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What could be more valuable to give at Christmas than time? Volkswagen employees can now give part of their free time as a gift to charitable organizations from the region to fulfill people’s Christmas wishes, as part of the VW Christmas Tree Wish Campaign. This is how it works: the 35 submitted wishes can be viewed in the Volkswagen portal under “Me at VW -> Getting involved -> Volkswagen voluntary work.”. Anyone who wants to fulfill a wish can report to the “pro Ehrenamt” (voluntary work) employees, who are now organizing this campaign for the twelfth time, either by email at ehrenamt@Volkswagen.de or by telephone at 05361/913096.

The wishes are just as varied as the people and institutions in the region. If you like, you can help on a blood donation day in Gifhorn for example, set up a barefoot path at the DRK Ettenbüttel day nursery, or make Christmas decorations with the children at the Wolfsburg Hospice.

“The Christmas Tree Wish Campaign enables our employees to bring joy to the people in their region. They don’t fulfill the wishes with money, they give something far more valuable – part of their free time. I’m grateful to everyone already for this voluntary work,” said Ralf Thomas, head of the “pro Ehrenamt” organization team.
“By fulfilling these wishes we want to give something back to the clubs, associations, and charitable organizations and facilities who do so much for our society and our public welfare in the Wolfsburg region and surrounding areas,” said “pro Ehrenamt” employee, Markus Brack. “There are many people in our neighborhood who could really do with our help. I offer my thanks to all colleagues who are doing things to help others and fulfilling a wish for a good cause,” said Daniela Cavallo, member of the Works Council.

Since 2012, 150 wishes have already been fulfilled by Volkswagen employees. These wishes can be fulfilled alone or in groups. The wishes come from institutions in Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Salzgitter and the Gifhorn district.

What does the Volkswagen workforce think about culture change and the integrity program?
Larry D. Thompson, the U.S. Monitor, wants to know. From November 27, an online survey of employees will be administered by the Ethics and Compliance Initiative (ECI), global thought leaders in the field of integrity and compliance programs, supported by the Members of the Board of Volkswagen AG and the works council. The survey focuses on the opinions of employees regarding integrity at their workplace.  The survey results will help the U.S. Monitor identify key strengths and areas of improvement regarding culture and integrity in the Volkswagen Group.

Only a random, representative sample of employees from Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Volkswagen de Mexico, and Audi de Mexico will be initially invited to participate in the survey. Selected Employees will receive an e-mail from ECI directly. It will inform about the survey, including access data and a link to the survey. Employees without own e-mail-address will receive a letter which includes all necessary information about participating in the survey.

As for the process of the survey, you should know two things: 
1. Participation is voluntary and confidential. The employees are invited, but not required to participate. 
2. All responses to the survey will be anonymous.

Mr. Thompson why the survey now?
We are now over a year into the Monitorship and it is important that we have a realistic view of how employees feel about the company. Specifically, it is an excellent time now to see how Volkswagen employees feel about the culture of the company given that many changes have occurred in the past few years. 

What exactly will happen with the responses by the employees?
We have a third party, ECI, conducting the survey.  Responses to the survey will be confidential and all data collected will be secure and in accordance with all applicable data privacy laws.  I believe this survey will give employees a voice; a way to directly inform me about their views on integrity and culture.  ECI will tabulate and analyze the results of the survey in confidence.  The results will be used by me and by my team in an effort to examine the culture at Volkswagen.

Why is the monitor interested in what the employees at Volkswagen think?
I am very interested in what Volkswagen employees think for a number of reasons. First, the employees know the company best. Their thoughts and insights are extremely valuable to me.  Additionally, we recognize that meaningful change cannot come to Volkswagen without the full support and acceptance of Volkswagen’s employees. We have a shared goal with the Company to make Volkswagen a better company.

There’s sniffling and sneezing in every corner again: with the uncomfortable, wet and cold winter weather, also come the first colds. “With a few simple measures, you can protect yourself well against viruses and bacteria,” says Dr. Lars Nachbar, Head of Group Healthcare and Safety. Don’t worry about being considered rude if you don’t shake hands with your sniffly colleagues, says Nachbar. Quite the contrary.: “The pathogens will continue to spread unhindered through the shaking of hands,” the physician warns. People should therefore “give one another a friendly and completely virus-free smile” instead. And what if, despite all caution, it ends up getting you? “Then the right diet can also help alleviate the symptoms.”
 

The doctor reveals what you should put on your plate and what you can do to clear your nose in the ten tips for colds below.

1. It’s best to avoid shaking hands, as it can pass on numerous pathogens.
2. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, then apply lotion carefully. It’s best not to touch your face or food with your hands before washing them.
3. Drink enough fluids: tea, for example, not only keeps the body warm from the inside, but also prevents the mucous membranes from drying out and losing their protective function against pathogens.
4. Even though it’s cold out, don’t keep your heat on at the highest level on an ongoing basis. The hot air makes for dry mucous membranes. Then the moist, protective shield in the nose, which ideally should intercept viruses, will no longer function properly. A sea salt nasal spray from over the counter can help. It’s natural and will protect against dryness. Important: ventilate rooms sufficiently, preferably at least three times a day for ten minutes. This reduces the concentration of viruses in the air, and thus the risk of infection.
5. Get some exercise in the fresh air as often as possible. Bundle up against the cold and take a long walk at least twice a week. Even daily, moderate endurance sports (about 30 minutes) can increase your immune defense. Important: take special care to protect your head against the cold.
6. Boost your immune system. A balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables supports both the prevention and treatment of colds. However, research has shown that vitamin C has no preventive effect, it only helps to alleviate cold symptoms.
7. Starting the day with hot and cold contrast showers is good for the immune system. Tip: regular trips to the sauna can also boost the immune system.
8. Get enough sleep and avoid stress: Stress and too little sleep are poison for the immune system.
   
9. When coughing and sneezing, keep as far away as possible from other people and don’t cough into your hand, but rather into a handkerchief or the crook of your arm. Viruses and bacteria are also spread by droplet infection, i.e. they are sprayed in tiny droplets when coughing and sneezing. 
   
10. In the worst-case scenario, these proven household remedies can also help: potato poultices against coughs and hot milk with honey against sore throat – what mothers and grandmothers have successfully used to treat colds are still valid remedies today. In the event of a high fever, persistent symptoms, or even breathing difficulties and ear pain, please consult a doctor to clarify the causes.

World premiere at South America’s largest motor show: Volkswagen presents the compact study Tarok at the São Paulo International Motor Show (November 6 to 18). The all-wheel drive all-rounder of the five-meter class combines the features of a latest generation, digitally networked SUV with the versatility of a pick-up. The Tarok especially proves its versatility in the loading area. If you want to transport a ladder or other long objects, you can easily fold the lower part of the back wall of the crew cab inwards and gain more than half a meter of storage space. You can load up to one ton of weight.

The striking eye-catchers of the Tarok are the Targa-look roof bars, the LED lighting strip at the rear, and the four-door double cabin. The Tarok comes with two 110 kW/150 bhp engines, a 2.0-liter TDI, and a 1.4-liter TSI. The four-cylinder engine can be operated with ethanol or with a gasoline-ethanol mixture. The TSI in the Tarok is combined with a 6-speed automatic transmission and 4Motion permanent four-wheel drive.

Scott Keogh will become President and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, as well as CEO for the North American region of the Volkswagen brand. Keogh joined Audi of America as Chief Marketing Officer in 2006, and become President of Audi of America in 2012.

Volkswagen and Stanford University 
have developed a new catalytic converter technology. The innovation primarily involves platinum, a precious metal which is needed as a catalyst for operating the fuel cell. In the new process, platinum atoms are placed on a carbon surface to generate extremely thin particles. This method reduces the amount of expensive platinum used to a fraction of the amount currently needed. It also increases the catalytic converter’s efficiency threefold and lengthens its lifespan. With this new catalytic technology, the fuel cell would become a real alternative to electric battery drive systems and combustion engines. The researchers’ task is now to translate the results obtained in the laboratory to large-scale industrial production.