TÜV SÜD Magazine "Courage"

CONTENTS [ D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N ] 04 The cosmopolitan and entrepreneur realizes one of mankind’s oldest dreams: education opportunities for people all over the world. PAGE 06

H I G H LY S E C U R E M I S S I O N With TÜV SÜD in the sealed cloud

S H A I R ES H EF

06

FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD Getting to know a remarkable university with Shai Reshef

[MOBILITY] 12 A team around the initiator, ­Deutsche Bahn, has set the first piece of our future mobility into motion. PAGE 14

C O M P U T E R , TA K E C O N T R O L !

Enabling the breakthrough of autonomous driving

VISIONARIES IN ROTTAL-INN

14

THE 700 M REVOLUTION The people behind Germany’s first autonomous bus service

[INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES] 20 The passionate freediver and world record holder has loved the thrill of the depths since ­childhood. PAGE 22

ENERGY IN FLUX On the trail of oil, gas and water

A LES S IA ZEC C H INI

22

B R E AT H L E S S S I L E N C E Diving into the unterwater world with Alessia Zecchini

[PRODUCT SAFETY] 28

Ensuring that protective equipment really protects

A NNA S C H A FFELH U B ER Monoski-bob sportswoman and holder of several Paralympics gold medals knows no fear. PAGE 30

EQUIPPED FOR ADVENTURE

30

A LWAY S AT T H E L I M I T A racing weekend with Anna Schaffelhuber

[WORK & LIFE] 36 Every day in India’s patriarchal society, there are new challenges waiting fot the women’s rights campaigner. PAGE 38

IT’S A QUESTION OF MEANING Employees want answers

TH ER ES A M O O ZH IYIL

38

THE SEED FOR CHANGE IS SOWN Changing Indian society with Theresa Moozhiyil

SHOW COURAGE – ENABLE COURAGE Our world is changing – day by day and at breathtaking speed. Digitization in our everyday lives has accelerated the speed of change even more. Resolutely facing these many new challenges requires courage: courage to leave tried and tested paths, grasp opportunities, overcome obstacles and break down boundaries.

This magazine shows people who have demonstrated such courage in the past year. Five stories portray men and women who, through their contribution, have given new impetus to society, made progress possible or used their own capabilities to the full. Our magazine also shows what courage means for a company such as TÜV SÜD: for example, always redefining and enhancing existing services using innovative technologies while not compromising levels of quality and reliability.

By ensuring more certainty in today’s and tomorrow’s world, TÜV SÜD is also an enabler of courage. This magazine also tells about this: you can only be courageous when you can rely on your own capabilities and be assured that you are safe. TÜV SÜD provides this encouragement – true to this magazine’s theme. Our customers can rely on this.

M AGAZINE

2017

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

WITH TÜV SÜD IN THE SEALED CLOUD Independent of time, place and own resources, individually adaptable and cost-effectively scalable at all times – the cloud is one of the great promises of the digital transformation. Data storage can be saved as securely as in your own data center – thanks to a unique sealing technology.

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

ADVANTAGES OF THE SEALED CLOUD

T

o store it yourself or to have others store it for you? Most businesses still only trust their own data centers when it comes to important company data. And yet, storing data in a cloud would have many advantages: anything stored in the digital cloud is not only available wherever you are in the world, but it is generally also more effective and cheaper than storing on own servers. If only it didn’t pose security concerns: just how secure is outsourced data from hacker attacks or from espionage by the cloud provider itself? “As a specialist organization for technical security, TÜV SÜD has taken ownership of this topic”, says Dr. Dirk Schlesinger. The Chief Digital Officer at TÜV SÜD is aiming high: “Small and medium-sized businesses have the greatest initial reservations in migrating to cloud computing, and they in particular should benefit from our secure solution.”

TOP MARKS FOR SECURITY In mid-2017, TÜV SÜD acquired a majority shareholding in the Munich-based company Uniscon GmbH, forming the basis for a promising partnership. The global services provider contributes its expertise in the fields of security and processes, coupled with a high level of trust from its customers. The young company Uniscon contributes an exceptional technical solution: the “sealed cloud” is a high-security cloud solution which solves the basic problem of outsourcing data: access by the platform provider itself. Thanks to a special encryption code, Uniscon technology makes it impossible for a platform provider or its administrators to access their clients’ data. Additional protection is also offered in the form of technology which automatically deletes data in the event of a hacker attack. It couldn’t be safer! As a result, Dirk Schlesinger is certain: “Our highly-secure solution will significantly increase acceptance of the cloud.

In five to ten years, we will all be cloud-based.”

Sealed cloud computing offers a unique level of security: Only the user has access to their data. Both external hackers and even service providers themselves are technically and mechanically locked out.

Thanks to the various security mechanisms data stored in the sealed cloud can not only be extremely securely stored but also safely processed.

+1,250 Companies are already successfully using the sealed cloud

“New digital solutions ­p rovide many advantages for businesses. Our task is to make innovations so safe that people can trust this new technology.”

DR. DIRK SCHLESINGER Chief Digital Officer TÜV SÜD

Munich Center of Excellence

Singapore Center of Excellence

Digital paths of the future The acquisition of Uniscon marks an important milestone for TÜV SÜD in providing support for the digital transformation of their customers worldwide and in being a dependable partner in the “smart future”. ­Supporting TÜV SÜD’s digital strategy are two Centers of Excellence in Singapore and Munich which opened in 2016 and 2017. This is where the company pools its digital expertise and develops new services in relation to Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. www.tuev-sued.de/digital-service

04 05

M AGAZINE

2017

Interview Klaus Rathje Illustration MPM

Shai Reshef has realized one of mankind’s oldest dreams: the University of the People offers people all over the world the possibility of higher education independent of income, status or where they live.

It was founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in 2009. His tuition-free, non-profit, accredited online university, headquartered in ­California, is made possible by new digital technologies such as the cloud as well as his own courage to forge new paths.

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

06 07 TÜV SÜD Mr. Reshef, because we are conducting this interview via Skype, I am experiencing you as your students would, that is: virtually. Does the University of the People even have a real office?

SHAI RESHEF Yes and no. We have an office in California but all our employees around the world work from home. Our university has a virtual campus. We have a mailing address in California to which our students can mail official documents and there are people who pick these documents up and deal with the paperwork. That’s all.

M AGAZINE

2017

TÜV SÜD That’s very lean for an educational institution which currently has over 12,000 students.

SHAI RESHEF Yes, but that’s also part of our concept in order to keep costs as low as possible. By the way, we expect to double our number of students in the current year. We are expanding very fast. However, unfortunately it’s still too little when millions of people all over the world are in desperate need of our virtual university.

TÜV SÜD Which countries do your students come from?

SHAI RESHEF

USA

The university has enrolled students from over 200 countries and territories around the world.

