The association Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e.V. celebrates its fifth anniversary on June 9, 2021. The association, based in Dresden, has become a strong voice advocating cosmopolitanism, internationality and the strengthening of Saxony as a business location.

On May 9, 2016, around forty entrepreneurs took the initiative of the Silicon Saxony network and the companies Terrot GmbH and Pfefferkorn & Friends GmbH to hold a workshop to discuss how the new refugees who have arrived since 2015 can be well integrated into the Saxon economy. It quickly became clear that this would result in a whole range of tasks. Exactly one month later, on June 9, 2016, the Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen association was founded. Its first chairman was Andreas von Bismarck.

The committed entrepreneurs saw xenophobic attacks as a threat to Saxony’s economic potential. Corresponding headlines made it more difficult to attract international specialists, both for the economy and for science. Export-oriented sectors in particular felt a decline in sales among customers from abroad. “The entrepreneurs were convinced that a response was needed, especially in the tradition of corporate responsibility from the business community, to promote the good qualities of Saxony as a business location,” recalls Sylvia Pfefferkorn, founding member and a member of the board from the very beginning. “Since then, we have been promoting Saxony as a cosmopolitan location with a growing network and clear commitments. We take a clear stance against xenophobia and make it clear that racism endangers prosperity in Saxony,” says Robert Czajkowski, the current spokesman of the board.

The goals set back then are still reflected in the association’s work today: for example, the association offers various formats for employees in which they learn to argue against right-wing extremist statements and see diversity as a driver of success. However, there are also offers aimed at management level on how to improve intercultural communication within the company. The association’s individually tailored formats are aimed at companies ranging from very small to large corporations.

Since 2018, the association has been dedicated to the topic of skilled worker immigration in the Immigration Information Centers, which have been established in Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig. Here, companies and immigrants are advised on the Skilled Immigration Act. At regular events, they inform employers about the accelerated procedure or industry-specific features. In 2020, over 900 individual consultations were provided for complex cases and over 600 consultations on integration management.

The Immigration Information Centers are managed jointly with the strategic partner, the IQ network. The association now works closely with other players in the field of skilled workers to promote Saxony as a place to live and work.

Various event formats regularly network entrepreneurs in order to provide impetus for political decisions in dialog with politics, science and culture.

The association has built up a network of strategic partnerships for its projects. For example, Wirtschaft für ein Weltoffenes Sachsen works closely with Silicon Saxony e.V. and Südwest Sachsen Digital e.V. in the field of innovation promotion and technology transfer. The association aims to contribute to the even better exploitation of Saxony’s economic potential. With the large number of scientific institutions, there are good conditions for successfully positioning innovative products on the market. The association wants to contribute to further improving regional value creation.

The idea of Europe is also one of the strategic guidelines in the association’s work. Promoting the idea of a politically united and economically strong Europe at a socio-political level is just as important to the association’s organizers as strengthening public acceptance of the European idea.

The association has grown from 7 founding members to around 80 members today. “The companies reflect the structure of the Saxon economy. From small craft businesses and SMEs to international corporations with production sites in Saxony, everyone is represented,” says Robert Czajkowski.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our special thanks to the Board of Trustees, which has accompanied the association in the political discourse over the years, as well as to the Advisory Board, which has always provided excellent support to the association with its scientific expertise. We look forward to future input from both bodies.

The members want to continue to get involved in order to foster democratic discourse, strengthen democracy, promote Saxony as a business location and maintain prosperity for Saxony.

About the association WIRTSCHAFT FÜR EIN WELTOFFENES SACHSEN e.V.

Since its foundation at the end of 2016, our association “Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen” (Business for an open-minded Saxony) has assumed social responsibility and taken a stance among the general public, customers and its own workforce. Saxon companies see xenophobic and xenophobic attacks and the associated media coverage as a threat to the economic and entrepreneurial potential of Saxony as a business location.

The association “Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen” wants to counteract these tendencies, among other things as a network with a clear commitment to cosmopolitanism and internationality in the Free State of Saxony. The association wants to make a concrete contribution to strengthening and expanding the existing great potential of Saxony’s economy for the benefit of society as a whole.

Contact for further information:

Office
Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V.
Königstraße 4
01097 Dresden
Tel: +49 351 89 69 87-50

info@www.welcomesaxony.de

Spokesperson of the Executive Board Press contact, Deputy Spokesperson of the Executive Board
Robert Czajkowski Sylvia Pfefferkorn
Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V. Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V.
c/o Terrot GmbH c/o Pfefferkorn & Friends
Paul-Gruner-Straße 72B Königstraße 4
09120 Chemnitz 01097 Dresden

+49 0371 52010 +49 351 / 811 987 04
info@terrot.de s.pfefferkorn@pfefferkornundfriends.de