Invitation to the kick-off event of the Mitwelt Talks
On 25 April 2022, the bbw Bildungszentrum Ostbrandenburg in Frankfurt (Oder) and the zenikplus research centre at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) will launch the local, free series of Mitwelt-Gespräche talks. In future, representatives from business, society, politics and education will meet at local level for talks, workshops and dialogue to discuss the role of companies and the people working with and within them in Brandenburg. The democratic responsibility and opportunities to influence a good future should thus be made visible.
Companies are increasingly confronted with the effects of social change, which promotes different values and lifestyles and in which work and private life are becoming more and more intertwined. At the same time, current demographic developments are leading to a shortage of skilled labour and increased competitive pressure. Employees are increasingly incorporating personal needs and values into their job decisions, which is also prompting small and medium-sized companies to develop a corporate culture that makes it possible to reconcile these different interests. However, in addition to the attractiveness of employers and employee satisfaction, a democratic corporate culture that is geared towards diversity also has other positive aspects. International studies have found, among other things, that this can increase profitability by more than 20% (see Hunt et al 2018 "Delivering through Diversity"/ see Frazier et al 2017 "Psychological safety: A meta-analytic review and extension").
Corporate democracy, diversity, social learning and civic engagement
In a series of talks, representatives from business, society, politics and education exchange views on how democratic competence can be used beneficially in Brandenburg companies to strengthen communication, thereby preventing conflicts and enabling more efficient work. It is also about utilising diversity as a source of innovation and creativity for the challenges of the present. In addition, social learning is discussed as a strengthening element for the relationship between employees. The discussions will be used to identify the needs of the local economy. In a second step, seminars for small and medium-sized enterprises are to be offered as part of the BMAS project "Entrepreneurial-democratic cooperation for Brandenburg" ("Unternehmerisch-demokratisch-miteinander für Brandenburg") in order to strengthen democratic structures in local companies and to recognise and use diversity as a resource. Furthermore, companies are to be enabled to fulfil the sustainability reporting obligation under the CSRD from 2023.
Kick-off event at the IHK Frankfurt (Oder) with renowned experts and personalities
The series will kick off with an event on 25 April 2022 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the IHK Frankfurt (Oder), where local companies can find out about the project topics and familiarise themselves with them in various workshops. "Established democratic company structures are an absolute locational advantage for Brandenburg companies," says Alexander Schirp, Deputy Managing Director of the Brandenburg Business Associations (Unternehmensverbände Brandenburg, UVB) and speaker on 25 April, adding: "We from the business associations therefore recommend participation in Entrepreneurial-Democratic-Together." Other well-known experts and personalities have been recruited for the all-day programme with lectures and workshops on a wide range of topics. For example, the well-known founder of the Berliner Tafel food bank in Brandenburg, Sabine Werth, as well as Ulrich Temps, head of the nationwide painting company of the same name and regional ambassador of the nationwide network "Companies integrate refugees" ("Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge"), who will talk about his experiences on this topic. "Economic success and democratic skills are inseparable in the future, and we want to convey this at this event and primarily in the workshops," says Thoralf Buller, Professor of Business Management at the bbw University of Applied Sciences, who will also be speaking at the event. The day is supported by the City of Frankfurt, whose Mayor Claus Junghanns will address a welcome speech to the participants.
Participation is free of charge. Any company from Frankfurt (Oder) and the region can take part. Registration is now open via Thomas Spicker from bbw Ostbrandenburg.
Invitation to media representatives:
We hereby invite you to the opening of the event on Monday, 25 April 2022, at 9 a.m. with the management of bbw Ostbrandenburg, Mario Primas and the mayor of the city of Frankfurt (Oder), Claus Junghanns. The event will take place at the IHK Frankfurt, Puschkinstraße 12 b, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder).