21st KMU Swiss Symposium: "Culture cannot be digitized away"

The organizer and CEO of KMU Swiss AG, Armin Baumann, was once again satisfied: The hall at Trafo Baden was once again well filled, contacts were made and experiences exchanged. With representatives from the embassies of Taiwan and the Philippines, the event also had an international touch.

Cultural change with obstacles

But first it was about crystallization points of a cultural change. Chantalle Moerker, engineer and psychologist, introduced the conference topic. She spoke about the most important hurdles that need to be overcome when an organization strives for cultural change. This is because the topic of "culture" is often considered to be of secondary importance. And many companies feel overwhelmed by it. They often stop at working on the structure or organization. But: "Culture cannot be digitized away," says Chantalle Moerker. The key lies in integral corporate development, which encompasses the dimensions of structure (processes, products, organization; objective), culture (values, guiding principles, working atmosphere; subjective), external leadership (knowledge, appearance, communication; objective) and internal leadership (attitude, mindset; subjective). The effect must be from the inside out, i.e. from subjective to objective. "The self-awareness of managers determines the level of culture," Chantalle Moerker summarized her remarks.

The energy supply company Alpiq is currently undergoing a cultural change. CEO Antje Kanngiesser outlined the path taken so far, which began a good five years ago. The energy supply crisis revealed the limits of the large company and made tough decisions necessary: Moving away from diversification, withdrawing from ten countries. However, Antje Kanngiesser was also able to note: "When the pressure is really on, a lot can be achieved together". The crisis also released new energy, and honest communication at all levels proved to be crucial. Today, Alpiq considers itself to be well positioned with a clear purpose of "security of supply" and an organization that allows for quick reactions. A lot of work has also been done on the work culture, which is also visible to the outside world thanks to the "Great Place to Work" label.

From CEO to Chief Enabling Officer

Innovation and creativity were at the heart of the presentation by Stephan Wartmann, CEO of the Brugg Group. The company manufactures a wide range of products such as plastic pipes, cable systems, wire ropes, slope stabilizers and process control systems. The energy transition, sustainability, infrastructure safety and further internationalization are key elements of the Group's strategy until 2028. Stephan Wartmann presented impressive examples from the Group's portfolio. For example, smart process control technology can save up to 40 percent energy in urban drainage. Or with automatically installed safety systems for mine tunnels, the consumption of shotcrete, which has a large CO2 footprint, can be reduced. Last but not least, lightweight construction systems can contribute to the conservation of resources in general. However, such solutions are only possible by cultivating a culture of innovation throughout the company, as Stephan Wartmann - who sees himself as the "Chief Enabling Officer" - explained. As an example of this, he also showed a TikTok video created by apprentices, which presents the benefits of an apprenticeship at the Brugg Group in a humorous way.

"Destroying the culture"

This was followed by the appearance of Josef "Joe" Ackermann. The world-famous and not uncontroversial former CEO of Deutsche Bank and other financial companies answered questions from presenter Hugo Bigi. Of course, he was also asked about the downfall of CS. Josef Ackermann described it as a mistake that the former Schweizerische Kreditanstalt SKA was "torn apart". "This destroyed the culture", said Ackermann. After that, too many risks were taken, the wrong acquisitions were made and an exaggerated bonus culture was adopted. Commenting on his understanding of leadership, particularly at banks, Ackermann said that teamwork was important. "Banking needs integrity," Ackermann continued. Promoting innovation at banks is not easy, however, but you have to allow lateral thinkers and mistakes. Josef Ackermann sees various dangers in the current economic and geopolitical developments. For example, he fears that the combination of tax cuts, tariffs, tightening of the labor market and interest rate cuts could lead to inflation in the USA. And he sees the easing of the debt brake, for example in Germany, as an "unfortunate development" on the one hand, but also as a necessity due to the circumstances - keyword: rearmament. Josef Ackermann concluded by advising the younger generation to be diligent and to do things that are not so prestigious.

Combining innovation and tradition

The 21st KMU Swiss Symposium concluded with the presentation of the KMU Swiss Award. This went to the company Lantal Textiles AG. In its more than 100-year history, the family-run company has managed to transform itself from a simple manufacturer of linen fabrics for cheese production into the world's leading supplier of textile systems for the aviation industry. According to the laudatory speech, the company is exemplary in combining tradition and innovation. The award winner was selected by a jury from numerous submissions in a multi-stage process. There will be another winner next year - applications can now be submitted on the KMU Swiss website.

More information: www.kmuswiss.ch