It was back to school on June 18th 2009 for 30 Beiersdorf managers. For one day they swapped their desks and computers for picks and shovels.
They were digging in the playground of the St. Pauli all-day integrated school – comprised of an elementary school and two out of the three forms of German high school – and were erecting a massive climbing tree for the 300 pupils. They had cut down the tree – an oak almost 10 meters high – near Lüneburg (Germany) in their leisure time and then prepared it so that the children can now play on it during their breaktimes. Beiersdorf supplemented its employees' voluntary work with a €5,000 donation to the school's funds.
This project is the only one of its kind: As part of a two-day management workshop designed to strengthen teamwork, the managers experienced working together as a group as well as getting directly involved with the school. Something else that’s unusual: The second day of the workshop took place in one of the St. Pauli comprehensive school’s classrooms.
"As a group of Supply Chain managers, we wanted to combine a team experience outside Beiersdorf with social commitment," said Data Process Manager Andreas Schierning. "This new social experience has made us more aware of other people’s problems and points of view and puts a lot of things in our daily working environment into perspective. This not only motivates us as a group; we can also do something for Beiersdorf's image in society. It would be great if we were able to inspire others to also get involved in voluntary work."
"I am delighted both with this novel support and with the fact that we now have a climbing tree in the schoolyard again. This project is a new, positive experience for the children, the teachers, and certainly also for Beiersdorf's employees. I wish there were more such activities," said Gerald Pump-Berthé, the head of the St. Pauli all-day school.
Global Reporting Initiative
