Democracy requires participation from everyone, according to SymbadischDemocratic / Christian Streich and associated companies: Devotion to democracy is crucial for its survival.
Baden-based businesses address anti-democratic sentiment and polarization
Freiburg, Germany — A panel discussion at the JobRad Campus on January 30 brought together regional business leaders to explore paths for corporate political responsibility and promoting societal cohesion ahead of the upcoming federal election.
Amid concerns over the future of Germany's democratic order, nationalist and authoritarian forces pose a threat to unity, the rule of law, and an open society — foundations essential for growth, innovation, and prosperity. Key to ensuring these values are upheld is the active engagement of the business sector, especially its leaders.
Over 200 attendees, including representatives from large and small regional employers, engaged in dialogue with Christian Streich, former coach of SC Freiburg, Bert Sutter, president of wvib Schwarzwald AG and CEO of Sutter Medizintechnik GmbH, and Andrea Kurz, managing director of JobRad GmbH. They discussed concrete steps that companies can take to fulfill their political responsibilities, the role of leadership, and determining the limits of political engagement in businesses.
Emphasizing the importance of constructive debate, Bert Sutter stated that economic success, social cohesion, and ecological progress must be balanced, and xenophobia and isolation are harmful to society and the economy. The economy, he argued, cannot be insulated from democratic problems.
Andrea Kurz expressed that employees increasingly expect their employers to take a clear stance on democratic values, especially in an open-minded company like JobRad. She advocated for promoting liberal democratic values within the corporate culture and collaborating with partners to set a positive example of leadership through diversity, tolerance, and openness.
www.jobrad.org/presse.
With Christian Streich addressing the audience and encouraging a firm stand both internally and externally, the event uniquely highlighted the role that businesses in Baden can play in maintaining societal cohesion and bolstering democratic values.
As the conference speaker and panelists encouraged others to join their efforts in promoting democracy and upholding democratic values, discussions and exchanges from the audience illustrate the potential for broad collaboration and impact among regional businesses.
Based in Freiburg, JobRad GmbH leads the bicycle leasing market with the brand JobRad®. JobRad simplifies and neutralizes the assignment of company bicycles through a digital portal solution, providing tax-funded benefits and services for employees. The company's sustainable mobility option has been adopted by over 100,000 employers, including Bosch, SAP, and Deutsche Bahn.
For more information on the panel discussion or central topics, please contact [email protected] or visit www.jobrad.org/presse.
- The business leaders at the JobRad Campus event discussed steps companies can take to fulfill their political responsibilities, addressing the importance of balancing economic success, social cohesion, and ecological progress.
- Andrea Kurz, managing director of JobRad GmbH, advocated for promoting liberal democratic values within the corporate culture and collaborating with partners to set a positive example of leadership through diversity, tolerance, and openness.
- Bert Sutter, president of wvib Schwarzwald AG and CEO of Suter Medizintechnik GmbH, argued that the economy cannot be insulated from democratic problems and emphasized the need for constructive debate and a balanced approach.
- With Christian Streich encouraging a firm stand both internally and externally, the event demonstrated the role businesses in Baden can play in maintaining societal cohesion and bolstering democratic values, leading the way in areas such as policy-and-legislation, finance, and diversity-and-inclusion.
