in the lobby of the retail companies take the Metro Group (Metro, Real, Media Markt, Saturn, Galeria Kaufhof) a special place. This is not just the size. Metro proposes for almost a year to hear new sounds. "Dialogue" and "transparency" are common in the rhetoric, like "responsibility" and "sustainability." Metro has plenty to do with his group restructuring (see: WirtschaftsWoche from 23.12.) Dedicated to the image change but still energetic.
Metro wants to stand out positively in an industry in terms of publicity and positive positioning in the policy does not apply just as exemplary. An industry that is used by consumer advocates, environmental groups and unions criticized heavily, the even (and especially) in the crisis, the public non-communication maintains that lies in antitrust and other authorities often at loggerheads, which is divided internally often and on the policy locally, regionally, nationally and internationally - thanks to their high importance for employment and consumption - still exercising considerable influence behind closed doors.
The will to change the closed culture industry has also been shown as Metro opened in January, a representative own capital. With Minister Rainer Brüderle at his side, said chief executive Eckhard Cordes: "Transparent permanent cooperation and dialogue without blinkers for a company more important than ever. "
many challenges such as the consequences of the ongoing economic and financial crisis, but also issues such as youth unemployment, environmental protection and the fight against hunger need," a new partnership of shared responsibility between government and industry. "Specifically, he would also have the dispute over food labeling may call (" traffic light "), the working conditions in the retail sector, minimum wage or climate change, truck toll, genetically engineered crops, Shopping Hours, agency, regional problems in construction projects and land use planning or protection.
A feud between Metro and HDE
By the way, makes Cordes is, however, "no friends so that up their own offices to justify repeated lack of Professionalitätder industry associations," noted the Lebensmittelzeitung early December. Meant was, among other of the Association of German Retailers (HDE) , the largest single member of Metro, and the end of 2009 resolved the Federal Association of Medium-and Large-scale retail trade (BAG).
The industry magazine wrote in 2009 , Metro leave "hardly a good hair" on the HDE, the Association had a "semblance of visibility." The opening his own office was as . Affront to the HDE be understood and not as a concerted effort to jointly represent industry interests "
The problem is latent -. And apparently Whether it's the tiresome debate about the price of milk or the recent allegations of brand association, the trade used his market power unduly. During see the lobbyists of manufacturers and dairy farmers in the broad public approval, is the trade with his back against the wall and has to justify himself to stage The industry of the HDE is missing seems to be the right concept
also. merger with the BAG [Federal Association of Medium-and Large-scale retail] is not the desired Have effect. The publicity birth of a single trade association , the HDE Managing Director Stefan Genth has declared his top priority, comes about not because the BAG revealed disarray and its own liquidation act - six months prior to the planned association merger. the political field damage gradually Trade Manager as an immensely .
Not even an economic summit it was enough for the association. Two days before the event was called off with much effort medial announced meeting. Too few participants. And this despite the economic crisis than any other subject concerns the trade. (...)
annoy For years the Upper Metro that Metro is indeed the largest contributors to the HDE, in the regions and in the bodies but the middle class has the say - and the industry is reflected through his glasses. A perspective that fits together with the international aspect of the Metro barely.
Germany's largest retailer has been doing this year is no secret that he would have occupied the top job at HDE prefer to own managers . But the candidacy of Metro's board failed in 2006 at the Eric Greipl vote of the HDE base.
meantime, you practice in harmony. "cooperative and credible representation in the network" to afford the agency, said in a presentation of the conductor, Michael Wedell, before the Berlin Chamber of Commerce in May 2010. "My" and "cooperating advocacy" stay there for the balance, and the Metro Group sees itself in a larger integrated network associations, a "strong network".
Time and again Wednesday
The new collaboration between Metro and HDE has for some time a public icon. The Salon event format "Berlin Wednesday Society of trade" is supported by the Metro and HDE together. Both want to be the preferred host for a popular format because you can not argue publicly in front of guests.
Political lounges with historical models are established in Berlin for almost a decade, but the trade is the new idea, and both the Einbeziehng of NGOs and Monitoring of Web 2.0 communication seems to be interesting.
"We have arrived here to run the opposite of back-room lobbying" cited the LZ Metro Communications Director Michael Inacker. With the help of renowned speakers will open discussions "without blinders" arise, and not their own interests hidden should be ("You can not always convince each other"). The exchange with policy-makers should be continuous, thus more effective. "You can not always
arrive only when the child has already fallen into the well," the paper quoted another trade lobbyists. is organized
"responsible lobbying"
the Wednesday event at Kai Falk (HDE) and Michael Wedell, director of the Berlin Metro representative. Wedell explained the concept of his office in an article entitled "The responsibility of growth: advocacy as a core discipline of sustainable economy," ( revised version of the BBE Newsletter 19/2010 the contribution to the recently published book "Public Affairs - strategies and tools of advocacy for science, economy and institutions" ).
about content focal point are sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) :
Wedell the understood from the context of the UN Global Compact and AccountAbility derived concept of" Responsible Lobbying " as core competence of corporate sustainability " That means, by say in creating the framework for the rules of the game change so that an entire industry, a sector or the economy as a whole based on common rules are sustainable. "The fact that a responsible advocacy transparent . And is entirely fair, is a matter of course ""METRO GROUP strives to be a driving force of sustainable development this is the role of political communication and responsible. Advocacy ("responsible lobbying" ) in the implementation of sustainable management in the future given more attention be. The METRO Group is steadily building competencies to strategy in this complex environment and to be interoperable. Because.. Who has mastered this discipline has undoubtedly a huge competitive advantage, "
representation as a" strategic space "
" To order responsibility to perceive, companies have two disciplines better than now dominate: capacity for dialogue and strategic ability "says Wedell trading companies would have more quickly. and become better in the needs of its stakeholders - customers, employees, suppliers, policy, administration, NGOs and others - to understand better, or as its CEO Cordes, put it: "We have to be a power giant to a perception of giants."
