Daniel Motino about the LGBTQI+ ERG at Zalando

Daniel, could you tell us about what you do at Zalando and what motivated you to join the company?

I lead a team of Business Intelligence Analysts for Customer Fulfilment. We provide curated data services for our stakeholders. Customer Fulfilment is everything that happens after the parcel has left a warehouse until it gets delivered or returned. Before joining Zalando, I had worked at eBay for 13 years. Just the way eBay was revolutionising e-commerce, Zalando is a game-changer in fashion and logistics. That was something that attracted me to the company and motivated me to apply for a job here. After a year at Zalando, I was promoted to a Lead Business Intelligence position where I am now.

Apart from being a Business Intelligence Lead, you are also active in the LGBTQI+ ERG, right?

Yes, I even joke that it’s my second job at Zalando. You know, when I just joined Zalando, I remember being really thrilled by the talk on D&I that new-joiners were invited to attend. It was delivered so coherently and clearly. The speaker was talking about the LGBTQI, and I felt how necessary conversations like that were — and still are. There is no equality without inclusion and diversity, and that’s something that motivated me to become part of the committee behind the LGBTQI+ Employee Resource Group. The intention of the ERGs is to do more for the communities who challenge the status quo — people who historically have had fewer privileges, queer people. It is essential that people who join the company see that there are communities of people who are like them, that there is someone they can connect with, someone who has had similar experiences.

For me, driving the ERG is a way to give back to the community. After all, I am a white man working in a big company, and I understand that my position is a privileged one. I sincerely believe that we need to flatten traditional hierarchies and I am passionate about contributing to that goal. The role of ERGs is to support and educate — we do our fair share in sharing knowledge, about equality or microaggressions in the workspace. ERGs originate due to the efforts of employees — they work as sites of representation or empowerment, or as safe spaces. But it’s great that at Zalando they are supported. Our ERG has a sponsor — Jim Freeman — and a budget that allows us to plan and organize events.

I suppose, currently, the ERG only meets remotely — how does it feel for you?

With a lot of people that we currently have in the ERG, we have met only remotely. But, you know, we kept meeting remotely. And that says a lot about how passionate we are about it. We have organized and launched digital events and we have been quite great at interacting online. It was hard work. But you know, when you do something with passion the sky’s the limit.