"[…] in the long run, everyone benefits from sincerely lived inclusion in professional life, employers and employees alike - economically and, last but not least, humanly. Stefanie Kirwald is driven by nothing more and nothing less than a vision.
The interview with Stefanie Kirwald, WiSo-Alumna in the graduating class of 1999 of the Master International Management (CEMS MIM), makes it clear: A fully accessible environment with fair job opportunities for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses is a concern of hers. She works on inclusion in working life at myAbility Social Enterprise GmbH. We talked to her about the challenges and opportunities of inclusion, her personal motives based on her experiences, and helpful tips for students.
For Stefanie Kirwald, the key to a successful, inclusive corporate culture is to look not only at a person's medical background but also at experiences, training, strengths and talents - a change of perspective and the elimination of prejudices. Attentive listening is central, she says: People with disabilities or chronic illnesses are experts when it comes to what it takes to be able to work productively. She emphasizes that accessibility needs and the possibilities that go with them are diverse. If we succeed in communicating with each other at the same level, says Stefanie Kirwald, "[...] then one day "inclusion in working life" will no longer be seen as "goodwill", but as a self-evident standard.
Stefanie Kirwald focused on market research and marketing, trade and distribution, as well as economic and social geography during her studies at WiSo, and she is still building on the foundations she laid back then. The current interview at WiSoAlumni reveals what tips she has in store for her fellow students today.