It is the “best-kept secret in the district,” said economic promoter Annette von Nordeck. For a year, the jury for the district’s business award managed to keep the name of the winner under lock and key. Because of Corona, the award ceremony has only now taken place in the Pöckinger “Beccult”. The motto under which 40 companies applied was “Crisis as an opportunity – what remains of Corona? Dare to be more sustainable”. The development center for children and young people based in Niederpöcking made the race among the eleven finalists. The jury recognized the commitment of the 400 or so employees who kept in touch with the children with a multitude of creative ideas.
While many had to make themselves comfortable on the sofa in lockdown, this would have been fatal for the many children with disabilities who are cared for by Progress. “You have to train every day in order not to lose your skills,” said managing director Tatijana von Quadt. It was also important that the little ones maintained a relationship with their carers, who work at around 30 locations across the region.
A separate YouTube channel was set up, there were virtual morning circles, online games, there were readings and tips for the parents to play. “I liked the online puppet theater best,” said Christoph Winkelkötter, managing director of the Society for Economic and Tourism Development in the District (GWT).
The other applicants for the trophy, a deer antler made of Plexiglas, had also braved the crisis with creativity. The spice trading company Baobab from Weßling used the cooking trend for online offers during the lockdown and is now “plastic-free”. Econ Industries from Starnberg created online tutorials during the travel ban so that the customers could set up the systems for processing industrial waste themselves. The Starnberg tennis and padel facility used the lockdown for modernization. The Niederpöckinger hotel “La Villa” developed hybrid conferences and digital competence was demonstrated with interactive instructional videos for schools from MedienLB in Starnberg, virtual trade fairs and road exhibition stands from Expo24seven from Herrsching and a platform for virtual events from Succevo from Tutzing. My Spotti from Seefeld has expanded its range to include corona spit protection walls, there were interactive games and coaching for managers from Schirrmacher in Berg and coaching for corona crisis management at Engel and Zimmermann in Gauting.
IHK chairman Martin Eickelschulte reported on the specially created website with corona handling for companies and was pleased that there had been no complaints about slow internet. Mayor Rainer Schnitzler from Pöcking praised the “turbo digitization” of his authority. Entrepreneur association chairman Michael Padberg reported on his efforts to “no fear-driven decisions”. Thomas Vogl, Chairman of the VR-Bank, recalled the “pure fear” that initially prevailed on the capital market. “At the end of the crisis, the companies will emerge stronger. But there will be a market shakeout,” he predicted.
Once a month he visits companies in the district, said District Administrator Stefan Frey (CSU). In view of 10,000 companies with 50,000 employees, he still has a workload to cope with. He promised the companies that they would take expansion wishes into account. For this purpose, commercial sites are being sought and he is pushing for “quick decisions in the building authorities”.