ZÜBLIN wins German Demography Award

“Wir bauen mit Vielfalt” [Building with Diversity] project to integrate international skilled workers and refugees. Award in category “Gelebte Diversität” [Diversity in Action].


“Wir bauen mit Vielfalt” [Building with Diversity] project to integrate international skilled workers and refugees 
Award in category “Gelebte Diversität” [Diversity in Action]
Successful model to counter shortage of skilled workers

Ed. Züblin AG, Subdivision East, has received the German Demography Award in the category of “Diversity in Action”. The award is presented by Demographie Netzwerk e.V. for projects that find creative solutions to the challenges of demographic change. The company was recognised for its successful model of recruiting and integrating international skilled workers and refugees.
Three-phase model to address shortage of skilled labour
The first step is preboarding: ZÜBLIN conducts initial interviews with potential workers in their country of origin and assists applicants in compiling the necessary documents to obtain a work permit. The second step is onboarding: ZÜBLIN arranges for the workers’ entry to Germany and helps them find furnished accommodations. The new employees are further assisted in their dealings with the authorities, attend a German-language course and receive professional training. The final step is post-boarding: ZÜBLIN continues to support the new employees after their orientation, for example by helping them build up a network, find doctors and leisure activities, or arrange for their families to join them while again assisting with the bureaucratic formalities.
The pilot project has already helped bring twelve workers from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to Germany. They join the ZÜBLIN team as bricklayers, concrete workers and reinforced concrete workers.
“This model enables us to successfully counter the shortage of skilled workers. Our diverse teams are also an expression of an appreciative working culture and contribute to introducing specific measures to further strengthen our team cohesion,” says Robert Frank, technical business unit manager in Erfurt.
The integration efforts are aimed not only at tradespeople working on the construction site, but also at foreign office and white-collar workers, such as BIM experts, estimators or work planners. The new employees are integrated into the existing teams by providing them with a mentor who not only helps with professional matters but can also provide support with cultural and social aspects in order to promote their integration into German society.


Demographie Netzwerk e.V. (ddn) is a non-profit network of companies and institutions that see demographic change as an opportunity and want to actively shape this change. ddn was founded in 2006 on the initiative of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs within the framework of the New Quality of Work Initiative. The members are committed to collaboration and partnership in order to make an impact together. The network addresses topics such as qualification, digitalisation, leadership and diversity in regional and transregional forums, in online meetings and in face-to-face discussions. ddn initiates, manages and supports funding and research projects on the network’s topics. The German Demography Award has been presented by ddn since 2020.