On September 12, 2025, the Dr. Jost Henkel Foundation once again opened its doors for one of the most significant highlights of the year: the scholarship holders’ meeting at Henkel’s corporate headquarters in Düsseldorf. In an atmosphere marked by openness and mutual appreciation, scholarship holders, mentors, and representatives of the Foundation came together to engage in dialogue, learn from one another, and develop shared perspectives. The 2025 Get-Together once again demonstrated how powerful personal encounters can be – not only for immediate exchange, but also as a source of inspiration for future opportunities and ideas.

Board in dialogue with the scholarship holders

Several members of the Foundation’s Board attended the meeting in person, including Dr. h. c. Christoph Henkel, Dr. Alexander Frey, Sylvie Nicol, Bertrand Conquéret, and Prof. Dr. Thomas J. J. Müller. Their presence underscored the Foundation’s strong commitment to direct exchange with its scholarship holders.

Dr. Christoph Henkel opened the event with an impressive address on the Foundation’s vision. He emphasized the importance of education as a driver of societal development and highlighted the core mission of the Foundation’s founder: to enable talented young people – regardless of their financial circumstances – to access high-quality education.

Managing Director Karol-Monique Westhoff also encouraged the scholarship holders to pursue their goals with passion and perseverance and not to be discouraged by setbacks.

Inspiring contributions on successful collaboration, sustainability, and innovation

The program that followed offered a wide range of engaging contributions:

• Bertrand Conquéret, member of the Foundation’s Board and President Global Supply Chain at Henkel, highlighted the importance of genuine collaboration in his keynote. Referring to the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” he reminded participants that trust, courage, and a growth-oriented mindset form the foundation of successful collaboration. Only where psychological safety exists and people encourage one another to contribute their full potential can collective intelligence flourish. His call to action: “Think big, act big – and act big together.”
• Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel, addressed key questions of responsibility in the context of sustainable transformation. She emphasized that sustainability is not merely a strategy, but a mindset – and that each individual bears responsibility for actively shaping change.
• Dr. Rainer Schoenfeld, Manager Market Strategy at Henkel, impressively demonstrated how closely innovation, sustainability, and team spirit are intertwined. Using a practical example from research and development, he explained a technology developed jointly with the 4JET Group, in which acoustic foam is integrated directly into tires for electric vehicles and activated by laser. The result is an innovative contribution to quieter and more comfortable e-mobility, and a powerful example of how progress emerges when expertise and pioneering spirit come together.
• Aileen Scriba, Head of Digital Activation & Transformation at Henkel, provided a practice-oriented insight into the use of digital networks. She showed how platforms such as LinkedIn can be used strategically and authentically to enhance professional visibility, share knowledge, and build valuable connections.

Exchange, networking, and practical insights

During the joint lunch, the scholarship holders took the opportunity for in-depth conversations -including with Henkel Board member Sylvie Nicol, who engaged in discussions on leadership philosophy, responsibility, and career development.

In the afternoon, guided tours through various business areas were on the agenda. Particularly impressive was the visit to the production facility for liquid detergents, where technological precision on an industrial scale could be experienced firsthand.

To conclude the day, information booths provided space for questions, discussions, and hands-on demonstration – including an unexpectedly humorous highlight: a shoe glued live on site, which proved to be surprisingly durable.

A day that connects and makes an impact

Thanks to the dedicated organization by the Foundation Operations Lead, Xenia Scott, participants were able to focus entirely on exchange and inspiration.

The Get-Together 2025 once again showed that community emerges where people meet one another with curiosity, respect, and openness – and that the future takes shape where these encounters lead to new ideas, perspectives, and collaborations.

With this strong signal, the Foundation is already looking forward with anticipation to the coming year and to seeing how today’s scholarship holders will help shape the world of tomorrow.