Westwing starts COVID-19 vaccinations for its team members
Westwing is offering its more than 1,800 team members at the headquarters in Munich and in the international logistics centers vaccinations during working hours. Westwing wants to support all team members who would like to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their community and who do not have the opportunity to receive a regular vaccination in a timely manner. Miriam Rabung, Director HR & Organization at Westwing, talked to us about vaccinations at Westwing.
Why is Westwing offering vaccination for its team members? At the beginning of June, vaccination prioritization was lifted in Germany. The health and safety of our teams is a top priority at Westwing, and we’ve noticed in many conversations with our colleagues that there is an increasing desire for normality - in both our personal and professional lives. Many don’t have the opportunity to get vaccinated anytime soon to protect themselves and their loved ones. That’s why we’ve been planning this vaccination initiative for a long time. We see it as our social responsibility to protect not only our team members but also those around them, to contribute to the containment of the pandemic and thus to form a safety blanket for others.
When will Westwing start the vaccination campaign? We have received the first COVID-19 vaccination doses and already started with the vaccinations in our headquarters in Munich and in our logistics center Robakowo in Poland with more than 320 vaccinations last week. More than 140 team members will be additionally vaccinated only this week. We will receive up to 500 doses until the beginning of July. We are confident that by mid-July we will be able to offer a vaccination to everyone who wants to be vaccinated.
Can you tell us more about the vaccination process at Westwing? Over the last few months, a dedicated team has been working to prepare this process. We are very excited to set up our own small vaccination center at our headquarters in Munich, where our team members receive their vaccinations during working hours. Vaccinations will be offered daily to our team by doctors in cooperation with IAS. For the recovery time after the vaccination, there is a special recovery room. To strengthen their immune system, vaccinated Westwing employees will receive a fresh smoothie.
Are there any challenges? Of course, as with most general practitioners, getting enough vaccine for our team is a major challenge. Also the logistical planning in cooperation with the medical services and the RKI. This is a task that we are happy to take on to protect the health of our team members.
What is Westwing’s goal with the vaccinations? Since we are only making an offer to our team and of course no one is obligated to accept it, we have not set a goal. Our wish is to give everyone the opportunity to protect their health and feel safe, the freedom that a vaccination brings with it due to the legal parameters and consequently, of course, to contribute to the containment of the pandemic.
Are there any other measures Westwing takes to protect its teams? Westwing was one of the first offices to allow its team members to work from home in every department where this was possible. In the areas where we couldn’t make home office possible, we introduced safety measures such as mandatory masks and distancing rules. The availability of offering daily tests was also essential for us. Since end of 2020, a dedicated test center has been set up in the office in Munich, where medical staff have since performed over 3.500 tests. This test offer remains in place.
About Westwing Westwing is the European leader in inspiration-based Home and Living eCommerce with EUR 433m of revenue in 2020. Through its ‘shoppable magazine’, Westwing inspires its loyal Home Enthusiast customers with a curated product selection and combines that with gorgeous content. With unparalleled loyalty, Westwing is generating more than 79% of orders from repeat customers. Westwing’s mission is: To inspire and make every home a beautiful home. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Munich. Westwing went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in October 2018 and is active in eleven European countries.