We Are Era Educational Campaign

More than half of Germans are affected by a chronic illness. However, this often remains unnoticed at work. This is precisely where “#OffenGesagt”, an educational campaign initiated by the charity Hertie Foundation and MESH Collective, the in-house agency of the RTL Group subsidiary We Are Era, comes in: Together with renowned multipliers, including Microsoft Diversity Lead Magdalena Rol, new work expert Lasse Rheingans, and gynecologist Mandy Mangler, “#OffenGesagt” aims to bring chronic illnesses right to where they are rarely discussed in everyday life: the workplace. The campaign is rolled out on social media such as Tiktok, Instagram, and Linkedin, among others. According to the community economy company We Are Era, it aims to provide orientation for those affected and sensitize colleagues and employers – for example, regarding how to handle personal diagnoses, communicate in the workplace, and how to create a supportive work environment. Amanda Brennan, Editor-in-Chief MESH Collective, says: “On Linkedin, there is a lot of discussion about work-life balance. However, the discussion rarely addresses how to manage chronic illnesses in the workplace. Anyone seeking to build diverse and future-ready teams should, however, also consider this perspective. ‘#OffenGesagt’ opens up the debate and includes employers and decision-makers in the discourse.” Eva Koch, Head of MS Projects at Hertie Foundation, comments: “Hertie Foundation has been dedicated to the field of multiple sclerosis for decades. During this time, we have seen enormous progress in medical care – but what is changing only slowly are the images in our minds. Still, people with chronic illnesses are too often judged in the workplace based on their diagnosis rather than on their skills. With ‘#OffenGesagt’, we want to contribute to changing that.” The campaign is accompanied by an exclusive event on the rooftop terrace of MESH Collective in Berlin, which provides a place for personal exchange about chronic illnesses in the workplace.