A compass for the Group

What defines the Dürr Group? What values and mission do we have? Answers to these questions cannot be prescribed to a company. They must come from within the organization and be supported by the workforce. This is why the Dürr Group, with the employees’ broad participation, has developed a uniform corporate statement.

When the Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Andreas Schaller, looks back at the process of the past few months, he is still amazed by the great commitment with which many colleagues took part in this project. CEO Dr. Jochen Weyrauch set the ball rolling when he initiated the development of a corporate statement for the Group as he started his role at the beginning of 2022. Mid-year, the project gained real momentum when the entire workforce was invited to participate in developing this uniform corporate statement. 

The aim was to come up with realistic and credible definitions of vision, mission, values, and purpose for the company. Going forward, these four aspects are to represent a reliable constant for customers and workforce, create an emotional bond with the company, and provide guidance when taking decisions and setting priorities. “This kind of process cannot simply be completed in a small group with a top-down approach,” highlights Schaller as project manager. This is why it was decided to get external experts Hans-Wilhelm Eckert and Jutta-Anna Schroer on board.

The key task of the two consultants was to gain an insight into the organization and start conversations with its employees. Interviews were planned and workshops prepared — face-to-face at the Bietigheim, Schopfloch, and Darmstadt sites as well as online for people abroad. The list of questions that Schroer and Eckert asked the participants was long. What highlights, low points, and turning points have there been in the history of the Dürr Group? What has turned the company into what it is today? Why do customers, qualified staff, and investors come to us? This is how around 80 employees from different origins, functions, lengths of service, and of different ages provided the initial input for the corporate statement that was to be created.

During the analysis phase, the results from the workshops and interviews were then consolidated. This led to some initial suggestions for wordings, which, following an approval cycle with the Management Board, were discussed with the entire workforce during face-to-face and virtual feedback forums. “The response was very positive. Our colleagues were pleased that their opinions mattered and that they could be involved in the process,” says Schaller. Schroer adds: “When we asked what defines the Dürr Group and what kind of cultural development the company needs in order to be well prepared for the future, we often found we were pushing at an open door.”

For over 20 years, Schroer has been supporting companies in their organizational development and change management. “During my projects, I always ask myself whether they are designed in a way that is sustainable,” says Schroer. At Dürr, she immediately felt that the project was not about producing a shiny brochure, but that it was genuinely aimed at determining the essence of the company. “In this project, the participatory approach was paramount from the outset.”

The rollout of the corporate statement in the Group is planned for the coming months. However, this does not mean the process is complete. “Cultural development is not a sprint but a marathon,” confirms Schroer. It involves ongoing dialog to monitor the current status and whether the corporate statement is being put into practice. But it is worth it, as Schroer explains while referring to scientific studies: These show that purpose-oriented companies are more innovative than others, can recruit qualified staff more easily, and are considerably more resilient when faced with a crisis.