The new president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria, Klaus Josef Lutz, does not believe in the obligation to work from home.
Lutz made this clear in an interview with Münchner Merkur.
Munich - With around 400,000 member companies, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria is the largest in Germany.
Accordingly, it has a lot of weight as a representation of the interests of the domestic economy.
BayWa boss Klaus Josef Lutz wants to represent these interests in the future.
Born in Munich, he has now been elected as the new - honorary - President of the Chamber.
We talked to him about his goals and the role of the state and companies.
You take office at the end of the tough lockdown.
What are the most important steps that must now be taken for the Bavarian economy?
First and foremost, we must encourage ourselves to find the energy and determination for the upcoming transformation process.
The corona pandemic was a kind of catalyst that accelerated developments.
Keyword: digitization.
But there are other upheavals ahead of the economy.
The central topic is the restructuring of the economy in the direction of sustainability.
What does that mean in concrete terms?
The new financial regulations of the EU under the heading “Sustainable Finance” will completely change the way business models are financed, including those that are very traditional.
Many of them are not yet fully aware of this.
The EU wants to use the financial sector as a lever for economic restructuring and direct financial flows specifically into sustainable projects and companies.
The banks are already adjusting to the new rules of the game and will set corresponding conditions with regard to sustainability.
We're not talking about someday, it's starting now.
I see that as a core task of the IHK to ensure that there is a sensible transition.
And for the fact that the companies know exactly what to expect.
Many companies start out with deregulation.
For example in the home office.
How is it going on?
We welcome the elimination of the obligation to work from home.
The companies in Bavaria have proven that they handled the crisis very responsibly.
I therefore do not consider a legal regulation, as some are now calling for, to be necessary.
The companies do this on their own if the pandemic requires it.
Nevertheless, I believe that there will be more hybrid workplaces in the future.
But that assumes that we can make even faster progress with digitization.
This is about improving network stability, but also about training and continuing education for the workforce.
Here, too, the IHK has an important task.
During the crisis, many companies that were not allowed to work were on the state's drip.
He, in turn, has prescribed and forbidden many companies.
How do you get out of this division of roles?
We have to find the way back.
Social market economy means that the state sets the framework.
During the crisis, the state intervened massively, in some cases dictating how companies should work.
I've been managing director or board member in seven different industries for 31 years now, but I've never experienced anything like this before.
We have to go back to a clear division of roles.
And it cannot look like the state persuades companies into operational business.
Innovations only come about if you let the company do it.
There has been an imbalance in the pandemic.
You can endure that for a certain period of time - but that cannot be permanent.
Otherwise we have a planned economy.
How do you feel about the current mood in the economy?
Do you feel something of a departure?
The picture is mixed.
We certainly have industries and sectors that have done amazingly well.
On the other hand, there are many companies in the service sector, in hotels, restaurants and retail outlets, where things look bleak.
For many, existential questions arise.
A mood of optimism in the sense of “now let's all start together” is beginning to exist.
Not everyone can develop as they want, there are still restrictions due to the pandemic.
What will be your first appointment as IHK President?
The general election is due in autumn.
The IHK is now holding talks with all parties who, according to surveys, are over five percent.
Of course I'll be there.
But first I will sit down with the general manager, Manfred Gößl, and I would like to get to know the entire IHK team soon.
What is important to you in the political talks?
First: That we treat each other constructively.
Neither entrepreneurial nor political bashing should have a place.
Second, it is very important to me that someone who does business is not placed under general suspicion.
The people who create jobs and tax revenue in this country are companies - especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
Unfortunately, this is always forgotten.
The state can only distribute the cake that a strong private economy produces.
To do this, entrepreneurs need air to breathe.
Awareness of what entrepreneurship does for society has been a little neglected lately.
What do you expect from politics?
Politics and business must move closer together.
We have tough competition, not only with China, but also with other very dynamic Asian countries and the USA.
Medium-sized companies also have to face this.
How competitive the companies are also depends to a very large extent on the decisions made by politicians.
Where do you actually get the time for the IHK office from?
As BayWa CEO, you probably already have enough to do.
I have withdrawn from some internal supervisory boards. I am 63 years old. You are already thinking about your own successor. My contract runs until 2025 and, step by step, I want to bring young people, whom we have built up over the past 13 years, into responsibility. I have also created space for myself by not being on the road as much internationally.