SIMACEK Facility Management Group

"Support diversity, secure opportunities" - this is SIMACEK's philosophy. And it is something we take seriously and put into practice, as our current language project demonstrates. Since 2010, SIMACEK Facility Management Group GmbH has been offering all employees free German lessons and helping them take advantage of this by adapting their work conditions accordingly. Unsurprisingly, the response has been extremely positive: during the first phase, more than 100 staff signed up. The project will run for at least three years, by which time around 350 lessons will have taken place. Working together with the Austrian Integration Fund, specifically the House of Education and Professional Education (Habibi site), we are able to provide our employees with expert teachers. The contents of the courses are based on our employees' professional and social environments. The courses were originally offered at four sites in Vienna, and this number has grown over time. Current venues include the ORF Centre (Austrian radio headquarters), Telekom Austria, BAWAG P.S.K., Raiffeisen Bank, KH Baumgartner Höhe, Siemens AG, Vienna University of Technology and SIMACEK head office. Rather than trying to assimilate employees from different backgrounds into Austrian culture, the language project is geared towards creating new opportunities for them. The intention is not simply to recognize diversity, but to support it actively - the same way we promote integration. Within the overall scope of our CSR activities, we aim to lead economic, environmental and social projects that focus on our stakeholders, employees, partners, suppliers and customers, and also on society as a whole. Speaking one common language means we can make ourselves more easily understood, and understand ourselves better - the key to integration. The language course supports both the economic and social goals of our CSR strategy. Dr Alexander Janda, CEO of the Austrian Integration Fund, says: "This partnership shows that successful integration requires new, innovative approaches. Language is the key to integration, both in society and in the labour market. And Sabine Schöffthaler, head of Habibi, adds: "With this flagship project, we would like to motivate other companies to demonstrate social responsibility - which they are sure to benefit from. Working together with businesses, we are developing tailored courses that offer excellent value for money." SIMACEK uses diversity analysis to determine the specific needs of different employees. For example, we found that social or family issues were often preventing some staff members from attending regular German courses . This project creates new opportunities, and what we learn from it will ensure the project continues to grow and develop in the coming years. Ina Pfneiszl