Reports
From the world of KWS
Donation
From heart to heart
“Truly helping people is important for us,” states Larissa Korzun, Business Affairs East Europe, BU Sugarbeet. She has coordinated a large KWS fundraising drive from Einbeck and knows: “Donating involves close cooperation between a wide range of different units.”
More than 2,000 KWS items
Together with her former KWS colleague Alexandra Pawelchuk and many others, she has managed to get more than 2,000 KWS items, including jackets and T-shirts, to needy people in Belarus.
Sustainability and compassion
They found their way to people in need in the capital of Minsk through the Heart2Heart organization. This is not the first time that KWS has helped in Belarus: From 2004 to 2009, employees from its German locations donated used and new toys and clothing for orphans. That idea is now to be taken up again in the spirit of sustainability and compassion. |
Product Manager Meeting
Spotlight on rapeseed
The premiere at headquarters in Einbeck in 2018 was followed by a successful sequel in France in May 2019: Anne-Kathrin Schulz, International Portfolio Manager Oilseed Rape, held a Product Manager Meeting for rapeseed for the second year in a row in order to attract more attention to rapeseed in KWS’ portfolio.
“There have been meetings of this type for corn and sugarbeet for a long time,” says Anne-Kathrin Schulz. Yet rapeseed “has never really been in the limelight.”
Her meetings seem to have struck a chord: “This is just the second year, but we can see how closely the group has gelled, even though its members come from different sales channels – cereals, corn and beet.” That comes as little surprise to the rapeseed manager. “They’re all open people who are delighted to be able to exchange ideas on rapeseed in this way.” And even more so since they have been connected as a group on SharePoint.
Three days in France
Our colleagues from 19 countries experienced three informative days in France. The focus was on visits to the maritime breeding stations in Mons-en-Pévèle near Lille and Allonnes. In dialogue with the local rapeseed breeder, the participants learned more about the steps involved in breeding and the traits of future varieties. That will help all of them choose the best varieties for their market from the growing pipeline in the two breeding programs – the maritime program in France and the continental program in Germany.
The meeting will be held in different countries from year to year so that the managers can familiarize themselves with the different circumstances at the various sites. |
Info:
Anne-Kathrin Schulz
anne-kathrin.schulz@kws.com
The Product Manager Meeting included a trip to a demonstration field near Allonnes
The product managers at the breeding station in Allonnes
Good input came from Francois Pretot (KWS Momont)
Crossings in the greenhouse at the breeding station in Mons-en-Pévèle
Rapeseed breeder Marie-Aude Vanhersecke explains the rapeseed breeding cycle in the nursery at Mons-en-Pévèle.
Employee at the nursery
The Product Manager Meeting included a trip to a demonstration field near Allonnes
The Product Manager Meeting included a trip to a demonstration field near Allonnes
The Product Manager Meeting included a trip to a demonstration field near Allonnes
The Product Manager Meeting included a trip to a demonstration field near Allonnes
Insightful tour of the demonstration field near Allonnes: Viorel Mircea (Product Manager Romania) ...
... and Marius Garuckas (representing Lithuania)
Pests I: An opened pod with larvae of the brassica pod midge
Pests II: Flowers and buds with the cabbage seedpod weevil
Felix Büchting and GHR managers at the workshop in Wiebrechtshausen near Einbeck
Workshop
Roadmap for HR
“Committed and qualified employees are key to KWS’ success. It’s vital for us to recruit the right people and keep them loyal to the company, in particular by creating a motivating environment where they can grow as a person,” said Melanie Eisinger, Head of Global Human Resources (GHR), at a workshop held at Wiebrechtshausen, very near to KWS’ headquarters in Einbeck, in August. “KWS’ family values and the brand essence ‘Make yourself grow’ offer a very good foundation for that.”
Roadmap for the next three years
GHR’s managers have been working since April with Felix Büchting, the Executive Board member responsible for HR, to develop the roadmap, which covers all the main measures relating to HR at the KWS Group over the next three years. KWS’ 2018 Strategic Planning is the basis for developing, defining and implementing the measures.
One major component is implementation of ONEGLOBE and support for the ongoing transitions at the companies. The roadmap will be ready by the end of the year.
The December issue of insideKWS will have an interview with Melanie Eisinger on topics such as concrete results and the upcoming measures. |
All the employee representatives in Berlin (from left to right): Arno de Groodt, Sevim Tepeli, Antoine Rombouts, Carla Defrancq, Guido vom Berge, Franziska Biedermann and Andreas Jovanovic
KWS Berlin
Election of the Works Council
KWS’ Berlin location has elected a Works Council to represent employees’ interests vis-à-vis the employer. Its members appointed Franziska Biedermann (second from the right) as its Chairwoman in the first ballot. Her deputy is Antoine Rombouts (third from the left).
Berlin building site update
All is turbulent – and going to plan
The construction workers are working away busily in Germany’s capital, where KWS is building cutting-edge offices for up to 500 employees on an area of 8,300 square meters in the Schöneberg district – to supplement the company’s headquarters in Einbeck, Lower Saxony.
“Things can sometimes get hot and heavy at the regular coordination meetings in the construction trailer next to our KWS branch office. Nevertheless, we’re happy with how the construction is coming along and the communication with our contact persons on the ground,” says Tatjana Kasper.
Despite the fact that the large number of changes and the quantity of the various plans may sometimes mean that not everyone has the latest set of plans at the coordination meeting, site management and KWS’ project team are working hand in hand. Short distances enable rapid decisions during the meetings and updated sets of plans (for the individual stories, the position of the flooring and others) are distributed promptly.
The flooring is currently on the agenda: Anthracite-colored carpeting will be laid in the offices, while the stone floors will be retained in the lobby and stairways. Some of the walls have already been painted and the physical plant services are currently being installed. The verdict so far: Everything at Bülowstraße in Berlin is going according to plan at present. |
Info:
Tatjana Kasper
tatjana.kasper@kws.com
A word on our own behalf
Relaunch of insideKWS
Starting with this fall issue, insideKWS has a new look following its relaunch, for which we invited offers from several specialized agencies. As a result, our employee magazine with its rich tradition continues to evolve and advance – like the whole of KWS. The international edition of insideKWS will now be completely digital and offer features such as videos and photo galleries that we have produced ourselves – on all topics relating to KWS. |
© KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA 2025
