Company News Feb 10, 2016 3:34 PM
“We-together” German industry integration initiative"
Under an initiative entitled “We-together” (“Wir-Zusammen – Integrations-Initiative der deutschen Wirtschaft”) 36 German companies have joined together to promote the integration of refugees. The companies’ wide-ranging integration projects can be seen together for the first time at http://www.wir-zusammen.de. The website is designed to create transparency and provide orientation. But above all it offers practical examples to motivate other companies to actively contribute to the integration of refugees.
thyssenkrupp contributing with “we help” program
As co-initiator of “We-together” thyssenkrupp is contributing with its “we help” program. Over the next two years the Group is creating an additional 150 apprenticeship places, 230 internships, and further skilled jobs for refugees at various Group companies in Germany. “Jobs give people the chance to build a life for themselves in Germany. So in accordance with the philosophy of “We-together”, we defined our “we help” program in concrete terms and it’s already up and running. It’s a long-term initiative to help integrate refugees into society and the labor market,” says thyssenkrupp CEO Dr. Heinrich Hiesinger. Around 50 refugees now have contracts with thyssenkrupp and/or have already started work.
The aim of “We-together” is to foster and grow a network of companies committed to promoting integration over the long term. To this end members of the network carry out independent integration projects and underpin them with dedicated sponsorships. The website http://www.wir-zusammen.de serves as a joint platform. “We also see the initiative as an appeal to everyone to rise to this historic challenge and take responsibility,” says Hiesinger.