Currently 40 percent of the students are American. There are also many people here who are excluded from traditional higher education – above all because they cannot afford the high ­tuition fees which average USD 15,000 a year in addition to the high cost of living. Our offer is not completely free but, at USD 100 per exam for the Bachelor’s degree and USD 200 per exam for the MBA, our costs are quite manageable.

Pasadena, CA

A complete bachelor’s program is thus already possible for USD 4,000, and an MBA is possible for USD $2,400. This is of course a lot of money in Africa and several other countries, but in most cases it is still significantly cheaper than all other alternatives. And for those who cannot afford the modest fees, we have a number of scholarships in place to offset these costs. We’ve had students who’ve experienced the volcanic eruption in Haiti, the war in Rwanda and the tsunami in Asia. We currently have many migrant students, including 600 from Syria. We are very happy to be able to give them this opportunity.

TÜV SÜD Can you remember the first student admitted to the University of the ­People in 2009?

SHAI RESHEF Of course! It was a student in Kenya who wrote on our Facebook page: “Today, I’ve started my degree at the University of the People and I feel like a rich American student attending a real US university!” I remember thinking then that this alone made this project worthwhile. We had our first graduates five years later – seven students from Jordan, Syria, Nigeria and the USA. This has since risen to 500 graduates. Many of them now have a solid job, some with the best companies in the world such as IBM, Apple and Google.

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

SHAI RESHEF Equal opportunities for people from around the world: Shai Reshef, President of the University of the People, has a mission.

Educational entrepreneur Place of residence Pasadena, California Occupation Founder and President of t­ he University of the People Shai Reshef looks back on a long career in the education sector. From 1989 to 2005 he served as Chief Executive Officer and then as Chairman of a large educational institution in the USA with approximately 50,000 students a year. At the same time he set up the first online university outside the USA. In 2009 he founded the University of the People as a non-profit organization which currently has over 12,000 students from all over the world studying online.

08 09

M AGAZINE

2017

UN IVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE The purely online university is aimed at people all over the world.

There are no lecture halls or attendance requirements. ­Students can complete the entire program online, graduating with a degree in business administration, computer science or health science. The non-profit ­institution with headquarters in Pasadena, California, is recognized officially as a university by the United States Department of ­Education. To be eligible, students have to be over 18 years old and must speak fluent English. www.uopeople.edu

TÜV SÜD What was the catalyst nine years ago that made you take this ­courageous step and found a non-profit university?

SHAI RESHEF As director of an educational institution in the years before that, I set up an online program with the University of Liverpool. I realized then how effective digital technology can be: as a student you can live anywhere in the world and even have a job and still study for a university degree. Unfortunately, these courses were too expensive for most people. In my early 50s, I returned to New York with the intention of giving back to society something that would have a lasting impact. If you educate a person you can change their life, if you educate 20 people you can change the world.

TÜV SÜD You really have forged new ground with the founding of the University of the People.

SHAI RESHEF When we started the first courses nobody believed that it would be possible to set up a university without tuition fees if you didn’t have the support of the whole country behind you.

“A ­university with volunteers will never work”, they all said. Many people were also skeptical as to whether a university that was solely online would work out. In the meantime, nearly all universities now also offer online courses and we were therefore forerunners of a kind.

TÜV SÜD When did you realize that your idea would succeed?

SHAI RESHEF A friend told me that there were professors who would offer their help to students online free of charge – which I couldn’t believe at first. At the same time open source software and cloud technology was available so all I had to do was to bring it all together.

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

By the way, I first introduced my concept for the University of the People at a conference in Munich in 2009 and on the following day the New York Times published a long article about it.

One day after that I received hundreds of emails from professors who thought the idea was great and offered their help. Since then I have been surprised anew every day by how much goodwill there is in the world. In the meantime, about 6,000 professors, some from highly-­ renowned universities such as Oxford, Berkeley and New York University, are involved with the project on a voluntary basis.

TÜV SÜD How does the University of the People work technically?

SHAI RESHEF We are 100 percent cloud-based, all our applications operate from there. This makes our system, in combination with automated processes, very cost-effective and also allows us to grow quickly at any time. We rely on the largest and most trustworthy cloud service providers. Our teaching materials are available as open educational resources and are therefore free of charge for our students. We also use the free learning management system Moodle where students can upload their work, communicate with their course instructor and network with fellow students.

TÜV SÜD Did you ever worry about failing? After all you had a well-paid job before giving it up.

SHAI RESHEF When you start such a project with complete conviction you don’t think of the risks. You only think about why you want to do it and what you need to do it.

I had no idea how much help I could rely on from others.

I also didn’t know how the students would feel about the idea. I am very happy that the University of the People is so successful today. Now we have to grow even more to show the world that it is possible to open access to quality, affordable higher education for many individuals. That is our mission.

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

10 11

M AGAZINE

2017

MOBILITY

ENABLING THE BREAKTHROUGH OF AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

Currently no other topic is being as hotly debated in the automotive sector as highly automated driving: ­d igitization makes it possible. While the technical prerequisites are already highly advanced, test methods, approval procedures, and rules and regulations are still in their early stages. A case for TÜV SÜD: With an international project team, the technical service provider is at the forefront of facilitating the breakthrough of new technology relating to autonomous driving.

M OBILITY

Three experts from TÜV SÜD’s Autonomous Driving team: Robert Matawa (r.), Head of Test Department Autonomous ­Driving, and expert Benjamin Koller. Dr. Houssem Abdellatif (small ­picture) is Global Head of Autonomous Driving.

T

he silver-grey car drives at a steady speed in the left lane of the highway.

As if by magic, the steering wheel makes slight corrections. The car accelerates and brakes automatically, adapting to the traffic flow.

Yet a message appears in the display after only a few minutes, asking the driver to put their hands back on the steering wheel. Scenes like this are already taking place thousands of times a day in Germany and represent stage 2 (of 5 stages) on the way to fully autonomous driving. The first cars classified as “stage 3-ready” have been on sale since the end of 2017. Theoretically, they can drive independently on the highway at a speed of up to 120 km/h. However, authorization is still pending.

Dr. Houssem Abdellatif who heads the division for highly-automated driving at TÜV SÜD is intensively involved with his team, but is also thinking much further ahead – to the fully automated car.

SUCCESS USING THE HYBRID APPROACH With autonomy comes increasing complexity – to an enormous degree. According to experts, about 100 million scenarios have to be run through in order to test a single fully-automated driving function. Given the fact that there is so much data in developing safe test methods, the TÜV SÜD team follow a hybrid approach: physical testing on test routes and virtual simulations in laboratories. Since modern cars are increasingly evolving to become computers on wheels needing regular updates, the focus is not only on “classical” functional safety, but also data security. With success: TÜV SÜD is the only expert organization in Germany involved in the Federal Ministry of Economics’ Pegasus Project, and as strategic partner to the Singaporean government in the Cetran test project. Both initiatives aim to define the framework for future autonomous driving.

