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Florentine Markfort and Johanna Zaetzsch with their presentation on gender-equitable language
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Alexandra Knauer and Carsten Losch, KNAUER Management
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Toppings for various waffles from Fräulein Juli
Berlin, May 18, 2021: To further strengthen diversity in the workplace, the European Commission is proclaiming European Diversity Month for the first time this May. The 9th German Diversity Day (DDT21) on May 18, initiated and organized by the registered association "Charta der Vielfalt", is the highlight of the action month in Germany. As a signatory of the Diversity Charter since 2017, the laboratory instrument manufacturer KNAUER organized a special event for all employees that focused on the topic of diversity.
Diversity enriches our lives, both in our private sphere and, of course, in the workplace. Experience has shown that difficult and new issues, as they often occur in the technical and research fields, can be solved more quickly by teams with a diverse background of experiences than by homogeneous teams. KNAUER has 160 employees, and the topics of diversity and equal opportunities are a recurring theme.
In the address by the managing directors Alexandra Knauer and Carsten Losch, both wanted to make it clear to the employees that language is an important building block in terms of gender equality.
A suggestion for improvement from among the employees had drawn attention to the fact that the language used by KNAUER did not optimally represent the company's open attitude to diversity. In January 2021, a six-person "gender-equitable language" team was immediately formed. The team set the ambitious goal of completing a policy on the use of gender-equitable language at KNAUER by this year's Diversity Day - that is, May 18, 2021. They succeeded.
During a small, digital ceremony, the finished flyer was proudly presented to all employees. The event was introduced by a very profound lecture on "gender-equitable language" by Johanna Zaetzsch and Josefine Markfort, students of a high school from the south of Berlin.
"I am very pleased that we were able to recruit both students for this project. It is particularly inspiring when young people get involved in social issues. This suits KNAUER, because that is what we are doing and we are starting directly with the implementation!", says Alexandra Knauer, Managing Director of KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH.
Of course, it also became culinary diverse - delicious waffles with various toppings were baked by "Fräulein Juli" for the staff - needless to say, in compliance with hygiene regulations and distance rules.
About KNAUER:
The family-owned company KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH develops high-tech laboratory instruments, for example analytical and preparative HPLC systems, which are sold in more than 70 countries. Owner Alexandra Knauer, who runs the company together with Carsten Losch, attaches great importance to corporate responsibility towards both employees and the environment and society. More information at www.knauer.net.
KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH, Hegauer Weg 38, 14163 Berlin, Deutschland
+49 30 809727-0, +49 30 8015010 (Fax), info@knauer.net, www.knauer.net
Press contact: Oliver Gültzow, gueltzow@knauer.net, +49 30 809727-43