Berlin, 8 October 2024 The 2024 Inclusion Award for Business will be presented for the tenth time to recognize outstanding practical examples of inclusion in the labour market. “The recipients of this award show that the training and employment of people with disabilities can not only be successful, but is a real benefit for everyone involved,” says Olaf Guttzeit, Chairman of the Board of UnternehmensForum and spokesman for the initiators. His conclusion: "Inclusion is not a question of company size or industry." The award-winning companies made this clear.

The patron of the award is Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, who is convinced that “especially in view of the growing shortage of skilled workers, the German economy cannot afford to ignore this potential.”

This year, the winners are:

Commerzbank AG

Winner in the category "Large Companies and Corporations” is Commerzbank AG: It was the first bank to publish its own company-wide action plan on inclusion in 2018 and to relaunch it in an expanded version in 2023. Inclusion is firmly anchored in the corporate strategy and part of the company’s sustainability strategy: In the recruitment processes, in the purchasing guidelines, style guides, in communication, in the structural framework conditions and even in the establishment of a service point for technical solutions. In corporate practice, this is a double business case: the inclusive personnel policy supports the retention of skilled workers with innovative solutions, while at the same time the experience of employees with disabilities is used to better take into account the needs of customers with disabilities.

REWE David Hegemann OHG

In the category “Medium-Sized Companies”, the winner is David Hegemann with its four REWE supermarkets stores: David Hegemann consciously wants to take on a pioneering role for inclusion and inspire other REWE supermarkets and retail companies to embrace inclusion. To this end, he advocates for the easily transferable concept of inclusion departments and overcomes acceptance barriers through public relations work. An exemplary commitment that is reflected in more than 3,000 stores. It shows an innovative, strategic and sustainable approach to promote inclusion. By taking in employees from workshops for people with disabilities, David Hegemann offers opportunities for a group of people who often experience particular barriers on the general labour market.

Goslar Youth Hostel

The award in the category "Small Businesses”, goes to the Goslar Youth Hostel: Inclusion is part of the mission statement of the Goslar Youth Hostel: In accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, equal and successful cooperation between people with and without disabilities without any special structures is a matter of course there.

New employees get to know all the different tasks to be carried out in the hostel in order to determine which activities correspond to their interests. During collaboration, new boundaries are continually explored in order to achieve individual development. By ensuring that all employees can work in a way that is based on their interests and strengths, they work economically and inclusion is experienced as a win-win solution.

The Goslar Youth Hostel implements inclusion holistically, strategically and sustainably. The consideration of the guest perspective is also exemplary. This is demonstrated by the four fully accessible rooms and the culture of welcome for inclusive groups.

Schreinerei Protze carpenter’s shop

In the category “Companies not subject to Compulsory Employment", award goes to the carpenter’s shop Schreinerei Protze. The carpenter’s shop Schreinerei Protze from Bavaria shows how a regional craft business with a wide range of products can use inclusion as a strategy to secure jobs and skilled workers. The family-owned company offered internships as a starting point. The workflows have been repeatedly adapted to explore the right balance between resilience and manual skills. For example, a step-by-step instruction with illustrations was created for an employee with short-term memory deficiencies. This ultimately resulted in the employee being given a permanent position, and all employees ultimately benefited from the process descriptions.

More information at www.inklusionspreis.de

About the sponsoring organisations

Federal Employment Agency

The Federal Employment Agency is the largest service provider on the labour market. It advises both citizens and businesses on all issues relating to vocational training, employment and continuing and further qualifications. It also offers a wide range of services for the retention and creation of jobs – with the aim of sustainable participation in working life.

Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA)

The Confederation of German Employers' Associations is the leading social policy organisation of the entire German economy. It represents the social and economic policy interests of over 1 million companies with around 30.5 million employees. The BDA stands for a diverse and inclusive working world and is committed to even more training and employment for people with disabilities. After all, inclusion in the labour market is not only a social and labour market policy issue, but also makes good business sense and is a win-win situation for all.

The Charta der Vielfalt e.V.

The Charta der Vielfalt e.V. is an employers’ initiative to promote diversity in companies and institutions. The initiative aims to promote the recognition, appreciation and integration of diversity into Germany’s business culture. Organisations should strive to create a working environment free of prejudice.All employees should be valued – regardless of age, ethnic origin and nationality, gender and gender identity, religion and worldview, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation and social background.

UnternehmensForum

As an employers’ initiative, the UnternehmensForum promotes the issues of vocational training, employment and retention of people with disabilities in the labour market. The initiative, with approx. 50 member companies throughout Germany, sees itself as a nationwide platform for the exchange of experiences, identification of good practices and development of concrete suggestions for employers. The UnternehmensForum initiated the award for the first time in 2012.