Healthy staff - worldwide

GIZ has a comprehensive health management system in place to enhance the resilience of staff and train them to cope with stressful situations.

Photo: Several people walking up a rocky slope. — An exercise and wellness day for all was one of the highlights of the CHM activities.
© Wellspring

Staff members at GIZ’s Cairo office regularly go for walks together. What might sound like a fun leisure activity is actually an initiative designed to enhance staff health. It is part of GIZ’s Corporate Health Management (CHM). Maintaining staff members’ health and enhancing their resilience is one of GIZ’s highest priorities. This is motivated, on the one hand, by concern for their welfare and, on the other hand, by the fact that happy, resilient and healthy staff perform better and therefore help to ensure the company’s future viability.

Adopting a holistic approach to health

Even in its third year, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have a strong influence on the work of our health services. Along with actual physical measures such as vaccinations and hygiene strategies, we created new services in 2022 to address the mental health and social challenges caused by the pandemic. We have a holistic understanding of health that incorporates physical, psychological and social aspects. Our Medical Services, psychosocial counselling service (COPE) and Corporate Health Management (CHM) put that philosophy into practice. It enables us to give our staff the best possible support – and not just with regard to stress related to the pandemic.

The COPE team alone registered 2,000 psychosocial counselling sessions with GIZ staff and their families in 2022. The issues were often related to psychosocial stress caused by the crisis situations and fragile conditions in our countries of assignment, by excessive workloads, by conflicts in the workplace, or by personal crises.

We added questions about psychological stress at work to our anonymous staff survey for the first time in 2022. As a result, we now have company-wide data we can use to perform a psychological risk assessment, and which serves as a basis for putting targeted measures in place within the company. Follow-on measures included developing an information manual for managers, for example. The guidelines and assessments they include are designed to help managers recognise and reduce psychological stress at work.

An extract from GIZ’s understanding of health

‘As part of our duty of care and in the interest of the company’s long-term viability, ensuring the wellbeing of our staff is among GIZ’s top priorities. To ensure a high level of performance over the long term is an element of GIZ’s corporate principles and therefore shapes our values and understanding of corporate activity.’

Photo: A woman and man from the corporate health management team demonstrating fitness exercises. — CHM’s COVID-related digitalisation turned out to be a stroke of luck. Virtual services such as ‘GIZ MOVES! The active break culture’ were continuously adapted to staff needs and expanded in 2022. © GIZ / Anke Langer

Photo: A woman and a man showing their smartphone displays with the number of steps they have taken. — A Step Challenge in 2022 involved achieving the equivalent of climbing to the top of the world, i.e. walking the same distance as the height of Mount Everest, in 50 days. 26 teams from 16 countries took part in the event. The Step Challenge ended once the first three teams (from GIZ India, Kenya and Bangladesh) had reached the goal of 17,696 kilometres. © Kai Hubert

Measures connected with the COVID-19 pandemic

GIZ offered COVID-19 vaccinations at the beginning of 2022. Take-up was very good.
Members of staff and their managers who are suffering from the (long-term) effects of COVID-19 can contact GIZ Health Services for advice on how to deal with a restricted ability to work, for example, and other issues.
We ran a number of awareness-raising events on the subject of pandemic-related stress and supplied information to country, project and management teams in Germany and abroad.
GIZ supported project and country teams in reorganising their collaboration on their return to the office after working remotely, and also in implementing hybrid working models in the long term.

Improving conditions worldwide

Many of our health services are available for staff worldwide. However, GIZ offices outside Germany can also create their own Corporate Health Management structures. For instance, they can put individual health measures in place that are tailored to the precise needs at the local level. A total of 29 countries and regions are now in the process of rolling out their own health management systems.

Egypt is one of those countries. Walks around Cairo are just one of the programme’s components. Others include online stress management training, mindfulness workshops, ergonomic tips and advice on healthy eating. ‘The goal is to promote a culture of corporate health. And this requires much more than just sports courses,’ says Dania Haytham, the focal point for Corporate Health Management at GIZ Egypt.

Photo: A smiling young woman using coloured pens to colour in mandalas in a book. — Staff can give free rein to their creativity during active breaks © GIZ / Selma Serageldin

Photo: A tablet showing a video conference view. — © GIZ / Dania Haytham

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

Staff attended online seminars to learn about breathing techniques for reducing stress

Photo: Four smiling people, some with tennis rackets, standing on a tennis court. — © Fatma Makeen

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

They tried out new sports together, such as padel-tennis.

