Made in Germany - Made by Vielfalt (Vielfalt = Diversity) is a campaign by more than 135 German companies, promoting tolerance and openness, engaging against xenophobia and political populism. It was created in response to the growth of Germany's far-right political party, the Alternative for Germany, by initially 40 companies, led by Vorwerk's manager Timm Mittelsten Scheid. Among the participating companies are Oetker, Miele, Deichmann, Sartorius and Stihl.
In an Interview Michael Weber of the Initiating Vorwerk company, said that "we are convinced that Diversity and Inclusion are essential for our economic success", adding that "It is our shared responsibility to ensure that our country's prosperity remains secure in the future in the interests of all people. Without the necessary diversity of ideas and expertise, innovation will be hampered and competitiveness jeopardised in the long term." In a discussion with the Welt am Sonntag, Weber said that, while the initiative is political engagement, it will not give a specific voting recommendation.
Reactions by far-right politicians
On a election rally in Sömmerda, Leader of the Thuringian AfD Björn Höcke, who often presents himself as a speaker of the middle class, called the campaign hypocrisy and said that he hoped that the companies behind the campaign would face “severe, severe economic turbulence”.
On 24 August 2024 shortly after the Solingen stabbing, AfD politician Maximilian Krah tweeted an image of the stabbing's site overlayed with the campaign's logo, titled "Fest der Vielfalt, #Solingen." lit. 'Festival of diversity, #Solingen.'
Responding to attacks by AfD politicians, Andreas Sennheiser, vice-CEO of Sennheiser said that "I find all these curses from the AfD revealing in more ways than one. And we will certainly not “shut up”: What they have in mind politically is anti-business".
References
- ^ Göbel, Vanessa. "Vorwerk: "Ohne die nötige Vielfalt an Ideen und Expertise werden Innovationen gehemmt"". markenartikel-magazin.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- ^ Fischer, Konrad; Kuhn, Thomas (2024-08-29). "Familienunternehmen für Vielfalt: Vielfalt-Kampagne erhält nach Höckes Mittelstandsattacke starken Zulauf". www.wiwo.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- "50 Familienunternehmen mit Kampagne für Toleranz - Unternehmenskommunikation | KOM - Magazin für Kommunikation" (in German). 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- "Vielfalt als Erfolgsfaktor für die deutsche Wirtschaft / "Made by Vielfalt": Deutsche Familienunternehmen machen sich stark für Toleranz und Offenheit". presseportal.de (in German). 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- Rahenbrock, Marie (2024-08-17). ""Made in Germany - Made by Vielfalt": 40 Firmen starten Anti-AfD-Kampagne". Apollo News (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- "Gesellschaftliche Haltung: 50 deutsche Familienunternehmen machen Made in Germany zum Toleranzsiegel - HORIZONT". www.horizont.net (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- "Unsere Wirtschaft ist verletzlich (Our economy is vulnerable)" (PDF). Welt am Sonntag. 33. 18 Aug 2024.
- Schindler, Frederik (24 Aug 2024). "Samstag in Sömmerda. »Ich hoffe, dass diese Unternehmen in schwere, schwere wirtschaftliche Turbulenzen kommen«, sagt der Thüringer AfD-Spitzenkandidat Björn Höcke über 40 deutsche Familienunternehmen, die die Kampagne »Made in Germany – Made by Vielfalt« gestartet haben, mit der sich diese nach eigenen Angaben für Fachkräftezuwanderung, Weltoffenheit und demokratische Werte einsetzen wollen" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 Oct 2024 – via Twitter.
- Krah, Maximilian (24 Aug 2024). "Fest der Vielfalt, #Solingen" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 Oct 2024 – via Twitter.
- ""Made by Vielfalt": Deutsche Familienunternehmen machen sich stark für Toleranz und Offenheit". Made in Germany – made by Vielfalt (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-03.