12 13

Check THREE QUESTIONS FOR DR. HOUSSEM A B D E L L AT I F

“stage 3-ready” cars can reach speeds of up to

120 km/h on the highway

100 Mio. scenarios have to be run through in order to test a single fully-automated driving function

1 . T Ü V S Ü D i s f o l l o w i n g a h y b r i d a p p r o a c h o f vir tual simulation and physical tes t s for the t ype-approval for highly automated cars. Has t h e c o n c e p t p r o v e n i t s e l f ? The approach is the ­correct way to ensure the safety of complex assistance systems.

It is impossible to represent all driving situations in physical tests.

Additional data models provide a broad range of validation.

2. H ow great is t he t hreat of hacker at t acks?

Cyber security is an important focus of our project work. As with any connected technology the automated car is also at risk. We are therefore working closely with car manufacturers, telecommunication companies, infrastructure providers as well as public bodies.

3. W ith your suppor t , the Federal state of Bavaria was able to introduce t he f irs t au tono m o u s b u s s e r v i c e o n p u b l i c r o a d s i n G e r m a n y.

How impor t an t are such pract ical project s for y o u r w o r k ? Very important. With the successful individual approval of the bus we were able to gain valuable knowledge for the future approval of such vehicles. And we were also able to refine the first guidelines for how automated driving in general can be introduced on the roads.

M AGAZINE

2017

M OBILITY

14 15

Local public transport can also be very exciting. In October 2017 its future in ­G ermany started anew when a small spa town in Lower Bavaria saw the launch of the first fully-electric and fully automated bus.

Te x t MPM Illustration Maren Schmitt

M AGAZINE

2017

n spite of all the challenges, this ­project has seen a motivated team work closely with the ­initiator, ­Deutsche Bahn, to not only get a small shuttle up and running, but also to take the first steps towards our future mobility.

GERMANY

Bad Birnbach

Revolutions often start off inconspicuously and quietly, just like the local 7015 bus service.

Since 25 October 2017, the minibus – five meters long and similar to a cable car – has been covering the 700 meters from the market place of Bad Birnbach to the spa resort in Rottal every 30 minutes. Admittedly, not a long distance for a conventional vehicle. But for the EZ10 electric shuttle, from the vehicle developer EasyMile, nothing is conventional: no steering wheel, no pedals, no driver, but plenty of electronics and software as well as a safety operator who is required by law to man the shuttle and who can intervene when necessary by triggering the emergency stop button or joystick.

The first autonomous bus in regular service is an idea of Deutsche Bahn who is looking to provide solutions today for the mobility demand of tomorrow with its new ioki business division (“Input Output Künstliche Intelligenz”: input output artificial intelligence). The six passengers onboard do not notice the GPS ­ monitor or the networked technology of radar systems, ultrasound detectors and laser ­sensors. Nor do they realize the input afforded by the project partners Deutsche Bahn, TÜV SÜD, the administrative district Rottal-Inn and the municipality of Bad Birnbach. This whole achievement required not only openness for new ideas, passion and the enhanced engagement of the many contributors, but also their courage. An achievement comparable with the first journey made by the Adler steam locomotive in 1835, which also only covered a distance of 6.2 kilometers, thereby making history. Today’s EZ10 bus might also take its place in the history books.

M OBILITY

DEUTSCHE BAHN S EB A STIAN KRIEG Head of Strategy Passenger Transport/ Pilot Project Leader Bad Birnbach

Safely underway as part of Bad ­Birnbach’s regular bus service: the first autonomous bus on Germany’s public roads.

16 17 A F O R E R U N N E R IN P R A C TIC A L A P P L I C AT I O N Autonomous driving will significantly change the mobility ­market, and we, at Deutsche Bahn, want to be at the forefront of this change. In rural areas in particular, where affordable mobility has always been a difficult topic, autonomous vehicles provide completely new opportunities. These vehicles can pick people up directly from their doorstep, covering that final mile and making public transport much more attractive in the process. We, at Deutsche Bahn, set up the ioki business division in 2017 to provide a flexible and seamless solution to such mobility demands. The aim of ioki is to provide practical autonomous technology for our customers in selected areas – such as in Bad Birnbach, as quickly as possible.

And this, in spite of all the difficulties we had in finding a suitable vehicle, since there are none yet available from German manufacturers. However, by collaborating with a French vehicle developer as well as our other partners, we were able to successfully bring the project onto the streets of Bad Birnbach and we are now forerunners: with Germany’s first autonomous bus line.

M AGAZINE

2017

T O B R AV ELY TR EA D U N TR O D D EN PATH S Ready to take on big challenges: in the future, autonomous buses will also revolutionize local transport in towns.

My team and I were in Bad Birnbach when Richard Lutz, CEO of ­Deutsche Bahn, ceremoniously cut the ribbon on 25 October 2017 and paved the way for the first regular autonomous bus service in Germany.

That small step represented a huge step for tomorrow’s mobility. We were proud to have played a significant role as technical experts and inspectors, although we had to tread many new and unknown paths to get there. Never before had an autonomous driving vehicle been licensed to ­regularly drive on German roads. The prospect of successful technical acceptance was only possible with an especially ambitious and courageous team. We needed to combine a precise knowledge of the legal situation with the most modern and, at times, newly-developed methods of forensic risk ­analysis as well as real and virtual test methods. We were also in close, ongoing communication with the competent authorities. The operation was a success and the bus has been making its rounds since October, thereby symbolizing our motto in its own unique way: “Choose ­certainty. Add value”.

MARKET TOWN BAD BIRNBACH VIKTOR GRÖLL Director Spa Administration

C O NS TR U C TIO N R EQ U IR EM ENTS Q U IC K LY D EA LT WITH When Deutsche Bahn put out the invitation to tender we got in touch straight away. The advantages of this pilot project for the community outweighed any potential risks.

Following the planned route extention, the bus enables us already in 2018 to connect the destination of the spa resort in ­Rottal, wellloved by visitors and local people alike, with the railway station which lies 1.5 kilometers away. On the one hand, this project fits perfectly into our development concept to become an ecological spa, with e-mobility playing an important role. And on the other hand, mobility, in general, is an important topic in rural areas. In our market town community, 5,700 inhabitants are spread over 70 square kilometers and 85 different districts. Public transportation can therefore quickly become a challenge. But imagine – one day the autonomous bus will recognize not only one but 85 different routes which it will then drive when needed. Local policy makers were quick to recognize this potential and have supported the proposal from the very start. Our biggest problem was one ­specific building requirement. We had to adapt an underpass for the bus, but that was also quickly solved thanks to the support of the market town council.

M OBILITY

15 km/h is the top speed of the autonomous buses in Bad Birnbach.

TÜV SÜD R O B ER T M ATAWA Head of Test Autonomous Driving & ADAS

18 19

SE N DI N G A S I G N A L F O R T HE RE GI O N This is the first time that public transportation is carrying passengers autonomously. In legal and administrative terms, we have broken completely new ground, for example with regard to the time-consuming approval procedure.

