Speech: (Co)determining our future beyond crises

In his speech at the Annual Conference of its German member organisation ULA, CEC President Maxime Legrand highlighted the importance of managers in policy-making and social dialogue. At European level, CEC represents the interests of the managerial workforce on key issues of our time. In the context of insufficient co-determination of managers in countries including Germany, Legrand welcomes the push for strengthening social dialogue at EU-level.

“In the face of the collective challenges we face, we need managers to be bridge builders in society. Both in Germany and the EU, we call for managers to be fully recognised as social partners. The challenges ahead clearly require more shared responsibilities.” Maxime Legrand, President

The yearly ULA conference of German managers (“Führungskräftetag”) is the largest intersectoral event of managers from Germany’s DAX40 companies. This year, the conference focused on the opportunities of digitalisation and co-determination for shaping pathways beyond today’s crises. Speakers including the German

minister for Infrastructure and Digitalisation, Volker Wissing, senior level managers from DAX companies and representatives from main political parties discussed the role of managers in promoting innovation and economic development.

ULA President Roland Angst underlined that leaders have a key role in ensuring trust and responsibility. Particularly among younger generations, the discrepancy between declared intentions and actual behaviour of leaders pose a real danger in terms of recruitment, at a time of increasing labour market gaps. With major economic questions being decided at European level, he also highlighted the importance of CEC’s activities in representing the interest of German managers.