Daniel, as representatives for people with disabilities, you have an important function at our center. Can you briefly describe your role and your tasks?
Our task as representatives for people with disabilities is to support colleagues with (severe) disabilities and represent their interests at the center.
We provide confidential advice, accompany colleagues in personnel and BEM procedures, ensure compliance with legal regulations, and advocate for equal participation – from recruitment to daily work arrangements. Our goal is to create a working environment in which everyone can contribute their skills to the fullest.
What motivated you to take on this task? What is particularly important to you in this regard?
We are motivated by the desire to break down barriers and support people who face particular challenges in their everyday working lives.
Respectful treatment, equal opportunities, and a work environment that recognizes diversity as a strength are important to us. We bring our own experiences and points of contact with the topic of inclusion to the table, which gives rise to a genuine desire to improve things.
Our aim is not only to react to problems, but to proactively help shape structures that incorporate inclusion from the outset.
At our research center for information security, we now work in a highly digital and technology-based environment. Where do you see specific starting points for greater accessibility and inclusion in the everyday work of our colleagues?
We see great opportunities in a digitally-oriented research center: accessible software, accessible communication and collaboration tools, and easy-to-understand documents can significantly improve everyday working life for many colleagues. Digital accessibility does not only mean technical adjustments, but also that we take different usage needs into account from the outset when selecting and designing tools. Raising awareness of accessibility and inclusive design can have a big impact, as can quiet work areas that accommodate different ways of working. Flexible working models and adaptable workplace designs are also important factors. Ultimately, it's about promoting a work culture in which accessibility is considered from the outset and understood as a natural quality standard.
What topics and projects do you want to tackle in the coming months? What is on your agenda?
In the coming months, we would like to focus on developing low-threshold information services and continuing our education in order to stay up to date legally, professionally, and organizationally and to be able to support our colleagues in the best possible way.
Another key focus will be to finalize the inclusion agreement together with the parties involved.
This agreement creates binding framework conditions for inclusion in our center. At the same time, we want to strengthen dialogue with various stakeholders in the center and build networks that support an inclusive work culture in the long term.
Inclusion only works when we work together. What would you like to see from your colleagues, managers, and the center's leadership? And how can people best reach you?
We want openness, early involvement, and a willingness to work together to find solutions. Managers support inclusion especially when they take obstacles seriously and actively encourage employees to seek support.
Inclusion is not a task that only the representative for disabled employees can take on—it can only succeed if everyone involved thinks proactively and is willing to question existing processes and structures.
December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. What does this day mean to you—and what message would you like to share with our colleagues
December 3 reminds us that inclusion is the foundation of a strong, diverse community and an important part of modern work culture.
We would like to encourage colleagues to actively identify barriers and work together to find solutions. Every change, no matter how small, helps to make our center more inclusive and accessible. Together, we can create a work environment where every person feels valued and can develop freely.
Let's break down barriers and open doors – not just on one day, but every day.
