BestPractice Day 2021: accepting challenges, recognizing opportunities

From digitalization to decarbonization – the increasingly accelerating transformation of the economy and society poses major challenges for companies. It is not necessarily the biggest players in an industry that will emerge stronger from this, but above all those who prove to be flexible and adaptable have good chances.

We are in the midst of one of the greatest economic and social upheavals of our time. Now it is time to take on the challenges and recognize the opportunities they present – while maintaining a balance. Companies that succeed in this will emerge stronger from the transformation.

But what exactly are the challenges? And how do high-performers manage to deal with them? At the BestPractice Day 2021, more than 30 experts will present insight and benchmark examples to discuss with the participants. The event will take place on November 23, 2021 at the Stuttgart FILDERHALLE. At the same time, the congress will also be broadcast as a livestream. Tickets for both the in-person and the online event can be booked here.

Six speakers from industry, business, and science will provide initial insight into what participants can expect at the BestPractice Day 2021.

Set clear priorities

Johannes Giloth, COO of GEA Group, considers achieving complex goals while setting clear priorities to be a major challenge. The basis for the success of companies is therefore ensuring “clear responsibilities at all levels, lean structures, fast decision-making processes and agile employees.”

Flexibly adapt business models

For Anna Kopp, Director IT at Microsoft Germany, employees’ desires for freedom and belonging are a major task that is being met with the help of innovative technologies and trust. In the end, in her opinion, companies that will emerge from the digital competition as high performers will be those that “better understand than others how to flexibly adapt their own organization and their own business model to new challenges again and again.

Become a technology leader

Frank Riemensperger, Senior Managing Director of Accenture Germany, sees the complete digitization of the value chain as one of the biggest tasks: “If you want to maintain your competitiveness as a manufacturing company, you have to flip the switch from ‘Made in Germany’ to ‘Operated in Germany’.” Market leaders are also technology leaders.

Promote new thinking and agile ways of working

For Manfred Rotschne, CEO Hydro Extrusion Nenzing, the human factor is crucial to establishing new ways of thinking and agile ways of working: “If the incentive for change is visible to everyone, transformation from within is possible and the success of the company is assured.” Excellently trained people who are willing to change and face challenges are at the heart of every high-performing company.

Respond faster to market changes

For Johann Soder, COO SEW-Eurodrive, the courage to rethink organizations is a requirement for success in a globally complex world. His opinion: “We have to continuously expand our traditional business models with new, never-before-thought-of business areas and continuously adapt to market requirements – we have to adapt and change.” With a modular factory, he says, high-performers are able to “make adjustments faster and more cost-effectively and respond to changing conditions.”

Enabling innovation through digitization and cultural change

Angela Titzrath, CEO of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, sees the development of digital business units as the key to innovation and her “goal of climate-neutral production in 2040.” In her opinion, top companies are characterized by a culture in which employees can develop their talents and abilities.