Uwe Schneider and Bernhard Zoitl
Uwe Schneider and Bernhard Zoitl (from left to right) | Photo: DUO PLAST
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Logo: Schon Genial
Sport & Health

DUO PLAST supports HC LINZ's work with young talent

Promotion of young talent, handball champions, competitive sport, popular sport, social responsibility

#schongenial in conversation with Bernhard Zoitl, Managing Director of DUO PLAST competence & trading GmbH, and Uwe Schneider, Head of Marketing at Austrian handball champions HC LINZ AG.

#schongenial: DUO PLAST has been involved with the current Austrian handball champions HC LINZ AG for years, particularly in youth work. What are the motives for an internationally active company to get involved in sport in the area of youth development?

Bernhard Zoitl: I would like to answer the question in three parts. Why did we choose sport for our sponsorship activities? Why in favour of a team sport and why in favour of youth work?

#schongenial: Let's start with the first question, why sport?

Bernhard Zoitl: Sport, especially competitive sport, has a role model effect in society. Competitive sport stimulates and is the driving force behind popular sport - by setting an example, through enthusiasm, through fun, without pointing a finger, it gets young people moving. Every contribution that leads to more exercise counts because it is so important for health. Today more than ever. Sport also has many parallels with business. Consistent training, preparing for the decisive moment, being able to call on your performance potential at the right time.

Uwe Schneider: If I may add something here. Sport is always associated with setbacks. In life, we are often confronted with the question of how to deal with defeats. In my view, there's another parallel with business, where things don't always go the way you want them to. Right?

Bernhard Zoitl: I can only agree with that. Mental fitness is particularly important in professional life.

Uwe Schneider: And this is particularly encouraged in competitive sport alongside physical fitness.

#schongenial: What were your reasons for choosing a team sport?

Bernhard Zoitl: The decision in favour of team sports is obvious. Top individual performances are just one piece of the puzzle of success, both in sport and in business. It's all about teamwork, everyone on their own pitch. Every game is a new constellation, a new opportunity and a challenge to adapt quickly to changing situations and lead the team to success. The situation is similar in business. Potential is realised where a strong team works well together. Recognising and transforming opportunities together!

#schongenial: And what motivates a company to get involved in young talent?

Bernhard Zoitl: That's easy to answer, young people are the future and it's simply a pleasure to be able to contribute to the development of the potential of young, committed people. People who are involved in sport train certain values such as consistency, perseverance and concentration. Qualities that are also urgently needed in professional life, especially in an age of skills shortages.

Uwe Schneider: It's particularly nice to see how the children and young people develop, how they learn social skills, social competence in the truest sense of the word through play, how they integrate into the group. This is probably also due to the fact that young people are treated as equals in the club and everyone is treated equally, regardless of origin, religious background, size, skin colour, talent, physique ...

Bernhard Zoitl: But also emphasising open and honest communication and talking about what went well and where there is room for improvement.

#schongenial: Would it be fair to say that you are a committed sponsor of HC LINZ AG?

Bernhard Zoitl (smiles): Yes, you could say that, because on the one hand I am convinced that as a company you also have to fulfil a social responsibility, no matter in which area, whether in sport, social affairs, culture, or science, and on the other hand social commitment in turn has a positive effect on your own company, your own corporate culture.

#schongenial: That's a wonderful closing statement. Thank you very much for the interview.

We would also like to thank DUO PLAST for helping to make positive things visible and conscious as part of #schongenial - the world's first "Intercorporate Social Responsibility" initiative.

It's nice to see so many positive things:
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