This also required courage. However, it is worth being courageous when two requirements are fulfilled: firstly, there should not, of course, be any danger to the passengers and other road users, ensured by intensive collaboration between all project partners.

Secondly, this courage must also pay off and here we are convinced that the autonomous bus sends a significant signal. In rural areas such as ours, many people are still reliant on cars.

With the autonomous bus regularly providing transport for ­passengers in Bad Birnbach, we are sending a clear signal concerning the flexibilization of future public ­transportation.

I think that in this respect we can be proud that we are at the forefront of a project that is relevant for the future of our region.

A D M I N I S T R AT I V E D I S T R I C T R O T TA L - I N N MICHAEL FAHMÜLLER District Commissioner

MOBILITY

M AGAZINE

2017

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

ON THE TRAIL OF OIL, G A S A N D WAT E R Oil Water

Even if renewable energy sources are catching up, oil and gas continue to grease the wheels of the global economy. TÜV SÜD therefore invests heavily in their ­f urther development and efficiency enhancement. For example in Scotland: a unique testing and research ­c enter for multiphase flow measurement is currently being constructed by the UK subsidiary TÜV SÜD Ltd and its business unit TÜV SÜD NEL, where testing and research of liquid and gaseous components simultaneously will be conducted. The science behind multiphase flow and metrology can reduce operating costs and improve profitability of offshore oil and gas fields.

Gas

I N D U STRIAL

B

oreholes can be drilled up to a depth of 10,000 meters, the pressure can rise to 1,000 bar and oil and gas rigs are now extending into the Arctic Ocean. Today, such extreme conditions are typical for offshore exploration of oil and gas reserves because most of the easily accessible fields have already been tapped. Therefore the question regularly arises as to whether exploration and development is viable in view of the higher costs involved. The answer is yes, if the technology of the components, systems and plant used are optimally matched to each other. Among other things, it must be possible to measure the oil-water-gas mixture extracted from the borehole as efficiently as possible to precisely allocate the quantities of valuable fossil fuels.

TÜV SÜD NEL specializes in the research and technological testing of this multiphase flow. The leading specialist worldwide is located in Scotland, where large oil and gas reserves have been extracted off the coasts since the 1960s.

WORLD’S LEADING INSTITUTION “We face two enormous challenges. One of these is the trend towards accurately analyzing the pumped mixture on the seafloor. For this we need to further develop the technical equipment for use in extreme conditions. The second challenge is conducting fundamental research to better understand the physical behaviour of multiphase flow patterns used in extreme subsea environments,” explains Muir Porter, Group Head TÜV SÜD NEL. The new subsea Center of Excellence (CoE), which is currently being built, will be well-equipped to deal with both. It should start operations at the beginning of 2019. The heart of the facility will be a huge 270 tonne gravity separator which, as part of a pressurized flow loop, will enable a globally unique test spectrum of process operating condi-

FACILITIES

The Center of Excellence at a glance To t a l i n v e s t m e n t costs

€ 18 million Building space

1,600

squar e met er s No. of jobs approximately

100 Liquid separator at the heart of t h e ­c e n t e r Length

33 m Diameter

2.6 m Weight

Separator The Center’s liquid separator investigates optimum economic processing methods for oil-water-gas mixtures.

270 t Start of operations Spring

2019

tions for the investigation and testing of single and multiphase flow patterns and technology. Understanding the physics of the changing flow regimes helps to measure the flow of the constituent components with much greater certainty. In addition, the specialists of the future CoE will facilitate, among other things, company-led joint industrial projects, metrology consultancy, technology development and product testing, industrial training and science research. Muir Porter sums up the unique added value of the new center: “Our research, test and development centre directly addresses the drive to reduce hydrocarbon extraction costs in a price-sensitive environment, coordinates scientific research, develops new technologies and improves data management.”

TÜV SÜD has invested over € 18 million in Glasgow, one third of which was supported by the Scottish Enterprise organization. The research and testing capability will also benefit other industries such as the pharmaceutical, agricultural, foodstuffs and aerospace industries as well as renewable energies.

“The Center will directly address the drive to reduce hydrocarbon extraction costs in a price-sensitive ­e nvironment.”

MUIR PORT E R Group Head TÜV SÜD NEL

20 21

M AGAZINE

2017

Te x t Martino Motti Photography Alberto Balbi D a a n Ve r h o e v e n Kalindi Wijsmuller

I N D U STRIAL

FACILITIES

22 23

Alessia Zecchini loves the sea and its depths. However, today, the mistral is too cold and stormy for training in the churning waters of the Mediterranean by Cap Ferrat.

Yet, it is not too cold to learn more about her passion. This young woman from Rome ranks among the best free-­ divers in the world – and in 2018 she is looking to beat the world record for diving while holding her breath.

M AGAZINE

2017

It was the beginning of what became her great passion. Every summer, she drove to the seaside with her parents and spent many hours in the water, practising equalization techniques. It was all just for fun at first but then, when she was 13 years old, she heard about a freediving course; she registered for it and began to realize her dream. Where does this passion come from? “Freediving is a fascinating way to be in intimate contact with nature while getting to know the deepest parts of oneself.” To Alessia, this form of diving does not just mean holding her breath. Courage, a clear mind and an awareness of risks must work together.

This means understanding your own body, knowing how it works best and controlling your muscles. It also means mastering your fears and guiding your Ready for the next challenge: Alessia Zecchini getting ready for a day’s training in the Mediterranean.

Te x t Martino Motti

FRANCE

Nice Cap Ferrat

also used to be a freediver and, thanks to this shared passion, a special atmosphere was there immediately during our conversation on the beach of the Côte d‘Azur. Alessia clearly remembers the day that changed her life: “I have been diving since the age of six, and in order to receive my swimming certificate, I had to dive in a 25-meter pool.

And it just clicked.”

Warm-up exercises before the dive: maximum concentration is a prerequisite for a new world record.

I N D U STRIAL

FACILITIES

thoughts to create a parallel world of silence and concentration. Freediving is, above all, a battle with yourself.

Knowing your own limits and trying to push through them and overcome them and to win.

2013 – the first world record Although just 18 years old at the time, Alessia had ambitious goals. She was training every day, covering many kilometers both in and under water, completing training sessions – and her discipline paid off. In 2009, she qualified for the Italian championships, and in 2011 she came second and was selected for the national team in 2012.

Freediving is practised internationally as a competitive sport with a recognized set of rules. In 2013, Alessia used the guide rope to pull herself down to a depth of 81 meters without using ballast or fins and thereby set a new world record in the free immersion discipline recognized by the international diving association CMAS. How would you explain this form of freediving? “I leave the surface of the water as soon as I have breathed in as much air as possible using the buccal pumping technique.”

Then Alessia descends to the depths, becoming very calm. While the light gradually disappears and it grows darker around her, she also slows down her heartbeat. As the temperature of the water sinks, her level of concentration rises. There is no room for fear, it gives way to courage. Any doubts have to stay above water.

