EqualVoice United Spotlight

Equality in all dimensions

At Sunrise, CEO André Krause consistently promotes a sense of belonging and equal opportunity within the company, focusing on a wide range of dimensions of diversity.

«Feel the Beat» isn’t just the name of a programme for managers at Sunrise, it also characterises the leadership style of the Sunrise CEO, André Krause. Specifically, his aim is to feel the pulse of the business first-hand, to be close to customers and to understand what the daily reality of employees in Sales, IT or Telephone Support is. This means getting involved in Sunrise shops, the service desk or the call centre, where managers can follow enquiries and conversations themselves.

Accordingly, the agendas of the CEO and his managers regularly include appointments to track customer interactions in the call centre or shop over several hours. «We can only bring about improvements systematically if we as a management team can get close to the challenges,» says Krause. And this applies to the experiences both of customers and of employees – for example, in terms of development opportunities or the sense of belonging to the company.

Promoting diversity

Since 2021, Sunrise has been focusing on topics related to diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion as part of its «YouBelong!» programme. In January 2022, the company also joined EqualVoice United. André Krause says the term «Equal Voice» is broadly interpreted internally in the sense of «giving everyone a voice and the opportunity to contribute». This very broad definition isn’t only about gender, it’s about the various dimensions of diversity too.

Historically, Sunrise has an international background and currently employs people from almost eighty nations. «This cultural diversity brings a lot of interaction, new perspectives and creativity to the company,» says the CEO. «But it also requires mutual understanding, respect and dialogue.» In addition, Sunrise employees have the opportunity to get involved directly in four networks, including Race & Ethnicity or Rainbow (LGBTQIA+). These networks aim to ensure that the members and supporters of the various groups are given a voice for their concerns. «It always helps to listen to dedicated colleagues from their own perspective,» says André Krause.

In order to guarantee equal opportunities and a sense of belonging in the company, it’s not just networks that play an important role – processes and management responsibility are crucial too.

One example is the representation of men and women. Due to the low proportion of women in the technical disciplines, which make up a large part of the company, the company is generally below the Swiss average, but has managed to make clear progress in recent years. Concrete measures, such as in the recruiting processes or flexible working models, should also guarantee fairness in the future and create opportunities, regardless of people’s private situation. «For example, we offer all our advertised positions, including management positions, on an 80 percent basis,» explains André Krause. «In addition, we support people returning to work after parental leave or a longer break.»

Transparency and concrete measures

Does the 55-year-old have leverage to promote diversity and inclusion himself? «Yes, with my own behaviour and what I expect from the teams. For me, fairness and diversity aren’t a contribution to the discussion, but a clear stance. And we need concrete ambitions and actions instead of empty words, so that everyone pulls together and equal opportunities are implemented as a priority.»

It’s fundamental to him that all the various equality issues are discussed. This also includes aspects such as age, cultural background or neurodiversity. Only in a space free of discrimination and fear is it actually possible to make the most of the sum of all talents.

André Krause describes his management style as follows: «I involve employees heavily in finding solutions and decisions, but I also make demands.» A CEO is successful if they represent clear values and follow a defined course – despite the uncertainties and diverse issues everyone faces daily. «We can only be successful if we manage to move in the same direction as a team, with all our different ideas and perspectives, and so create an excellent customer and product experience.»

August, 2025

Source: Adapted translation, updated for current conditions, of an article first published in HANDELSZEITUNG, EqualVoice United Special, on September 12, 2024. As of: August 21, 2025.