Stulle & Stahl: The Plant Café Fosters Community Through Inclusion and Appreciation

Inclusion and responsibility are fundamental values deeply ingrainede in thyssenkrupp's DNA. Our objective? To facilitate inclusion across all spheres and consistently enhance ourselves. We achieve this through various initiatives and actions. One prime example is the inclusion café "Stulle & Stahl" in Duisburg. Situated on the premises of thyssenkrupp Steel - nestled between the freight station and the oxygen steel plant - is a truly unique space: the company café "Stulle & Stahl". Here, not only freshly made sandwiches and beverages are served, but it also serves as a hub for diversity, community, and the #GENERATIONTK, all of which are particularly palpable.

Just before 8 a.m. at the Duisburg plant site at thyssenkrupp Steel. There is a long queue outside the café. No wonder, because here employees receive freshly made sandwiches and drinks Mondays through Thursdays between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. The demand shows: The concept is well received.

In 2020, Vera Hillen, team leader of the inclusive workshop at thyssenkrupp Steel, decided with her team to renovate the old break room. From this emerged the idea of ​​opening an inclusion café. "The special thing about it," says Vera Hillen, "is that the café is not only accessible to all colleagues on the premises but is also operated by employees whose performance has been affected." So called performance-changed employees are referred to at thyssenkrupp Steel when employees can no longer perform their original profession due to an accident, illness, or other reasons.

Appreciation is Key Here - The Café Emphasizes on Inclusion and Community

Thanks to retraining, the employees are prepared for all tasks in a restaurant, including naming the products. Here, the employees were able to unleash their creativity. "For example, our wheat rolls are called 'ST37' and the spelt rolls 'bluemint'. All, of course, inspired by the ongoing steel operation," explains Hillen. Meanwhile, a second location has even opened at the sales building "Steel Cube". In the two inclusive cafés, a total of eight employees from various areas of steel production work.

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The Stulle & Stahl team at the opening of the second inclusion café. Another place, open to everyone and actively promoting inclusion and diversity.

Working in the inclusive café differs from traditional inclusion facilities and comes with special requirements. Especially during the morning rush for sandwiches, it can become stressful. Vera Hillen emphasizes the importance of a healthy working atmosphere: "Anyone who visits the inclusion café must also bring time. We ensure that our employees can carry out their tasks calmly to foster a healthy working atmosphere for them." Additionally, ergonomic measures have been implemented, such as a dishwasher at an optimal height to ease the workload on the employees.

Community Engagement for Inclusion: Individually Tailored to the Employees

However, working in a café is not suitable for every person. "When selecting employees, it is particularly important that they can work well in a team and have some manual dexterity," explains Vera Hillen. The team also changes frequently, as some employees may return to their previous positions following recovery or rehabilitation stays.

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There is much to do in the two cafés. It is even more important that the diverse team is well attuned to each other.

The positive feedback from all areas of the company highlights the importance of appreciation and inclusion in the workplace. "This is very important for our employees and a wonderful experience," says Vera Hillen. "Moreover, everyone is delighted to reunite with former colleagues and bring them joy through our food offerings. We are all immensely proud to contribute to inclusion at thyssenkrupp," Hillen adds. However, the plant café has even more to offer. Besides food, the café also offers guest Wi-Fi, and there is a cooperation with a coffee roastery. "And most importantly: We are the only ones with a portafilter machine on the premises!" Vera Hillen adds.

Inclusion: Appreciative Deployment of Performance-Changed Employees

What makes the café particularly charming are the self-built furniture and decorations made by employees in the workshops and also offered for sale. Other products from the workshop, such as the collection from august&alfred, are also showcased. This demonstrates that the concept of inclusion is not limited to the café but also takes place in other workshops and service facilities of thyssenkrupp Steel. Because there is so much more to the workshops at thyssenkrupp Steel. Performance-changed employees not only work in the café but also take on tasks in the carpentry, lock smithery, textile workshop, or print shop. Here, every person finds their place. It is a collaborative effort of all employees of thyssenkrupp Steel.

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Here, one experiences not only freshly made sandwiches and drinks but also diversity and a friendly community.

Plans for the Future of the Inclusion Café

And what is planned for the future regarding inclusion? While the opening of the second café was a significant step, Vera Hillen envisions the possibility of opening inclusion cafés at additional locations. Café Stulle & Stahl exemplifies how inclusion is integrated into everyday life at thyssenkrupp. It's not just a place for enjoyment but also for interaction and diversity. The commitment of thyssenkrupp Steel to diversity and inclusion is evident in every bite and every cup of coffee. The inclusion café Stulle & Stahl demonstrates how inclusion is practiced at thyssenkrupp, serving as a hub where tangible diversity and community thrive.

More about diversity & inclusion at thyssenkrupp can be found in our stories.