ALESSIA ZECCHIN I Freediver Place of birth Rome Date of birth June 30, 1992 Occupation Professional freediver Height 173 cm Current world record 104 m Constant Weight (AIDA) 250 m Dynamic With Fins (CMAS)

24 25

dept Ale

rec

ssi

Wi

h of 104 m th

a

a s ets ord a n in ew 3:3 wo 0 m rld inu tes

M AGAZINE

2017

“Freediving teaches you that you can achieve and control everything with your thoughts.”

It is all down to concentration It is hard work training for a new world record. Alessia trains at the same spot for over a month, always diving deeper, over and over again. A rope serves as a guide, and on it, deep underwater, is a small tag attached as proof of the world record. Just like in October 2017, when, off the Long Island coast of the Bahamas, Alessia dived to a depth of 104 meters lasting three minutes thirty seconds, setting a new world record in the constant weight apnea discipline – a depth dive at constant weight and using fins.

When asked about her secret for success, she answers: “It’s all down to concentration. The years of training have enabled me to reach a mental state free from fear and stress. It really helps to visualize the dive shortly beforehand. I visualize the hyperventilation, the dive, how I reach the tag and the ascent back up. I even visualize the feeling of joy and the applause of those present when I return to the surface. If no difficulties come up, then the whole thing happens in reality just as I had imagined it.” I ask her again about fear and courage.

Many people find it difficult to believe that a person is capable of doing such a thing. “Maybe it’s because I

started diving at such an early age, but I really don’t feel any fear or other feelings of uneasiness. Quite the opposite, in fact!” Is this courage or recklessness? There is a fine line between the two: courage is needed to master a daring feat. Recklessness is when you’re not properly prepared.

Looking for warm water The location is, of course, also important for freediving. “My favorite location? Wherever it’s warm, of course! For example, I’m often in Daheb in Egypt. I get on well with the locals, the coral reef is fantastic and the Blue Hole is the ideal training place for me. I have just come back from the Maldives, where there are also optimal conditions for my discipline: warm water – even deep down, few hard temperature transitions, a diverse underwater world to observe, fish and even sharks, clear water and special lighting conditions.

Until a few years ago, I trained principally in the Mediterranean which enabled me to compete everywhere.

Then I discovered the warm waters of the tropics, and competing in the Mediterranean became increasingly difficult.”

I N D U STRIAL

FACILITIES

92 m is the current world record for the free immersion apnea discipline

Alessia has already reached On top: Alessia Zecchini directly after surfacing following her 88 m dive, where she won gold in the AIDA Freediving World Cup.

90 m 26 27

A real rush I ask her about her most emotional diving experience. It must surely have been when she broke the 104 meter mark a few months earlier, reaching the tag, despite the numbness which occurs at these depths. The rush you get – due partly to pressure and partly to nitrogen in your tissue – is something you never forget. “Yes, my exhilaration and emotions were unforgettable. Because I also knew that I had beaten my Japanese rival by one meter and set a new world record!”

“It’s all down to ­concentration. The years of training have enabled me to reach a mental state free from fear and stress.”

We haven’t yet spoken about the equipment. How important is it? “It is very important indeed to be properly equipped. The fins, mask, snorkel and safety line must be reliable, comfortable and high-performance – without compromise. I exclusively use the equipment of a manufacturer who is also my sponsor. I am very happy with it.”

Alessia also tells me that free immersion is currently her favorite discipline, diving without a mask and fins, with only a nose clip and a safety line fixed between the waist and the guide rope.

The diver pulls him or herself on the guide rope during the descent and again during the ascent and is otherwise completely free. To date, the record is 92 meters and Alessia already managed to reach 90 meters during training last summer. When I ask her what depths or distances she wants to reach in both this and other freediving disciplines, she tactically does not answer, preferring to look out over the sea. After all, her rivals don’t need to know too much.

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

M AGAZINE

2017

PRODUCT SAFETY

ENSURING T H AT P R O T E C T I V E EQUIPMENT R E A L LY P R O T E C T S

Action and adventure in the great outdoors – with the ­l owest possible risk: if you love being active in the mountains, at the beach, on lakes then you want to be able to enjoy this experience without any accidents. Personal protective equipment such as climbing helmets and protectors offer valuable support.

TÜV SÜD tests many of these in its laboratories and enables safe recreational fun.

Accurate to one hundredth of a second – not only when testing avalanche airbags: Volker Kron, product specialist at TÜV SÜD.

PROD UCT

SA FETY

Slab avalanches can develop a pressure of

40 tons

A

sunny spring day in the Allgäu Alps: in a popular ski resort, off-piste, a sheet of snow has broken loose. Several hundred tons of snow hurtle down the slope – with two skiers caught up in the middle. A nightmare for every winter sports enthusiast, but one for which you can equip yourself – with, for example, a properly functioning avalanche airbag on your back. It is for this very reason that TÜV SÜD’s Volker Kron has been rolling around in the snow for hours, testing airbag rucksacks from a number of different manufacturers. Do the valves get blocked...does the airbag deploy reliably even in extreme conditions...and does it inflate to the required volume? In a worst-case scenario, these questions can make the difference between life and death, because in an avalanche you see what is referred to as the brazil nut effect where the bigger particles rise to the surface.

per square meter

Check Fitness and sports equipment

leisure equiment

T E S T I N G I S B E ST D O NE O N S ITE Approximately 5,000 employees work in the Product Service Division of TÜV SÜD, most of them based in China. This is because most consumer products – from microwave ovens, clothes and shoes to children’s buggies – are tested for safety directly on the production site. TÜV SÜD operates a global network of laboratories for this very purpose. The products are generally tested according to international standards, which are on the whole EU regulations and directives for products being exported to Europe. If a product group is, for example, relatively new to the market and the relevant regulations have not yet been drawn up, the experts will then develop the necessary testing scenarios based on existing standards.

outdoor equiment

Bicycles and bicycle equipment

Electric bicycles

Wearables

28 29 E U R O P E A N S TA N D A R D D E V E L O P E D Snow is not simply snow: temperature, age and surrounding conditions make every snow cover unique. As a result, even though it is possible to simulate many conditions in laboratories for testing – if you want reliable results, the examiner must test in the terrain as well. The effort expended

by Volker Kron for the safety of winter sports enthusiasts is worth it. About one year ago, the European standard DIN EN 16716 for avalanche airbags came into force – expedited by Volker Kron and his colleagues at TÜV SÜD who were instrumental in its development. Every single one of these potential life-savers sold in Europe must now fulfill the requirements of the standard. TÜV SÜD is the only examining body authorized to award the certification mark.

However, the certification of avalanche airbags is a very small part of the broad spectrum of tests carried out by TÜV SÜD, which range from other safety and protection products in the field of sports, such as bicycle helmets, ski bindings and climbing harnesses, to all types of consumer goods and toys as well as medical products. Volker Kron already has his next challenge cut out for him: a new EU regulation on personal protective equipment comes into force at the end of April 2018.

M AGAZINE

2017

Te x t Elisabeth Schlammerl Photography Matic Klansek Oliver Lerch

PROD UCT

SA FETY

es l o d ica s i T h p h y s i o n of . ia er mp ost g l e d h c h a n m day p r a y o n p i c t h a ion i c s a s p r b e l y m t e r petit l y m p a r h g f a a r a s f a s om a r a e b oin e P ki a c e P u l h e l o m g l t i p h e s n on r t h f f h a r f r m u o n , s erso n g f o c S he s a pi p ari a n a p i n m p A n t s t o a n d c h a her p r e n o i t s , o r l d nce t r i a , l i m d w erie A u s g . a n . Exp t a i , c h a n us K u h o n g in Pye in

30 31

M AGAZINE

he mountains glow blue at dawn and the small Tyrolean town of Kuhtai, located a good 2,000 meters above sea level, is just awakening. It is the calm before the storm on this December morning at 7.30 a.m. Alongside the first ski tourists, a young woman is also getting ready on a blue monoski-bob. Anna ­Schaffelhuber is currently the most successful para-alpine skier in the world and the face of German disabled sports. In total she won seven gold medals at the Paralympics in Sochi in Russia and Pyeongchan in South Korea, nine titles at world championships and she has also won the overall World Cup six times.

The 25-year-old native of Regensburg, Germany, skis fast – very fast curves this morning.

But this is just the warm-up program. The International Paralympic Committee has organized an Alpine Skiing World Cup in Kuhtai in the week before Christmas. Two giant slaloms and two slaloms are on the program. Anna Schaffelhuber is among the favorites.

She started skiing at the age of five – skiing on a ski-bob. The disabled athlete was born with incomplete paraplegia and was initially able to move with crutches thanks to residual functions in her legs, although a wheelchair became part of her everyday life at an early age.

•

Vienna AUSTRIA Kuhtai

2017

After the race is before the race: Anna Schaffelhuber takes time for an interview before she discusses the next day’s competition with the service team.

PROD UCT

SA FETY

130 km/h i s A n n a ’s t o p speed in the downhill discipline.

Anna was soon just as fast When Anna’s two brothers began skiing, Anna also wanted to join them on the slopes. Her father had read about a ski-bob course organized by the former Paralympic winner Gerda Pamler in Kaunertal, Austria, and he signed up his daughter. Anna liked the sport right away. “As soon as I sit on the monoski-bob I feel free”, she says. During their vacation together, her brothers and parents skied down the slopes on two skis, while Anna used the ski-bob and was soon just as fast as the rest of the family. At the age of 14, Gerda Pamler persuaded the young girl to take part in an assessment course of the German para-­ alpine ski team: “I found out that I wasn’t so slow compared to the others.” Anna joined the squad, started three years later at the Paralympics 2010 in Vancouver and won ­ bronze in the Super-G. One hour after the morning warm-up, Anna takes the lift back up the mountain. The first round of the first giant slalom is coming up. She finishes the World Cup opener in third place. On the following day, she is knocked out after making a mistake in the first round of the second giant slalom. “I couldn’t cope with the frozen snow this time,” says Anna Schaffelhuber. She does better in the two slaloms: she comes second once and finishes the Para World Cup with a victory.

There’s a lot happening on the piste: Anna Schaffelhuber with her teammate and trainer inspecting the piste.

ANN A SCHAFFELHUBER Monoski-bob athlete Place of birth Regensburg Date of birth January 26, 1993 Occupation Student Disability Paraplegia Height 150 cm Award Disabled Sportsperson of the Year 2016 Sochi 2014 Five gold medals in five disciplines Pyeongchang 2018 Most successful ski racer winning two gold and one silver medals

Looking for new challenges Anna Schaffelhuber aims high. Following her triumph at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, when she won gold in all five competitions: slalom, giant slalom, super-G, sitting downhill and in the combined, she found it hard to motivate herself again at first. “I thought: what comes next?” The challenge and the challengers were missing. “When you’re the hunter, you always have a face in front of your eyes. And then suddenly it’s you you’re up against.” However, she did not want to quit at the age of 21, especially since she had planned to do a four-year teaching degree. So she set herself new goals. She had not yet won gold in the sitting downhill event at a world championship. When she achieved this, she then started preparing for the next Paralympics. In Pyeongchang where she was accompanied by her parents and boyfriend, she confirmed “that my success four

32 33

2017

S

u

p

e

r-

G

D

o

w

n

h

il

l

M AGAZINE

G

ia

n

t

sl

a

lo

m

On the way to the starting line: Anna Schaffelhuber, in the chair lift, focuses on the upcoming race.

S

la

lo

m

years ago was no coincidence” – and again won two gold medals.

Anna Schaffelhuber loves speed.

On her monoski-bob she reaches up to 130 kilometers an hour on a downhill run and is thus only slightly slower than the best non-disabled alpine racers in the world. The Para Sportswoman of the Year 2016 is fascinated “by testing the limits skiing downhill”.

She admits: “It certainly takes courage.” Sometimes she finds it difficult to throw herself down the steep slope in her monoski-bob. “But I’m not afraid. I prefer to say I have respect.” And that’s important “in order to be able to assess the course correctly.”

A n n a ’s b o b weighs

14 kg and is thus the lightest in the Para-World Cup

The ski-bob requires just as much tinkering.

For Anna Schaffelhuber, there is no perfect equipment but only “perfect tuning”. Since 2012 she has been skiing on the same model with which she was so successful in Sochi and with which she has also started in Pyeongchang. The multiple paraplegic Paralympics winner Martin Braxenthaler developed the ski-bob but, says Anna Schaffelhuber, “it took two or three years before I could say that it now fits as perfectly as a shoe.”

She realized just how important the ski-bob was in 2009, half a year before her first Paralympics. She woke up one morning, aged 16, and found she could no longer walk with the aid of crutches, as accustomed. Neither could the doctors understand why, from one day to the next, she lost the residual function of her legs. Mentally processing this fact was as much of a challenge for Anna as the steepest pistes. Furthermore, her monoski-bob had to be modified, resulting in a different skiing experience, which she had to get used to in a short period of time.

Anna Schaffelhuber managed this and won her first medal in Vancouver, just as she had managed a lot in her life – with optimism and courage. Disability is not a problem for her, she just doesn’t like talking about it.

“I have this physical condition just as others are taller or smaller. I can do everything, although some things just a bit differently,” she says. She pushes herself out of her monoski-bob with her strong upper arms, slides effortlessly into the adjacent wheelchair and makes her way swiftly to the ski room.

“It certainly takes courage. But I’m not afraid.

I prefer to say I have respect.”

