Training and professional development for all employees

Our focus in 2017 on target groups with specific needs meant that in this year, more men than women took advantage of our training opportunities. On average, our male employees participated in 7.8 hours of training and our female employees in 4.5 hours. This is because the professional development groups we focused on in this year had a higher concentration of men than our overall company workforce. For example, a time-consuming "German as a foreign language" course for Manufaktur employees was mainly attended by male refugees. In most other groups, however, there were equal numbers of male and female participants, and our Talent Program (see below) consisted of six women and two men. 

The differences in the distribution of professional training hours among employee categories can also be explained by our precise priorities within the year. For example, while in some years we support our strategy of leadership and organizational development with intensive training for managers, in other years the focus is particularly on topics that affect all levels of the hierarchy equally. In 2017, this was particularly beneficial to employees without management responsibility.

** Employee Categories:

• Category 1: upper management - executive board, executive management and division management
• Category 2: middle management - all division managers
  
• Category 3: lower management - all team leaders
  
• Category 4: all other permanent employees (permanent = open-ended contract), all employees with a limited contract
  
• Category 5 apprentices, interns, dual study students 

These figures are based on the professional development offered as part of the VAUDE Academy program. Not currently included in the evaluation are training courses autonomously organized by the company divisions, as well as external professional training courses for individuals supported by VAUDE both financially and with paid leave for the duration of the training.

In this way, employees receive comprehensive feedback from their managers. They receive orientation as to which skills they can further develop and what opportunities exist at VAUDE. In addition, personal annual targets are agreed in these meetings. Our target agreements and appraisal interviews are based on templates that are available to all managers and employees.

These meetings are documented, the goals are defined and possible action for the coming year is determined.

Once per year at the beginning of the new academic year, we have “Azubi-Tage” to prepare our trainees for their time together at VAUDE. For three days, our trainees experience the outdoors, get to know each other, participate in team building exercises and become familiar with the essence of the VAUDE Spirit that will accompany them throughout coming years.

During their training period at VAUDE, they regularly attend feedback sessions with our consultant for personnel development, where they cover issues of academic performance, work at VAUDE and commitment within the VAUDE Community.

Throughout the training period, VAUDE provides extensive insight into the sustainability activities of the company. In this way, trainees can regularly participate in projects on sustainability topics and thus distinguish themselves particularly well.