Press Release
With Around 440,000 Ideas, Continental Employees Worldwide
Save the Company Over €160 Million
 Locations in South Korea and the Philippines top world standings
 Limbach-Oberfrohna in Saxony most successful location in Germany
Hanover, June 2, 2014. Continental AG employees are creative and overflowing with good ideas.
The Continental Idea Management (CIM) program reflects this. Last year, employees at over 140
locations around the world helped boost the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the international
automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner with 440,000 implemented ideas. On
average, our roughly 178,000 employees submitted more than two ideas per employee in 2013.
This resulted in savings of more than €160 million all around the world.
"We have achieved a significant improvement over the previous year. Of the approximately
500,000 ideas submitted, around 440,000 were implemented. Year-on-year, this represents a rise
of roughly 33 percent (330,000 ideas were implemented in 2012). What is more, active support on
the part of the employees enabled Continental to top the previous year's savings by 30 million
euros. That is impressive evidence of the values and management culture lived out at Continental,"
said Wolfgang Schäfer, Continental Executive Board member for Human Resources.
Again in 2013, the most successful locations – those with the most efficient ideas – received
awards in the CIM program. Almost 90 percent of the ideas were developed at international
locations. "Employees bear witness to a strong identification with and commitment to Continental
by submitting so very many good ideas. Some of these were geared to optimizing processes and
quality, others to further improving environmental protection and health and safety at the company.
The knowledge, creativity, and imagination of our employees make a major contribution to
Continental's success. This further illustrates the importance of global networking within the
company. It is the only way that everyone can benefit from the ideas," explained Schäfer.
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Your contact:
Gesa Krüger, Phone: +49 511 938-1640
-2The Icheon and Manila locations occupied the top two positions in the CIM rankings: Icheon in
South Korea took first place with 65 implemented ideas per employee and a participation rate of
100 percent; Manila in the Philippines came in second with 58 implemented ideas and likewise a
participation rate of 100 percent. Another site in Korea – Sejong – took third place, with an
impressive 36 implemented ideas per employee and a participation rate of 100 percent as well.
Continental Idea Management
The Continental Idea Management program has been in place in comparable form since as early
as 1930. The winners are determined on the basis of a point system that takes into account key
indicators like participation rate, the number of ideas implemented, and the calculated net savings.
The locations with the highest number of points are presented with an in-house award. CIM is a
tightly organized and structured process that addresses employees directly. Creativity and
resourcefulness are key. Indeed, the suggestions made should always extend beyond the
employee's own area of responsibility.
Idea management also plays a key role in boosting Continental's competitiveness. "The combined
effect of many small ideas can also be quite momentous. The employees themselves can best
recognize where improvements and optimization measures are needed. Again in 2013, we were
extremely satisfied with the participation rates," noted Matthias Nehrhoff, head of Corporate Idea
Management.
With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide.
As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation,
infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires, and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to
enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked
automobile communication. Continental currently employs around 182,000 people in 49 countries.
Contact for journalists
Gesa Krüger
Press Spokesperson HR & Careers
Corporate Communications
Continental AG
Vahrenwalder Strasse 9, 30165 Hanover,
Germany
Ph.: +49 511 938-1640, Fax: -1016
gesa.krueger@conti.de
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Your contact:
Gesa Krüger, Phone: +49 511 938-1640
-3This press release is available in the following languages: Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German,
Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovakian,
Spanish
Internet links:
Press portal:
www.continental-presse.de
Video portal:
videoportal.continental-corporation.com/
Media database:
www.continental-mediacenter.com
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Your contact:
Gesa Krüger, Phone: +49 511 938-1640