A matter of trust – equipment It is important to trust the equipment, in particular the ski-bob, which at 14 kilograms is the lightest ski-bob in the Para World Cup, but also the mono-ski, which is mounted under the apparatus. The ski must have a certain length and a minimum radius, and there are also regulations for the height of the binding plate. All this is checked before every race. By the way, Anna’s ski had previously been used

by Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin as a training ski.

PROD UCT

SA FETY

A typical World Cup day 6.20 a.m.

Wake up 7.15 a.m.

Briefing with the service team in the ski room 7.30 a.m.

Warm-up on the test piste 8.30 a.m.

Inspection for 1st race 9.00 a.m.

Additional warm-up runs on the test piste 10.00 a.m.

Start 1st race 10.30 a.m.

Small snack 11.30 a.m.

Inspection 2nd race Subsequent meeting with the service team and trainers, possibly video analysis of 1st race 1.00 p.m.

Subsequent meeting with the service team a b o u t t h e n e x t d a y ’s competition 2.30 p.m.

Participation in the medal ceremony 4.15 p.m.

Short condition training session 5.15 p.m.

Physio treatment 6.00 p.m.

Video analysis with the trainers

34 35

Done for the day! Anna follows the rest of the competition with coach Gerd Schönfelder and teammate Anna-Lena Forster from the finishing line.

A NNA’S MONOSKI-BOB Individual sport equipment for use in the sit-skier sport class Individual parts 130 Shell material carbon Total weight 14 kg Ski commercial alpine skis or ­standardized racing skis Weight carbon shell approx. 2 kg Top speeds approx. 130 km/h Costs of manufacture approx. € 14.000 Customized and the price of a small car: a monoskibob like the one used by Anna Schaffelhuber is a complex customized piece of equipment – catering perfectly to the disabled athlete’s needs. Ideally, such a bob compensates exactly for the disability so that the athlete can bring his or her strengths to the piste in the best possible way.

7.00 p.m.

Dinner 8.00 p.m.

Leisure time

PRODUCT SAFETY

M AGAZINE

2017

WORK & LIFE

Health and safety, working times, salary, career opportunities – or the meaningfulness of the job?

Many factors determine the attractiveness of an employer. Those, who like TÜV SÜD, can convince others by offering many of these factors have a good chance of continuing to attract ­o utstanding talent.

“Whoever works at TÜV SÜD knows that their work is relevant to society – and that this would be a little bit less safe without their contribution.”

STEFANIE ADROM Head of Employment Conditions TÜV SÜD

EMPLOYEES WANT ANSWERS

WORK

“F

ar and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” 100 years on, this quote from the American President Theodore Roosevelt from 1903 may sound somewhat emotive, but in essence has lost none of its relevance: meaningful work can enrich human lives. Recent workplace studies by researchers prove this: those who find their work meaningful are demonstrably more motivated, efficient, satisfied and committed, whether they work in Munich, Barcelona, Singapore or even in Silicon Valley.

TÜV SÜD’s Stefanie Adrom had a good look around the valley of the tech giants. The Head of Employment Conditions is responsible for the strategic global development of the corporate working environment. Just like the top companies in the digital sector, she believes that TÜV SÜD as an employer also scores points: “Being in unique surroundings, developing safe, innovative products which have an impact around the world is something most people would find very exciting. But who keeps an eye on people’s safety in view of the ever faster pace of technological change? And who, in testing the products, ultimately paves their way to the retailers’ shelves? Well, TÜV SÜD does.

This promise of doing something meaningful can be just as attractive for employees.”

&

LIFE

AT T R A C T I V E E V E N W I T H O U T P R O D U C T S TÜV SÜD stands for responsibility and safety and, even without shiny products, has long positioned itself in the employment market with its slogan: “Do something that makes sense for many”.

Ultimately, this principle defines our corporate culture like a leitmotiv running through 150 years of corporate history and it greatly enhances the value of traditional corporate achievements such as a commensurate salary and flexible working hours.

That’s why making our world a safer place still appeals to our ideal candidates to this day. “Whoever works at TÜV SÜD knows that their work is relevant to society – and that this would be a little bit less safe without their contribution. This was valid for the last 150 years and will also remain a powerful corporate value in the future,” said ­Stefanie Adrom.

36 37 THREE QUESTIONS FOR DR. MARTIN SAERBECK

“MY FIRST IMPRESSION IS VERY POSITIVE” Dr. Martin Saerbeck became one of the global 24,000-strong TÜV SÜD workforce in May 2017 and works as Principal Technology Consultant in the ­Singapore office. A doctor of computer science, he explains his motivation for joining the international services provider.

1. W hy did you choose to apply to T Ü V SÜD rather than anyw h e r e e l s e? TÜV SÜD offered me the right prospects at the right time.

I can now apply the results of my previous academic work and use them in industry.

New automated testing methods will revolutionize testing and certification ­practice. To be at the very forefront of this development is incredibly motivating.

2. H o w i m p o r t a n t i s t h e m e a n i n g o f y o u r w o r k f o r y o u ?

I believe the testing and function evaluation of self-learning systems are fields that will be key in the future. I therefore find it very motivating and meaningful to be involved with topics which could make the everyday lives and work of many people safer.

3 . Y o u h a v e b e e n w i t h u s f o r s e v e r a l m o n t h s . W h a t i s y o u r f i r s t i m p r e s s i o n? It takes considerable foresight to question methods which have stood the test of time. My first impression is very positive. The working environment and colleagues give me the feeling of working for a future-oriented and future-proofed company.

M AGAZINE

Te x t Theresa Moozhiyil Photography Mrudula Chalil

2017

WORK

&

LIFE

38 39

M AGAZINE

2017

ourageous women are changing India’s patriarchal society and business culture.

One of them is German-Indian Theresa Moozhiyil, who – inspired by her parents – has been making her very own mark on the subcontinent for nearly 30 years. Her biography is therefore worth more than a passing glance.

The Indian state of Kerala has

inhabitants

They say everyone comes into this world with a purpose and mine became clear to me very early in life – that of standing up against everything that traditional society and its impractical norms impose on women.

It all began in 1989 when my parents, with us kids in tow, decided to leave home in Germany after two decades and return to their former home in the state of Kerala in south-west India. Life in Germany had strongly influenced my ­ parents and they wanted to give back something of their experiences to their homeland. So they returned with a suitcase full of new ideas that they wanted to put into action. I definitely got my courage from them. My parents stood and still stand up for their many social ideas, such as employment and training for all, and equality of gender and castes.

And I am keeping their mission going.

INDIA

Sreekandamangalam District Kottayam, Kerala

Overcoming stereotypes Before I talk more about my life, it’s important to put into perspective the hurdles a woman coming from a rural area in India faces day in, day out. Their personal opinions count for virtually nothing. Except in the states with high literacy rates – like the one I come from – the rate of female infanticide and the number of women killed is alarmingly high and the lack of education and sanitation for women is shocking to say the least. There is practically no concept of equal gender rights. Everything a woman wears, speaks, thinks or does is governed by the powers that be and must be approved by them. It starts with the birth of a girl child which is seen as a disappointment and continues with a lot of traditional social cues and norms. I can clearly remember when my younger brother was born. People from the village enthusiastically congratulated my parents, to their surprise, for finally having “a child”.

