Mondelēz International - Embracing the power and potential of neurodiversity at work

Created by VERCIDA for Mondelēz International

 

Rebecca Bentinck, Christina Constantinou and Caroline Buchanan talk about their roles at Mondelēz International and how being neurodiversity-inclusive helps everyone.

 

Tell us about your roles at Mondelēz International (MDLZ). 

Rebecca:  I’ve been with Mondelēz International for six years, previously  working in Public Relations. Most of that time at Mondelēz International has been spent in the UK Corporate Affairs function, but in April this year, I will move into our global Human Rights team. 

Caroline: I’ve been with Mondelēz International for 24 years – I’ve always been in Sales and recently, I moved into the e-commerce team as a national account manager. I’ve been a Sales manager for the past 16 years, managing people, so my new role is wildly different. I love helping people thrive. 

Christina: I joined Mondelēz International nearly 10 years ago in what was then called the HR solutions team. I was in that role for about a year and then I transitioned to the Legal team, where I have been ever since. In that time, I’ve progressed through the ranks within the Legal team and I was UK-based until last year. Now, I’m in our European head office in Zurich as a Senior Counsel.

 

How did the company’s neurodiversity group come about?

Christina: A colleague wanted to tell their story to the company in order to promote smashing the stigma against mental health, so we brainstormed around how best to do this. Together, we wanted to unlock conversations and encourage openness. We came up with a campaign idea that was a bit like the scene in Love, Actually when the guy tells his best friend’s wife he’s in love with her by writing it on cards. It can be so much easier to write about how you feel, rather than talk about it, so that’s how we encouraged people to share and smash the stigma. 

The campaign was hugely successful across the organisation globally. People made videos and were coming forward with their own stories and challenges , and actually we found that a lot of what people were sharing related back to a neurodiverse condition. 

We came up with the See What You Don’t See group to put focus on Neurodiversity. People may be struggling on the inside but it isn't always something you can physically see, so we knew that we needed to talk more about this. 

Rebecca: My relationship with See What You Don’t See comes from being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2017. I didn’t think it was a neurodivergence, but then I joined a call and someone else in the network had epilepsy too. They were describing symptoms very similar to the things I live with, that’s when I realised I didn’t have to be alone on this journey at work.

The network is made up of 20 or so really passionate people who want to use that passion to drive change across Mondelēz International. We are very lucky to already have a culture of sharing and bringing your best self to work, so we have a good ground to start building on in 2020.

 

What else is Mondelēz International doing to support neurodiverse colleagues?

Christina: We created decks to help people understand a bit more about different neurodiverse conditions. These were approved by HR and we continue to share them with many functions and groups in the business across the world. In 2020, we focused on building this foundation of knowledge so we could share with confidence. 2021 was very much about understanding what worked and what didn’t.

Rebecca: Then we created Heads Together, a virtual call on Teams which meets once a month. Anyone in the business can join and share, join and listen, or join and learn. It's a really safe, precious space. 

The materials we created have been shared across the business. So, people from America, Southeast Asia and Australia have joined our network or reached out to understand how they can start their own network. There has been a ripple of uptake.

Caroline: Last year, we did something I’m really proud of – it’s called the Manual of Me. People often feel like they have to reintroduce themselves to different people, when someone new joins their team or they move on and have a new manager,  and often feeling safe enough to disclose a condition is one of the hardest parts of this. 

There can still be a stigma attached to neurodiverse conditions and how to have those empathetic conversations. It’s really simple – it’s just a one-page overview of who you are, how you are at your best, maybe a bit about the things that help you be your best at work. Examples might include the need to sit somewhere silent because noise is a distraction, or needing a permanent desk rather than hot-desking, or being productive when deadlines are clear. 

And it’s inclusive – we’ve started to share it through the business – that’s the beauty of it, everyone can use the Manual of Me to show how you can be at your best. It breaks down the stigma, so nobody feels like they stand out or that they’re asking for special treatment. 

Christina: One of the key things we want to focus on is more training, and not just for line managers. We’re working with our HR teams to look at processes for managers and individuals to give people confidence, and feel empowered to know where they can get support or point others in the right direction when they need support or information.

Rebecca: We are partnering with Genius Within to build capability and we’re hoping to work with them on an event in the second half of the year. Although Neurodiversity Celebration Week is in March, that coincides with Easter – being a chocolate business, we’re very busy then! We’ve also created a podcast with the mental health team, where we focused on how neurodiversity isn’t a mental health condition, but if it’s not managed or disclosed, or people don’t feel safe to share, then it can have an impact on mental health.

 

Why is it important to embrace neurodiversity at work?

Caroline: When neurodiverse people are supported, their potential is unlocked, especially when it comes to their creativity. There is so much potential to unlock what is often called superpowers, to allow people to be their best at work. 

We have found from the Heads Together calls that a lot of parents are joining, so this year we hope to work closer with the families group at Mondelēz International to understand what support families with neurodiverse people need. We will hopefully create another podcast to raise awareness of supporting families for the rest of our colleague base.

Christina: It’s about attracting and retaining people in an inclusive company. If you can be a business that looks after people and helps people be at their best at work, you get the best from all your people. Neurodiverse people bring special skills and there are specific roles that really lend themselves to people with neurodiverse conditions, which is awesome. There are people who may have felt stigmatised during their lives, but they are the people who bring something really special to Mondelēz International.

Rebecca: Retention is key – it is the other side of the coin of attraction. Attraction is great, but you need to take care of the people who already work there.  That is what has kept me here for six years, moving within the business – it’s full of wonderful people who genuinely care about each other.

Christina: People are the biggest asset to any business, so you need to support them. It is so important to open up the topic of neurodiversity, have these conversations and be honest about the challenges. Everyone should be encouraged to bring their best self to work, to feel they belong, and to feel like they can be exactly who they are.

To learn more about the inclusive culture at Mondelēz International please click here.

 

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2022 net revenues of approximately $31 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate's Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/MDLZ.