Project „Social Day“ awarded the iGZ Award

YEAH! We’ve done it! SYNERGIE has won the iGZ Award for outstanding social commitment for its „Social Day“ project in Münster.

Social Day – Definitely worthy of an award

Shortly after the Christmas holidays, the call for entries arrived in the post: companies can apply for the iGZ Award with outstanding projects. It was immediately clear: we’re in it again!
The iGZ Award is a prize presented by the employers„ association iGZ in recognition of outstanding social commitment. We had already applied for the prize back in 2017 and won first place with our project “Work + Language = Integration’. This year, we submitted a topic that is particularly close to my heart and to that of all the other SYNERGIE trainees: Our SYNERGIE Social Day.

A Social Day has been held every year since 2011. As part of this, all trainees work together to plan a day on which they support a charitable organisation. As we have 14 trainees spread across ten branches throughout Germany, organising the tasks is one of the most difficult but also most important aspects. The only thing that actually sparks as much discussion is choosing the right initiative. In 2018, we actively supported the „Räuberburg“, a refuge primarily for the siblings of children with cancer whilst they are undergoing treatment at Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital. This year, we are planning a DKMS registration campaign for stem cell donors at two locations.

The nomination has been made – off to the awards ceremony in Münster

Many weeks after submitting our application and following a period of anxious waiting, the news finally came in early March: we’d been nominated! When we heard that „our“ Social Day was among the top contenders, our joy – and excitement – knew no bounds. Most of us spent the days leading up to the awards ceremony keeping our fingers crossed. On 18 March, the big day arrived: off to Münster for the iGZ Award ceremony.

Then it finally began:
On Monday lunchtime, as a representative of the trainees, I travelled to Münster with our managing director, Nicole Munk. After an enjoyable journey, we arrived full of anticipation at our typical Westphalian hotel: just ten minutes to freshen up – the traffic chaos left us no more time than that – and off we went to the awards ceremony. We were already being welcomed with canapés and sparkling wine in the modern Peace Chapel.

Christian Baumann, Federal Chairman of the iGZ, warmly welcomed the guests before Prof. Dr Dr Hemel delivered a truly fascinating talk on the social market economy and value-oriented approaches in the digital age. Seated right at the front of the hall, we followed the proceedings with keen interest. Marcel Speker, iGZ Head of Communications, guided us through the evening and then introduced all the nominated projects.

We’ve won an award – congratulations, photos, certificate

The tension was mounting. The large companies category. Finally, it was our turn. And then it all happened very quickly: „Back on the podium is…“, a smile from Marcel Speker in our direction, and we were invited onto the stage to receive the prize for third place.

„Wow, what a fantastic award for your work,“ says Nicole Munk, sharing our delight with me and the other trainees. „The project is simply a great success: it allows us to offer all trainees the chance to combine social engagement with personal development in a single project. The fact that the jury selected our Social Day from among the 50 or so entries shows once again how highly it is valued.“

A press photographer here, a certificate there, well-wishers over there, and then a quick an Instagram post – as is only right for a marketing trainee like me. Of course, I’ve also received congratulations from the other trainees and numerous SYNERGIE colleagues – and afterwards, naturally, there’s a party.

Photo: From left to right: Nicole Munk, Christian Baumann (iGZ Federal Chair), myself (Sophia Coveli), Werner Stolz (iGZ Chief Executive), Ulf D. Posé and Armin Schild (jury members)