"We care." Engagement | Employee Sustainability Commitments – 2012
We firmly believe that we can only increase sustainability with the help of our employees – their commitment in the workplace plays a key role. We actively encourage each and every one of our employees to make their working day more sustainable. Engaging employees in community activities helps them to develop skills and abilities that would not be possible to acquire from their daily work.
We know that our strategy will only reach its full potential when each and every employee lives it on a daily basis. Sustainability isn’t something that is left at work when you go home. Acting sustainably can be done anytime, anywhere: at home, on the way to work, on the weekend, or on vacation. Our company-wide “We care” engagement program focuses on informing our employees about our strategy and targets, actively involving them in the implementation and inspiring them to act independently. After all, “We care” is the sum total of many individual “I care” commitments.
In November 2012 our employees around the world were involved in various activities to kick-off our “We care” campaign. Personal “I care” messages were posted around the workplace so others could see and be inspired by the commitments of their colleagues. Employees could also make use of an online tool to measure their environmental footprint and make a pledge to reduce their impact.
This online tool is not only available to Beiersdorf employees. Calculate your personal environmental footprint and learn how to live a more sustainable life. Visit www.myimpactontheplanet.com
Beiersdorf employees around the world are committed to supporting our environmental and social initiatives through their active personal involvement.
In the USA, the employee-led “Beiersdorf Cares Committee” has been overseeing the affiliate’s employee volunteering efforts since 2008. Supported projects include the mentoring program “Beyond School Walls” initiated by "Big Brothers Big Sisters", which enables local students to receive training sessions from employees twice a month. In addition, the committee has established a comprehensive partnership with the local United Way organization, which awarded Beiersdorf their Corporate Social Responsibility Award in 2012. One of the partnership activities is an annual charity campaign in support of local families and communities. In 2012 the employee participation rate was 100% for the second consecutive year and all financial donation made by employees were matched by Beiersdorf. To further promote topics such as volunteerism, sustainability and well-being, the affiliate set up an internal microsite to provide volunteering opportunities, practical advice and further resources.
Last Christmas, CEO Stefan F. Heidenreich invited all employees at Headquarters, Germany, to take part in the initiative “We care at Christmas”. Beiersdorf employees bought 1,500 gifts for socially disadvantaged children and placed these under a big Christmas tree. The initial idea was that Beiersdorf donates €5 for each gift. Due to the active participation, Beiersdorf decided to donate a final total of €10,000 to the "Lenzsiedlung e.V." in Hamburg. The presents were distributed by the ToysCompany via a Christmas bazaar for socially disadvantaged families.
In 2012 Sven Hansen-Termath, a member of the Workers‘ Council at Beiersdorf Manufacturing Hamburg (BMH) in Germany, started the initiative "BMH Lucky Cent". Since January 2013, BMH employees can choose to make a net cent contribution from their monthly salary – ranging between €0.01 to €0.99. The sum that is raised by all employees will be doubled by the BMH management and donated to the "Lenzsiedlung e.V." in Hamburg. The association’s overarching goal is to improve the living conditions and promote the empowerment of children, young people and adults.
In Romania, Beiersdorf employees also made a contribution from their monthly salary and redirected 2% of their income taxes to SOS Children's Villages Romania as part of a series of fundraising activities. They also participated in a series of Christmas activities together with the children from SOS: they colored in postcards with Christmas themes and decorated the SOS Christmas tree. More information about NIVEA's coopertaion with SOS Children's Villages can be found here. ...more
