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From the world of KWS
Overview
Pride@KWS
Network for diversity
Join and show your colors: Pride@KWS, our company’s global internal network for diversity, is here. In line with KWS’ principles of “respect, support, prosper,” we foster a working environment that supports the LGBTQIA+ community and thus recognizes KWS in its diversity. Pride@KWS is a platform that aims to provide a safe point of contact for LGBTQIA+ employees as well as information on diversity issues in general and to initiate further improvements. The goal is to create a working environment free of discrimination and to encourage empathy towards each and every individual, including LGBTQIA+ colleagues. Anyone who does not identify as LGBTQIA+ is therefore also welcome to join.
Have we aroused your interest? Join the network now via MS Teams at Pride@KWS Team or send a mail to pride@kwsnet.onmicrosoft.com. |
Strategy in view
Dr. Zee-Won Sur joined the KWS family as Head of Group Strategy on August 1. A mathematician by training, Zee-Won was most recently Partner Organizational Strategy at Korn Ferry after holding several positions at Bayer, including Head of Strategy Northern & Western Europe.
Why KWS?
I’ve been looking for a company with a culture that values team spirit, togetherness, and collaboration as key behavioral traits, and at the same time has an international mindset and global ambition – and I’ve found it here!
When does a strategy work well?
Ideally, every BU and function derives their respective implementation plan from the KWS business strategy, which includes the overarching long-term vision and defined strategic focus areas. The more we develop a mindset of contributing to our common objectives instead of chasing after individual goals, the better our strategy will work.
What are you looking forward to in your new job?
I am looking forward to a lot of exciting opportunities: As a member of the Global Leadership Team, I am eager to further nurture and role model the culture, values, and behaviors we all desire at KWS. Being Head of Group Strategy, I am passionate about ensuring that each colleague in the team can perform and grow at their best. And last but certainly not least, as a colleague and employee of this great company, I am excited about collaborating with everyone on our future growth journey. Together, we will achieve a lot! |
KWS surfing tip
Connected Seeds is one of KWS’ four strategic forward-looking topics defined in the Strategic Planning 2031 (SP31). Connected Seeds reflects the increasing digitization of agriculture and is KWS’ approach to leveraging our unique plant breeding know-how and data to develop digital tools that deliver the best benefits for farmers. The cross-departmental initiative now has a SharePoint site, where progress can be tracked and all colleagues can read about the development of ideas, solutions and partnerships. The other forward-looking topics – Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Nutritional Food Ingredients and Future Sales Models – will follow suit. |
More pollen for better protection
The EU plans to lower the ergot limits effective July 1, 2024. Rye is particularly susceptible to this fungal disease when it rains and temperatures are low during the flowering period. Ergot cannot be combated with pesticides, which means preventive measures and above all variety selection are vital. KWS varieties with rapid and high pollen production offer the best protection. Our hybrid rye portfolio will therefore be adapted to the European Union’s limits. That ensures rye remains a crop that boasts high nutrient efficiency and drought stress tolerance as well as generally good disease resistance – and thus helps promote sustainability in agriculture. You can find more in the World of Farming. |
Run together for a good cause
Once around Lake Balaton, through Berlin’s Tiergarten park and in Einbeck: Runners from KWS demonstrated our team spirit outside the workplace at three running events.
Ultrabalaton Relay
Our team spirit was exemplified by six colleagues who ran around Europe’s largest inland lake once in less than 19 hours at the Ultrabalaton Relay in Hungary, covering a total distance of 211 kilometers or 35 kilometers per person. The verdict of KWS’ Runflowers: “This special experience brought us even closer together as an international team.”
Einbeck Beer Town Run
At the Einbeck Beer Town Run, the KWS Running Team, with just over a hundred members, won the team cup for the first time as the team with the most participants and at the same time supported a good cause: For every completed kilometer, the companies under whose names the teams ran donated one euro to a children’s and youth hospice. We doubled the amount to around 1,870 euros.
IKK BB Berlin Company Run
21 colleagues from our international team in Berlin also set off on a 5.5 kilometer lap through the Tiergarten park along with 18,000 people at the IKK BB Berlin Company Run. Taking part “demonstrates the team spirit and cohesion our corporate culture embodies,” they affirmed after the run. |
We will be pleased to report on other sporting events worldwide on the intranet. Drop a line to:
Reisen mit dem Deutschlandticket
Das Deutschlandticket Job ist da! Ob auf dem Weg zur Arbeit, in der Freizeit oder am Wochenende: Das Ticket gilt für den gesamten öffentlichen Nahverkehr in ganz Deutschland und kann sowohl für berufliche als auch private Fahrten genutzt werden. Durch die Subvention von KWS erhalten Mitarbeitende das Deutschlandticket Job zudem für nur 16,55 Euro statt 49 Euro im Monat. Im Intranet gibt es weitere Informationen und eine Anleitung zur Beantragung des Tickets. |
DNA Cruiser: Crane brings XXL package
An important module of the DNA Cruiser was hoisted by crane into the Biotechnology Center (BiT) at Einbeck in mid-June. The windows of a room were specially removed so that the piece of equipment could fit through the opening. The DNA Cruiser enables automated DNA extraction around the clock, with the result that far more analyses needed by breeders for their work can be conducted by the Marker Service. The process running on the DNA Cruiser also helps cut costs.
We will report in more detail on how the DNA Cruiser works in one of the coming issues of insideKWS. |
© KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA 2025
