Brenntag CEE GmbH – Interculturally at Ease in Central and Eastern Europe

The global leader in chemical distribution, Brenntag CEE GmbH in Vienna, in cooperation with ti communication, has developed a deeper awareness for the challenges within intercultural teams. With locations spread across the globe and a special organizational structure, the employees in all areas and hierarchical levels face particular intercultural challenges. That is why they have taken part in workshops over a span of several years with our trainer Agnieszka Pietlicka. The workshops especially focused on the Central and Eastern European cultural realms, our trainer’s areas of expertise.  

Brenntag, an international enterprise

Brenntag, with its headquarters in Mülheim an der Ruhr, is the world market leader in chemical distribution. The company offers B2B solutions for industrial and special chemicals—in short, it serves as a link between chemical producers and the processing industry. The firm’s international network spans more than 490 sites in 72 countries. Brenntag is considered to be the market leader in Europe and Latin America, is among the top three in North America, and is in the process of expanding its presence in Asia. A company which is so internationally oriented struggles with occasional country-specific discrepancies. In order to not slip on the intercultural ice, Brenntag Vienna, in cooperation with ti communication, has developed a set of fundamental skills to turn multiculturalism not into a risk, but an opportunity!

Respect for and awareness of differences

Over a period of several years, employees from the most varied of areas and hierarchical levels took part in 1- to 2-day workshops with our trainer Agnieszka Pietlicka. The goal of the seminars was the development of an awareness for opportunities and difficulties of cooperation in intercultural teams. The company’s special organizational structure leads not only to competitive advantages, but also to special intercultural challenges. In organizations that operate in Central and Eastern Europe, intercultural interfaces between "Western" and "Eastern" countries are common. One also often finds the hierarchical division of “Western executives” of the parent companies based there and their “Central and Eastern European employees” in subsidiaries.

At Brenntag, everything is different. To ensure regional adaptation and optimal customer care locally, the company employs local managers who, however, actively communicate with their international colleagues of the same operational division. Thus, it is not only necessary to communicate on a daily basis with international customers but also with international co-workers. Furthermore, one thing is clear: Multiculturalism is a resource that can be used! International teams can work together creatively and profitably if they are aware of culturally specific particularities. What is especially important to my colleagues from other cultures? Brenntag values mutual respect and an awareness of differences.

Various workshops on diverse intercultural questions

In order to adapt the workshops to the needs of our clients, we spoke on the phone with selected employees before the start of the training. That allowed the topics for the seminars to be set. Which topics should be explored in detail, and which should not be addressed? This data collection enabled further training measures to be tailored to the wishes of the employees. Ultimately, the focus was placed on the following questions:    

• What processes are triggered in our minds when we encounter unknown/incomprehensible behaviors?
• What do people from various cultures subconsciously consider a matter of course when approaching a (technical) challenge?
• What is the respective culture-specific process of business initiation that is hardly reflected upon?
• How do people deal with team conflicts?
• How do people communicate their dissatisfaction?

Finally, each workshop examined its own topic that participants had decided upon in advance. All of the measures had areas in common such as communication, conflict management and team building—always from an intercultural perspective. The mixture of and voting on content resulted in satisfied participants who were able to employ their newly-acquired knowledge toward the optimization of international collaboration.

Our trainer Agnieszka Pietlicka is originally from Poland but, after completing her studies in “International Economic and Political Relations,” worked in her home country, Germany and France. Since 2007, she has been working exclusively as a senior trainer and coach. Her areas of expertise are especially focused on the cultural areas of Poland and Germany, expat training for employees from and to Central and Eastern Europe or Germany, as well as negotiating and communication. She can also support you through your intercultural daily business!