Stories – People & Planet
People & Planet – How Comet is enabling transformation
Engaged for the next generation.
We live in a globally networked society and are part of a global community – something the pandemic has made all the more clear.
For Comet, too, it is becoming increasingly important to place the company’s actions in a larger context, take on additional responsibility in civil society and contribute to a better future.
Technology improves education – education improves technology
Developing innovative technologies takes inquisitiveness, a thirst for exploration, and driving passion. But for individuals to succeed in creating new technology, they must have access to education, knowledge and, ultimately, the existing technologies that are the springboard for further development.
At Comet, we therefore believe that fair access to education in turn improves technology. We also care deeply about fostering curiosity and enthusiasm for technology in the next generation.
“It’s great to witness how young people’s natural curiosity about technology can be awakened and nurtured.”
Bettina Hertner
Training Manager in Flamatt
Fostering curiosity and enthusiasm for technology
As a company with a long tradition of staff training and development, we pave the way to success for dozens of apprentices, interns and young professionals at any one time. Moreover, we support institutions that are committed to a similar mission in technology and education. Locally, and increasingly also globally.
Many small actions – big impact for those reached
As the Comet Group, we teamed up at all our locations worldwide at the end of 2020 and launched the “Best Present for the Future” campaign in order to support UNICEF’s global education program.
In addition, many of our sites have local initiatives that aim to contribute to a better future in various ways.
For example, out of our headquarters in Flamatt, we support Young Tinkerers (an organization that fosters youths’ interest in technology and science) as well as Technorama, the Swiss Science Center. Both in Switzerland and at our locations in Germany, we participate in the national Future Day, a long-standing initiative for bringing one’s children to work and widening their perceived range of choices in choosing a profession. “It’s great to witness with how much curiosity young people approach technology and how enthusiastic they are," says Bettina Hertner, Training Manager in Flamatt.
“Our people are now asking when they can donate before the annual campaign even starts.”
Rachelle Sgarlato
Fundraising Coordinator in San Jose
Comet Technologies USA partners with Family Giving Tree and has been raising money for the organization’s Back-to-School Drive every year for several years.
Even before the hunger for education, however, sometimes the first step is to relieve physical hunger. Our employees in San Jose, California, have been collecting donations for Second Harvest very successfully for many years. “Our people are now asking when they can donate before the annual campaign even starts," says Rachelle Sgarlato, Supervisor of Administrative Services and fundraising coordinator in San Jose. This year, the collection provided the equivalent of 3,200 meals.
Becoming even more sustainable, globally
But we want to do much more for a better future. Sustainability is integral to the high-performing organization we aspire to be and is thus part of our strategy for tomorrow. Responsible practices in the environmental, social and governance spheres are to become even more firmly embedded in our corporate DNA.
In January 2021, we therefore launched a Group-wide sustainability program. While we already act locally through many different initiatives – such as the procurement of green electricity, the use of airbag packaging to reduce waste, and a diversity campaign – we want to take up sustainability issues at a global level in a structured way, set ourselves targets and improve incrementally.