Augsburg, December 02, 2020 – Instead of a joint Christmas party, the employees of SWAN GmbH at its Augsburg and Nuremberg sites are donating to social projects this year. The Augsburg site supports the Elterninitiative krebskranker Kinder Augsburg – LICHTBLICKE e.V. with a total of 1,000 euros. 500 euros from the Nuremberg site will go to the ecumenical warming center in Nuremberg.
Image rights: SWAN GmbH
This year it became clear early on that a Christmas party like in previous years would not be possible. In the past, all SWAN employees usually gathered for the Christmas party at one of the locations in Altenstadt, Augsburg, Nuremberg or Wächtersbach. Initially, Managing Director Alexander Bernhard considered four smaller, site-specific celebrations. But to reduce face-to-face encounters in the midst of the Corona pandemic, he sought and found a new way. “Analogous to the New Work approach practiced at SWAN, we focused on equal co-determination for our employees and let them decide for themselves what they favored this year. We wanted to get the best possible result for everyone,” explains Alexander Bernhard.
SWAN employees had the choice between a restaurant voucher to support the currently severely impacted restaurant industry and a donation in double the voucher amount to a local charitable or social institution. Employees could suggest an organization close to them for this purpose.
The result is impressive: At the Augsburg site, 1,000 euros were collected, which will go to the Elterninitiative krebskranker Kinder Augsburg – LICHTBLICKE e.V. (Augsburg parents’ initiative for children with cancer). Here, families with children with cancer find support, a network and a sympathetic ear for their fears and concerns. In Nuremberg, the ecumenical “Wärmestube” of the Caritasverband and the Stadtmission is happy about 500 Euros, donated by the SWAN employees. The day facility gives homeless people a warming sanctuary, a hot meal, and the opportunity to interact. The majority of employees from Altenstadt and Wächtersbach voted for the restaurant voucher, thus supporting the local gastronomy.
However, the SWAN employees do not want to completely miss out on a contemplative get-together. Instead of analog celebrations, colleagues meet for a virtual get-together. The Christmas spirit will come in a different way this year.
More information about the beneficiary organizations:
