Numerous employees recently received the DHL Freight Star Award for their extraordinary achievements. The celebration took place as a top-class digital event.
Recognizing achievement is part of our corporate culture
Special achievements deserve special recognition. That is what the DHL Freight Star Award does: It recognizes the dedication of many employees across all DHL Freight countries. This year, Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight, and David Urban, Head of HR DHL Freight, presented the awards to the winners virtually.
At the same time, DHL Freight subsidiary DHL Global Event Logistics showed how a high-level digital event can be organized: Live music, polls, brainteasers, live linkups to some of the winners and a gala dinner for all winners at home with their families made the virtual award presentation an entertaining and unforgettable experience. And not only the winners, but all DHL Freight employees were invited to the event and were able to take part in the celebration. For DHL Freight, recognizing dedication is part of the corporate culture.
Uwe Brinks, CEO, DHL Freight
2020 was different for all of us. Despite the crisis, DHL Freight achieved good results, and that would not have been possible without the contribution of our extremely committed team.
CEO Uwe Brinks and David Urban, Head of Human Resources DHL Freight, thanked the total of 37 excellent colleagues for their outstanding achievements in the pandemic year. Whether in Turkey or Latvia, the U.S. or Switzerland, in Sweden, India, or the Netherlands: At numerous international locations, our freight specialists met the special challenges. “We are glad that we can count them among our DHL Freight team”, said David Urban, Head of Human Resources DHL Freight.
The tribute took place as a digital event for the employees
Besides the award, a visit to the DHL Freight and the DPDHL Group headquarters in Bonn and a festive gala event are the highlight for all winners. The pandemic made a visit and the gala evening impossible for the second time in a row. In order not to take any health risks, DHL Freight invited the winners, their families and all the Freight employees to a digital event. “The health and safety of our employees have top priority for us since they are the most valuable assets that we have,” explained David Urban.
Three good arguments for digital events
The pandemic called for new solutions. DHL Freight subsidiary DHL Global Event Logistics developed and perfected these right at the beginning of the pandemic. Whether trade fairs, showrooms, or CEO events: The event professionals impressed with high tech and creativity. Digital events are a winner due to the following advantages:
- They allow you to express appreciation, gratitude, and solidarity – and at the same time to stay COVID-19-compliant.
- Interaction and special effects make the event an impressive experience.
- The planning and organization time is reduced: in the case of demanding international events such as the DHL Freight Star Award, from several months to a few weeks.
This is why green screens are indispensable for a digital professional event
DHL Global Event Logistics’ digital studio is located in the Post Tower where the DPDHL company headquarters in Bonn are situated. It looks like a normal meeting room from the outside. But inside it is green from floor to ceiling. A peek behind the scenes shows us the set-up for a digital event:
- In the studio itself, the speakers speak into the camera.
- The event technology team is located behind them, in the backstage area. One person coordinates everything. Others are responsible for the sound, the camera position and the change of backgrounds or presentations, respectively. A total of at least four colleagues in the background ensure that everything runs smoothly.
- At the same time, the green screen technique creates authentic looking, striking surroundings for the audience.
This is how green screens work
Green screens have their origins in the film and television industry: objects or persons are placed in front of the green background. On this the audience is shown the desired projection. In the case of the DHL Freight Star Award celebration, for example, special animations were projected.
Uwe Brinks and David Urban were therefore standing in front of green walls all the time. They saw neither the backgrounds nor the presentations, nor the participants. To avoid confusion, the DHL Global Event Logistics studio provides a screen for the presenters on which they see what others are seeing. This is how the exchange and an extraordinary award ceremony were successfully organized.
Johnny Primerano, Head of Scenic & Events, DHL Global Event Logistics
In the case of digital events, special effects and interactive features create more liveliness and greater intimacy with the audience.