Photo: Several people practising yoga. — © GIZ / Hana Amin

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

Yoga classes were also part of the wide-ranging health programme

Below you will find information about the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability standards:

Material topic 10: Work-life balance and employee health

GRI			UNGC	SDG	DNK
3-3	Management approach disclosures	Principles Our staff should be able to work in a healthy environment, and the work itself should not impact adversely on their wellbeing. Companies in Germany are required to guarantee occupational health and safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) and the Act on Occupational Physicians, Safety Engineers and Other Occupational Safety Specialists (ASiG) regulate this obligation. Because of GIZ’s worldwide presence, some employees face particular risks, for instance if they work in crisis-affected regions, or areas affected by natural disasters, terrorist attacks or violent crime. (See also GRI 403-7) The COVID-19 pandemic also brought potential risks for staff members, for instance resulting from limited medical capacities, a high level of mental stress or fewer contacts with team members. At GIZ, the Management Board bears overall responsibility for the safety and security of staff. The Corporate Security Unit reports directly to the Management Board. It is responsible for staff worldwide. (See also GRI 403-7 and GRI 403-8) Medical Services (MED) and GIZ’s occupational health and safety are responsible for the health and safety of staff. (See also GRI 403-8) Responsibility for the personal safety of staff undertaking assignments in partner countries is vested in the relevant country director. (See also GRI 403-7 and GRI 403-8) Measures The occupational health and safety officers advise and support GIZ as well as staff members and managers on matters including fire protection, accident prevention, ergonomic workplaces and decent working conditions. They are not only available to locations in Germany, but also to staff in the field structure. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6 and GRI 403-7) Occupational health and safety experts can visit the country office along with representatives of GIZ Medical Services as required. They carry out inspections and draw up hazard assessments. They cooperate closely with the company’s psychological counselling service (COPE), the Corporate Security Unit and the Construction Division. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6, 403-7) Field staff with a German employment contract are also covered by the company’s accident insurance policy with Unfallversicherung Bund und Bahn. An individual agreement means that the accident insurance also covers work-related accidents outside Germany. The company’s psychological counselling service COPE (Cooperation with personnel in stress, conflict and crisis) provides confidential counselling for all staff and their families worldwide in the event of professional or private crises. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6, 403-7) GIZ offers a large number of Corporate Health Management initiatives to help staff stay healthy and achieve a healthy work-life balance, in particular with targeted health and prevention services. (See also GRI 403-5) Progress In 2022, the Occupational Health and Safety Team supported those responsible within the individual GIZ properties to implement all COVID requirements. Most in demand was advice on hygiene provisions, air purification and how to redesign workplaces and allocate staff to workstations. (See also GRI 403-5) To help it devise individual and specially adapted staff care programmes, COPE conducts studies on mental health risks in especially challenging counties. (See also GRI 403-7) Further information Healthy staff – worldwide		3	14

GRI

UNGC

SDG

DNK

3-3

Management approach disclosures

Principles

Our staff should be able to work in a healthy environment, and the work itself should not impact adversely on their wellbeing.
Companies in Germany are required to guarantee occupational health and safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) and the Act on Occupational Physicians, Safety Engineers and Other Occupational Safety Specialists (ASiG) regulate this obligation.
Because of GIZ’s worldwide presence, some employees face particular risks, for instance if they work in crisis-affected regions, or areas affected by natural disasters, terrorist attacks or violent crime. (See also GRI 403-7)
The COVID-19 pandemic also brought potential risks for staff members, for instance resulting from limited medical capacities, a high level of mental stress or fewer contacts with team members.
At GIZ, the Management Board bears overall responsibility for the safety and security of staff. The Corporate Security Unit reports directly to the Management Board. It is responsible for staff worldwide. (See also GRI 403-7 and GRI 403-8)
Medical Services (MED) and GIZ’s occupational health and safety are responsible for the health and safety of staff. (See also GRI 403-8)
Responsibility for the personal safety of staff undertaking assignments in partner countries is vested in the relevant country director. (See also GRI 403-7 and GRI 403-8)

Measures

The occupational health and safety officers advise and support GIZ as well as staff members and managers on matters including fire protection, accident prevention, ergonomic workplaces and decent working conditions. They are not only available to locations in Germany, but also to staff in the field structure. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6 and GRI 403-7)
Occupational health and safety experts can visit the country office along with representatives of GIZ Medical Services as required. They carry out inspections and draw up hazard assessments. They cooperate closely with the company’s psychological counselling service (COPE), the Corporate Security Unit and the Construction Division. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6, 403-7)
Field staff with a German employment contract are also covered by the company’s accident insurance policy with Unfallversicherung Bund und Bahn. An individual agreement means that the accident insurance also covers work-related accidents outside Germany.
The company’s psychological counselling service COPE (Cooperation with personnel in stress, conflict and crisis) provides confidential counselling for all staff and their families worldwide in the event of professional or private crises. (See also GRI 403-5, 403-6, 403-7)
GIZ offers a large number of Corporate Health Management initiatives to help staff stay healthy and achieve a healthy work-life balance, in particular with targeted health and prevention services. (See also GRI 403-5)