Let this be the job of a representative office. they constituted a "strategic space is available, which sees itself as a network node platform for dialogue and think-tank."
lobbying was yesterday, "pointed Wedell even. You must "invent new political communication." Rather than short term to pursue only their own economic interests, companies might
its influence in the enlightened self-interest used for the purpose of social concerns. "Responsible Lobbying" is different from the classical form of lobbying in particular by cooperating with policy makers is how (process) and what are the contents of the lobbying activities (content).
- processes: The political communication of a company must be transparent and consistent. The objectives pursued by a company with the lobbying and the tools used must be clearly indicated. . All callers must be compared with the same message is communicated
- Contents: The targets of lobbying must be consistent with overall social goals and may not serve the acquisition of privileges. They must relate to the sustainability strategy of the company in line.
The Representative Office will strengthen the dialogue with journalists and representatives of political parties, ministries, associations and NGOs in political Berlin for and subjects with the Group's CSR policies - for example, when discussing the future of food labeling, "which deals ultimately issues that were previously outside the core business were: How much responsibility is credited to the consumer as much information
he really wants, and what kind of identification (especially the nutritional value) ultimately leads to a healthier diet, and will address issues such as: What the food is really worth the buy, we eat and What is ? The real value of our clothes "
A first tangible result: A cookbook" Eat Good " in which a € from the sale proceeds for the donation will be used for the panels, since it's not just recipes, but also. the raw products and sustainability in the trade.
From Salon to the Web 2.0 community
Wedell asks anchored the activities of the representative office and the CSR in the context of social media projects, how to on the Internet platform of the "Mittwochsgeselschaft" sees.
Anyone who registers on the website , get to each event a summary paper of the speakers and can discuss it online with others. And after reflecting. This is the - well attended - events more sustainable than other political events in Berlin.
"This discussion is by using Web 2.0 formats intensive, high quality and allows a fast and productive exchange of knowledge which supports the transparency and thus the credibility of responsible advocacy," writes Wedell in an article on in December published Paper Digital Public Affairs (ed. Bender / Werner) .background. Since 2010, Metro Group, a social media Steering Group, the professional and corporate-wide Web 2.0 control activities. So far, especially with a Metro staff-recruitment blog "Meeting Metro" go. For CSR, product stewardship, marketing, corporate communications, IT to online communication, of (project) blog on Twitter and Facebook to YouTube to be developed. Stakeholders should be informed about these channels and integrated, reinforced the dialogue online.
"The integration of IT-based process is proving to be holding instrument to share knowledge to be particularly relevant. The internet platform of the Berlin Group Representative is already used by many traders as a discussion forum, and thus supports the ideal off-line discussion, in which she also before and after events through a common forum for networking and so collective knowledge sharing makes it all possible. The platform also provides speakers in the style of popular Web 2.0 format, which integrates offline presentations via video sequence ("Youtubes") "
Grass Roots and campaign skills
Wedell thinks have been more, specifically on grassroots campaigns and grassroots lobbying, with the help of employees, customers and other friends ("follower") of its group of companies :
" companies can use grassroots concepts for themselves, they can demand for sustainable power Markets and are able to create that effect influence on politics. If a company with the necessary for this is trust, it must provide only the technical platform to reach politicians and the media. "(...)
companies that manage to develop in social media offers an open dialogue and users gain as convinced "follower", have the chance this online community and offline engage in a responsible advocacy . act the same way as customers who are convinced of a product by word of mouth as a credible (because voluntary) multipliers may stakeholders - Whether customers, scientists, politicians oa - measures in a responsible representation are involved.
This is in addition to the aforementioned skills in communication in the future even call for an campaign skills advance, for example by organizing political flash mobs or pre-political decision-making . "(Book review to " Digital Public Affairs )Strong words, remarkably even. Fits really the culture of the German retail trade, the reality at the checkout at Real, Kaufhof and media market? At least it fits the history Wedells. The studied theologian and political scientist Wedell is not a child of the retail trade, but ex-manager of the Green Party policy and lobby and CSR communications experience in other industries (Vodafone, Dresdner Bank), also freelance supervisor and coach. The special psychological and social processes, he has certainly internalized. To understand his thinking, the article was his "Ethics in precarious times - trying to find a political culture of the promise" (2009) is recommended.
If someone in the group should be brave to launch aggressive campaigns Wedells here is a reminder: Even if companies could take part in this leadership was the word, the "dialogue of equals" central Condition. Customers should not be patronized. "Their commitment in political communication - for example for sustainable consumption (keyword: Carrot Mob ) - a company must earn the credible assumption of responsibility and over again."
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