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GlobalCompanyStrategy ZF Way - Our Principles
ZF Way - It’s About Community ZF Way - It’s About Community
CompanyStrategy ZF Way - Our Principles

Our Principles

It’s About Community

ZF is pursuing the ZF Way. In times of transformation, when the pace of change continues to accelerate, the Group-wide and long-term program provides ZF employees in all functions, divisions and regions with orientation towards the future.

ZF Way: Powered by Teamwork

Winning together in the race for future mobility

The ZF Way is a transformation program for the organizational development of ZF and describes the “how” behind the company’s “Next Generation Mobility” strategy. It formulates the way we do things as an organization, expresses what the people at ZF stand for and how, together, they will win the race for tomorrow’s mobility.

“It’s about providing guidance on how we want to lead and work together. The framework should help to make the transformation even more active at local level and so contribute to everyone’s success.”

- Katrin Kaltenbach, Patron of the ZF Way transformation program -

Our Principles

How do we successfully transform our business? Our method is based on the five proven and timeless principles that helped ZF rise as a company and organization over decades to become a leading mobility specialist on global markets. They are: passion, anticipation, diversity, empowerment and accountability.
Passion

Passion

Strong will to succeed!
We work with passion to achieve outstanding results through bold decisions that are in the interest of our customers.
Anticipation

Anticipation

Excel & Explore!
We recognize changes at an early stage, look for new solutions and work continuously on improvements.
Diversity

Diversity

Team beats silo!
We act as a team and use the advantages that arise from different mentalities, ideas and geographical regions. This is how we generate a culture of creativity.
Empowerment

Empowerment

Engage!
We work as a team in a collaborative and committed manner, sharing tasks and creating an atmosphere in which everyone can expand their own competencies.
Accountability

Accountability

Promise made! – Promise kept!
We act pragmatically and feel accountable as a team for the promised performance as well as for the result. We act in accordance with the law and our company policies.

Intrinsic motivation

ZF Way in Practice

Next Generation Mobility is the name of the strategy, the ZF Way describes the implementation – with five principles that are lived and breathed within the company. It’s a concept that works. One proof point for this is the internal ZF Excellence Award. Since 1995, ZF employees worldwide have had the chance to receive internal recognition by submitting their creative and meaningful projects and ideas. The quality competition has thus far encompassed five categories. 2021 saw the addition of another – The ZF Way.

Numerous divisions, regions and functions submitted projects with the aim of winning the coveted award. All the ideas demonstrated a high level of commitment, creativity and determination. The projects submitted show that the ZF Way has been embraced by employees across all hierarchies and locations.

ZF Way Excellence Award: the Finalists

The award is hugely important to ZF employees. In 2021, creative ideas were submitted from all over the world. 20 of those made it into the final round. Here is a selection of the finalists.
Emotional Management

Emotional Management

The award went to an idea submitted by a team from Portugal. It helps people to recognize and deal with their own feelings during the pandemic.
Hearing Impaired Employees Project

Hearing Impaired Employees Project

This project aims to optimize the process of facility evacuation for employees with impaired hearing.
The Counting Toolbox

The Counting Toolbox

Methods for pre-emptive maintenance. Algorithms collect data from components such as electric axles.
Hiring Disabilities and Special Needs Board Employees

Hiring Disabilities and Special Needs Board Employees

Integration of employees from the Laurens County Disability and Special Needs Board.
Digital Boot Camp

Digital Boot Camp

This training program makes it easier for employees to work from home during the pandemic.

Learning Organization

E-Cademy: Education for Transformation

Electric mobility training initiative

This, too, is the ZF Way – not merely understanding the future but also actively shaping it with the help of a targeted project. Through education. In order to master future professional challenges, ZF established the biggest training initiative in the company’s history – the ZF E-Cademy – back in 2020. Through a combination of e-learning and face-to-face events, it helps employees play an active role in shaping the transformation and the development of an entire sector. The initiative delivers knowledge and expertise for gaining qualifications in the field of electric mobility, thus providing participants with lasting preparation for future job requirements. More than 7,200 people are currently active on the internal ZF learning platform. The aim over the medium term is to deliver expertise and basic knowledge in e-mobility to 30,000 employees worldwide.

Employee Voices

A change-management initiative with an impact. The E-Cademy is being warmly welcomed with substantial interest across all plants. Here is some employee feedback from various different regions.
Miloš Petrovič

Miloš Petrovič
Head of the Education and Training Department, Slovakia

“The world in which we live is changing and we want to secure our future. We are open to new opportunities, challenges and new kinds of training and work.”
Frauke-Berenike Schmehr

Frauke-Berenike Schmehr
Sales Department for Automatic Transmissions (Passenger Cars), Germany

„Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve noticed that electric mobility is gaining momentum. Demand is strong for our further training courses. I think it’s really impressive how much ZF is investing in us.”
Holger Peschke

Holger Peschke
Simulation Team Leader, Germany

“We must realize that our training won’t see us through the rest of our careers.”
José Antonio Uscanga

José Antonio Uscanga
Product Developer, Mexico

“For me, electric mobility is the future because we’re all heading in that direction. And that’s an improvement.”

Further Information

Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

The code of conduct underpins ZF’s principles of business behavior.
Learn more
Careers at ZF

Careers at ZF

Find out entry opportunities, vacancies and good reasons for ZF here.
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Successfull ZF trainees

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Would you like to take an individual journey through our company? Then the ZF Global Trainee Program is just right for you!
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