVERYONE’S SUPPORT and what a great success and long may the campaign continue! It’s a pleasure to work with you and thanks for getting us to this point.
Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, DHL Supply Chain
Together, we brought the campaign to life and we can all be proud.
Internal Communications Manager, DHL Group