Bertelsmann AG is now accepting applications for the third round of its “Reinhard Mohn Fellowship.” Leaders from all sectors of society, who have proven entrepreneurial initiative, creativity and public spirit in their past activities, have until August 1, 2005 to apply for this advancement program. From the pool of contenders, up to five “fellows” will be chosen to participate in a one-year training program involving a variety of corporate divisions and countries. They will be given the chance to develop entrepreneurial excellence, build their leadership skills and make worldwide contacts by taking part in in-depth project work and schoolings in a global media group.
Detlef Hunsdiek, Bertelsmann AG’s Executive Vice President Human Resources, said, “Our program seeks out and encourages social entrepreneurs who use unconventional solutions to tackle society’s challenges − spunky, independent, and hands-on people. They include individuals who create employment opportunities for disadvantaged teens in Calcutta, for example, or who develop ecologically compatible concepts for coffee-growers in Mexico. The positive feedback from past participants and their mentors shows us that the ‘Reinhard Mohn Fellowship’ is an important contribution to Bertelsmann’s corporate social responsibility.“
The Reinhard Mohn Fellowship serves to perpetuate the vision formulated by Bertelsmann’s post-war founder and philanthropist Reinhard Mohn: a vision of entrepreneurial action governed by social responsibility. Bertelsmann has chosen to take an innovative approach: the fellowship sponsors not projects, but the people behind them. The idea is to put the fellows in a position to impel their own projects with newfound knowledge, enhanced leadership skills and a network of useful contacts once the year of training is over.
The Reinhard Mohn Fellowship – a gift by Bertelsmann AG to Reinhard Mohn on the occasion of his 80th birthday – is open to applicants from all over the world. It is targeted at talented and highly motivated persons from business, the public and non-profit sectors, science, sports and the cultural or social sector, who have successfully implemented their own projects in the past and generally perceive themselves as “social entrepreneurs.” The important thing is that these past and current projects have an innovative approach and make a discernible contribution to the community. There are no age limits or minimum requirements regarding formal education.
Applications, including a presentation of past project work, may be submitted online (www.reinhard-mohn-fellowship.com) or by mail (Bertelsmann AG, Reinhard Mohn Fellowship, Postfach 111, 33311 Gütersloh, Germany) through August 1, 2005. Following an initial round of selections, a panel of judges made up of Bertelsmann AG executives and well-known personages from different sectors of society will determine the finalists in late November 2005. Ricardo Díez Hochleitner, Honorary President of the “Club of Rome,” will once again chair the panel of judges.
About Bertelsmann AG
The media company Bertelsmann commands globally leading positions in the major markets. Its core business is the creation of first-class media content. Bertelsmann includes RTL Group, Europe’s No.1 in television and radio, as well as the world’s biggest book-publishing group, Random House, with more than 100 publishing imprints (Alfred A. Knopf, Bantam, Goldmann). Gruner + Jahr, the European No.1 in magazine publishing (Stern, Geo, Capital) and BMG with artists such as Anastacia, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Dido and Usher also stand for creativity and powerful brands. Bertelsmann’s direct-to-customer businesses are bundled in Direct Group: book and music clubs with more than 30 million members all over the world. The Arvato division bundles the group’s media services, which include the expanding units Arvato Logistics Services and Arvato Direct Services (distribution, service centers, customer relationship management), along with state-of-the-art printers, storage media production and comprehensive IT-services. |