Progress

In 2022, the Occupational Health and Safety Team supported those responsible within the individual GIZ properties to implement all COVID requirements. Most in demand was advice on hygiene provisions, air purification and how to redesign workplaces and allocate staff to workstations. (See also GRI 403-5)
To help it devise individual and specially adapted staff care programmes, COPE conducts studies on mental health risks in especially challenging counties. (See also GRI 403-7)

Further information
Healthy staff – worldwide

GRI			SDG	DNK
403-1	Occupational health and safety management system	See 3-3 Management approach disclosures	3	14
403-3	Occupational health services	Health Services is an independent division within GIZ’s Human Relations Department. The division consists of Medical Services (MED), the psychosocial counselling unit (COPE) and Corporate Health Management (CHM). Together, they support the company and help staff maintain and enhance their physical, mental and social wellbeing as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). CHM aims to establish a healthy corporate culture that takes account of individual needs. This makes it a key element of GIZ’s policy on maintaining operational capacity. In this way, GIZ creates sustainable working structures and conditions that protect the long-term health of employees. MED helps GIZ implement legislation and regulations pertaining to occupational health, and offers advice to all those involved in employee health roles. MED conducts all occupational health examinations required under the German Regulation concerning occupational health care (ArbMedVV) for staff members and offers these to accompanying family members. Support from COPE is available to all staff members who may be looking for advice on issues such as trauma, addiction or work-related stress as a result of particular events or circumstances at work or in their personal life. COPE develops preventive mental health services and helps implement them.	3	14
403-4	Health and work-life balance	In Germany, the German Works Council Constitution Act (BetrVG) ensures that staff can take part in the decision-making process. They are represented in such matters by the local staff councils and, on issues affecting the company as a whole, by the Central Staff Council. The field staff representation, which is a committee of the Central Staff Council, is responsible for field staff. To foster discussion between the various bodies and GIZ and to create a climate that fosters constructive cooperation, various dialogue formats are in place at GIZ. They range from monthly meetings with local staff councils to annual joint meetings. GIZ thus also complies with the legal provisions of the Works Council Constitution Act. National staff also elect their own representatives at the country level. GIZ encourages the establishment of bodies to represent the interests of national staff and provides organisational support. Where local legislation includes regulations governing the establishment of and cooperation with bodies to represent staff interests, e.g. regarding the frequency of elections, responsibilities or the form participation should take in the agreement of collective regulations, these are taken into account. The elected representatives can be asked for their advice, should conflicts arise in the company. They act as a bridge between staff members and the country director, gathering the opinions and suggestions of staff and passing them on.	3	14
403-5	Worker training on occupational health and safety	The capacity development team at the Academy for International Cooperation (AIZ) continued to offer health-improvement courses in 2022 as well as developing new courses. The self-learning modules on ‘Balancing Stress’ and ‘Occupational Health and Safety’ are now available in several languages and are proving popular.	3	14
403-6	Promotion of worker health	GIZ offers staff members both digital health services and face-to-face services. Worldwide CHM measures in 2022 included the Health Days, the Step Challenge and a range of different vaccinations. Various web-based health services are available to GIZ staff.	3	14
403-7	Prevention and mitigation of occupational health and safety impacts directly linked by business relationships	See 3-3 Management approach disclosures
403-8	Workers covered by an occupational health and safety management system	See 3-3 Management approach disclosures	3	14
403-10	Work-related ill health	GIZ always reports work-related ill health (occupational diseases) where the agent causing the disease is related to the work of the staff member and where, outside the workplace, exposure to the agent would not have occurred or would not have been on the same scale. In the case of GIZ, these are generally infectious diseases contracted abroad (e.g. bilharzia, severe malaria or dengue fever). In 2022, GIZ reported a total of 56 cases of occupational disease. Infectious diseases have resulted in two fatalities since 2019. The insurance company Unfallversicherung Bund und Bahn compiles further data on occupational diseases. These include cases reported not only by GIZ but also by independent doctors.

More information about the GRI, the German Sustainability Code and the Global Compact can be found here
More about health management at GIZ

Adopting a holistic approach to health

An extract from GIZ’s understanding of health

Measures connected with the COVID-19 pandemic

Improving conditions worldwide

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

A few examples of Corporate Health Management activities in Egypt

Below you will find information about the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability standards:

Material topic 10: Work-life balance and employee health

GIZ uses tracking technologies from various providers