Responsibility for the future

Let's be honest - in the eyes of many people, the economy often doesn't come off well in current discussions. And often rightly so. Because all too often we can observe the consequences of business models that are purely geared towards short-term dividend strategies or the legislative periods of board members.

Hardly anyone would associate responsible behaviour with this.

Yet business - and industry in particular - has an enormous responsibility for the future. In order to solve the major challenges of our time, we therefore need sustainable, long-term business practices.

Family businesses are always set up for the long term

But I don't think enough attention is paid to this: There are already many companies that are set up for the long term. And we are family businesses in Germany.

Why family businesses in particular?

Because we are not interested in short-term effects. Because we want to strengthen our companies in the long term and preserve them for the next generation(s).

In concrete terms: I am not only a family business owner, but also the mother of three wonderful boys. Whenever I make a big decision, I naturally think about what it will mean for my children.

And it was the same with my father. He has not only built up ROWE for himself, but also for me and, for some time now, even for his grandchildren.

This has positive effects that go far beyond the family.

Underestimated social significance

Unfortunately, the resulting social significance of family businesses is still massively underestimated. Because you can count on us in the long term.

Here is another example: If my father had only paid attention to cost efficiency and the associated easier-to-achieve returns, we would have stayed where we were at the time and not grown.

What did we do about it? We built a unique plant that, at the time it was built, focussed far more on sustainability than was legally required in any form. And a plant that we were convinced would still be fit for the future in many years' time. This involved huge investments that would only pay off in the long term.

It was therefore important to us back in 2014 that future generations would still be able to operate the new plant well in many years' time.

Any hedge fund manager would probably have thrown up their hands in disbelief.

That's why family businesses are the best allies when it comes to tackling challenges such as climate change in a targeted and measured manner.

Family businesses are particularly attractive employers

Family businesses also regularly create more jobs than other companies - and we deal with them much more reliably, even in times of crisis. Before a wave of redundancies hits family businesses, we try to do everything possible to prevent this. The coronavirus crisis has shown this, for example.

For us, our employees are not just another resource to be sacrificed for shareholder value in case of doubt.

And while the importance of family friendliness has to be laboriously explained in many other companies, it is part of our system, so to speak.

More support in politics and society

I am writing this article because I would like to see more support for the many small and large family businesses in Germany. This applies not only to the image of us entrepreneurs, but above all to the very specific way in which we deal with companies.

We live in a reality in which it seems self-evident that anything is possible for large companies and corporations in case of doubt - and in which, at the same time, many family businesses have to struggle with completely unnecessary hurdles.

We often see precedents being set by large companies, which in turn reflect on small and medium-sized enterprises and materialise, for example in the form of new laws and regulations, long-winded procedures and required documentation even for very small numbers of employees.

This excessive bureaucracy is sometimes difficult to manage.

Family businesses are the backbone of our entire business location. This should also be reflected in our policies and reputation. We should focus our energy on investing in the upcoming necessary transformation rather than in bureaucratic hurdles.

As the managing director and shareholder of a very strong family business, I would like to use my voice to raise awareness of the countless small family businesses.

That's why I've also been involved in the regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce General Assembly since this election period.

We work for the next generation!

As a family business, we work for the next generation in the truest sense of the word. We always think about the future. That deserves more respect - and more support.