Background

The Kiel Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK - Industrie- und Handelskammer zu Kiel), with its extensive network of offices, represents the interests of around 65,000 companies, making a significant contribution to economic growth in northern Germany.

Assignment

Our assignment included providing strategic and communications support to the Kiel Chamber of Commerce on its journey to become the most modern chamber in Germany. One focus was on establishing a new culture of dialog and fully involving employees in this process. We were also responsible for communicating the new self-image to internal stakeholders.

Idea and Implementation

We launched the “Spinnaker” process after developing a sustainable communications strategy to motivate employees. We ensured the necessary involvement through workshops, coaching and employee surveys. A magazine, newsletter and events were used to provide continuous information, using maritime-inspired rhetoric and motifs to fit the “Spinnaker” concept.

Result

A high participation rate was achieved in workshops, surveys and newly introduced working groups, with minimal resistance to the process. Employee involvement was successful at all levels. In the long term, we were able to implement communication processes that the IHK Kiel now implements independently in its day-to-day business.

The project was nominated as a finalist for the 2018 German Prize for Business Communication in the category “Internal Communication”.