Partnership agreed between the Cloppenburg plant of Emsland Food GmbH and the bicycle workshop, Caritas-Verein Altenoythe e.V.!

Most workshops for people with disabilities are reliable partners for the private sector: They are well managed and have sufficient manpower. When technical equipment is available in a workshop, companies can outsource parts of their production. This means that wage and ancillary wage costs can be reduced. In addition, for the Caritas workshop it is good when they can offer their employees practical and meaningful work. This strengthens the self-confidence and self-esteem of people with disabilities. After all, they regularly also find external jobs in the private sector through their occupation in the workshops. Inclusion at work: All over Germany, around 310,000 people with disabilities who are excluded from the labor market due to a serious physical or mental impairment find work with the aid of around 760 workshops throughout the country.

The Cloppenburg plant of Emsland Food GmbH has opted for precisely such a partnership with the bicycle workshop, Caritas-Verein Altenoythe e.V., in 26169 Friesoythe.

The reason for this is quite simple:

In order to keep our company bicycles fully functional at all times, currently every employee has to maintain and, if necessary, repair their bike themselves. It became apparent that non-roadworthy bicycles were in use. This state of affairs was not acceptable or reasonable. That is why the plant management and the specialist for occupational safety saw room for action here. There are currently no additional resources or an in-house position that can take over the maintenance and repair of the bicycles.

In this case, everyone involved benefits from this special collaboration. This is also due to the legal situation.

For Andre Brinkman (plant management) and Jens Hohendorn (specialist for occupational safety) it is not decisive where and whom this service (bicycle maintenance and repair) comes from. The requirements of our company are important to us.

As with all other suppliers, the quality must of course be right. That is why the workshops work with modern equipment. This means the maintenance and repairs are as good as those provided by conventional workshops. “As is usual when evaluating suppliers, we had a look at the workshop in person. We do not make any distinction here,” says Hohendorn. Nevertheless, there are some special characteristics in the collaboration with this workshop. The company is located at close proximity to the plant; in this case, no further than a kilometer away from us.

A very important economic aspect results from the German Social Code: Once a company has more than a particular number of employees, it is required to have a specified number of people with disabilities in its workforce. However, many companies do not meet the statutory quota and therefore have to pay a compensatory levy. Companies that award contracts to workshops for people with disabilities can reduce or avoid these compulsory payments.

We look forward to working together with the bicycle workshop, Caritas-Verein Altenoythe e.V., in 26169 Friesoythe.