Protestant Church awards prize to companies for good employment policies

In October 2000, the Protestant Church in Germany awarded the "Arbeit Plus 2000" prize to eight companies, in recognition of their good employment policies and their role in designing and securing jobs and supporting employees' interests.

On 25 October 2000, the Protestant Church in Germany (Evangelische Kirche Deutschlands, EKD) awarded for the second time its Arbeit Plus 2000 prize to companies. The prize is given in recognition of good employment policies, and of initiatives to design and secure jobs and support the interests of employees. Through the prize, the Church aims to highlight good examples of business practice.

To participate in the selection process, companies must apply for the prize. Candidates are then inspected by the Institute for Economic and Social Ethics (Institut für Wirtschafts- und Sozialethik, IWS) at the University of Marburg, whose findings are passed on to a jury for a final decision. The jury's members include:

• Winfried Hamel, an academic in the field of employment issues;

• Ursula Engelen-Kefer, vice-president of the German Federation of Trade Unions (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB); and

• Bernhard Jagoda, president of the Federal Labour Office (Bundesanstalt für Arbeit).

The 2000 prize was award to the following eight companies:

• Allianz-Sachversicherungsgruppe (insurance) Munich;

• Deutsche Kreditbank AG (banking), Berlin;

• Evangelische Johanneswerk eV (social work), Bielefeld;

• Flughafen Frankfurt Main AG (airport);

• Kreissparkasse Cologne (savings bank);

• Martin Luther Stiftung Hanau (care for older people);

• Stahlwerk Thüringen GmbH (steel production), Unterwellenborn; and

• VAW aluminium AG, Elbewerk (aluminium production), Stade.

In a press release, the jury stated that these companies:

• offer a high number of jobs;

• ensure permanent employment by engaging in occupational training for employees, and by making use of quality standards which help to improve the competitiveness of the company and, thereby, to secure employment;

• promote the "time sovereignty" of employees through flexible working time and part-time jobs, including for leading positions;

• implement programmes for the promotion of women's employment;

• implement innovative vocational training concepts; and

• have a wider influence through their good examples.