For example, my sister and I, even as young girls, upset a lot of people because we would leave the house without wearing

WORK

any gold jewelry. In what we thought was a bizarre custom, a girl was considered worthless if she left home without gold ornaments. It indicated coming from a poor home where the parents couldn’t afford much. Things in this regard have changed now but back then it was reason enough to be frowned upon. Another example is when I travelled across India as a young woman without any companion. It opened a whole new world to me. It was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

Though shackled by the social norms around them, many of those people I happened to meet seemed, to my surprise, more amused than shocked that a girl was traveling around unaccompanied.

&

LIFE

Starting with BASIS Back in Kerala, my parents set up the BASIS initiative – “Bio Agriculture and Social Improvement Schemes” – in order to develop the village Sreekandamangalam and its surroundings and to bring social change. Their first project was a free sewing workshop for young women.

The training was to help them take the plunge into self-employment. The course immediately met with rejection – despite the high levels of local unemployment. It was an arduous road towards acceptance over many years and – sure – there were also threats, especially from brothers and husbands.

“My parents stood and still stand up for their many social ideas.“

A strong team: Theresa Moozhiyil (center) with her parents Leelamony and Mathew Moozhiyil

The literacy rate in Kerala is

the highest in the whole of India

40 41

M AGAZINE

2017

Specialists for sustainable ­tourism: The Team from BASIS ­Holidays stands for eco-tourism, whose revenues benefit the village.

Today BASIS Holidays as sustainable tourism is one of the pillars of the BASIS programs, and contributes significantly to the social and environmental activities of the village. Parts of the revenues from tourism flow into projects that promote wealth and economic independence.

BASIS also finances the training centers and small entrepreneurial endeavors and plays a role in raising the living standards of the community.

While BASIS was really picking up pace, I pursued an MBA in tourism before going to live and work in Bangalore for a period of 11 years. Bangalore is the IT capital of India and at ten million and counting, it is the fifth most populous city in the country. Together with my husband Sebastian, I started a small software company there called CATEGIS in 2011.

The decade we spent in Bangalore was fantastic to say the

least, but I felt it was important to also initiate some projects in Kerala. A large part of Indians live in rural India and it is important to do something about the rather rigid role of women there.

City challenges versus village challenges At CATEGIS, we once had an interview with a female applicant who was very attached to traditional standards. Everything about her was very cautious, but on the technical front, she aced every aspect.

She knew her job and knew it well. We hired her as a senior software developer in 2012, making her our very first employee.

Today she is our head of IT, even though some of our male employees have problems with having a female boss.

It all started with a table and a chair in our home and so much has happened since. Today, our company consists of a smart, efficient and harmonious team of 25 employees, 60 percent of whom are female.

THERESA MOOZHIYIL Women’s rights campaigner Place of birth Gießen Date of birth December 5, 1982 1989 The family returned to India and set up the village development project BASIS 1989 – 2006 School and university qualification: MBA Pondicherry University/Puducherry 2006 – 2013 Head of Finance & Administration at Goethe I­nstitute in Bangalore 2011 Founding of the software company CATEGIS

WORK

&

LIFE

Still a far cry from everyday life in India: The Head of IT, ­CATEGIS, in ­discussion with an employee.

But the challenges I faced in the city were different from the ones that I had to battle with in the rural settings of the village. In the city I came across educated and professionally qualified ­ women who made their way with confidence. But nevertheless, in job interviews when I ask them about their goals in life, their answer often narrows down to “I want to be a good wife and mother”. Some battles last forever. While village life is about the oppression of women by archaic traditions, there was and still is another name for it in the city: gender inequality.

Digitization is a key aspect of ­C ATEGIS and my employees have benefited a great deal from it. Digitization has seen us create flexible work-from-home solutions that have helped our female employees in a big way. At BASIS we use digitization to reach out to the world, for our social media communication and for the online processing of inquiries and travel advice.

“If there is a rebirth and I had a say in it, then I’d definitely want to come back again as a woman, and in India!”

igitization and the way ahead D Things around us are changing at an unimaginable speed, also in India, and I have no doubt that archaic traditions will be overtaken soon. India, with an average population age of 27, is a young country that is not afraid of questioning norms and traditions. And it is a country that is prepared to do everything necessary to overcome social obstacles to growth.

Down, but never hopeless Of course there are days that are frustrating and disappointing and there are even sometimes tears. But somehow, something always comes up that demands my attention and urges me to continue.

I have been able to rekindle the spark of change in me again and again. This would never have been possible without my parents. They were always my role models – especially my strong mother. I am still learning every day and like my father says, “Only those who do nothing make no mistakes.” I am grateful to have been born a woman. If there is a rebirth and I had a say in it, then I’d definitely want to come back again as a woman, and in India!

A rich harvest of a different kind: the sale of products resulting from the village initiative BASIS.

42 43 The average age in India is

Women make up

of the population in India

WORK & LIFE

LEARN MORE – FROM TÜV SÜD EXPERTS ON VIDEO TÜV SÜD employees comment in video clips on all the topics of this magazine in the online annual report.

WWW. ANNUAL REPORT. TUV-SUD.COM

[INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES] On the trail of oil, gas and water With Muir Porter, Group Head TÜV SÜD NEL

[D IG ITA L TR A NS FO R MATION ]

[PRODUCT SAFETY]

Is there such a thing as a highly secure cloud?

From avalanche airbags to climbing harness – safety first

With Dr. Dirk Schlesinger, Chief Digital Officer

With Volker Kron, Product Specialist

[M O B ILITY]

[WORK & LIFE]

Driving instructor for the computer needed

Meaningful work is still in demand even in the age of start-ups

With Robert Matawa and Benjamin Koller, Experts for autonomous driving

With Stefanie Adrom, Head of Employment Conditions

IMPRINT Published by

Design, editing and layout

TÜV SÜD AG Corporate Communications Westendstraße 199 80686 Munich Germany

MPM Corporate Communication Solutions, Mainz www.mpm.de

Phone +49 89 5791-0 Fax +49 89 5791-1551

Alberto Balbi, Frank Bauer, Mrudula Chalil, Matic Klansek, laif, Oliver Lerch, picture alliance, Daan Verhoeven, Kalindi Wijsmuller

© TÜV SÜD AG, Munich.

All rights reserved.

Sabine Hoffmann, Jörg Riedle (project manager)

Photography

Illustrations MPM, Maren Schmitt Printed by G. Peschke Druckerei GmbH, Parsdorf Published on April 17, 2018

TÜ V S Ü D AG Westendstraße 199 80686 Munich Germany PHONE + 49 89 5791- 0 FAX + 49 89 5791-1551 EMAIL info@tuev-sued.de WEB www.tuv-sud.com