Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industrie

The Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industrie e.V. (VAA – Fach- und Führungskräfte Chemie) is a German federal association and professional union representing managers, specialists and management-track employees in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry and adjacent sectors. Registered as a non-profit association (eingetragener Verein), it is described as the largest professional association of executives and junior executives in Germany, with roughly 30,000 natural scientists, engineers and commercial professionals who work as non-tariff or senior employees in responsible positions in the chemical industry. The VAA's core purpose is to represent, support and connect its members. It advocates members' economic, social and legal interests vis-à-vis employers, politics and society; provides individual career, legal and pension-related services; and builds a collegial community through works groups, regional groups and events. Its members are organised in around 165 to 190 works groups (Werksgruppen) at company sites and in eight regional groups (Landesgruppen). Larger works groups exist at companies such as BASF, Bayer, Clariant, Evonik, Henkel, Merck, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi and Wacker. As a social partner, the VAA negotiates collective agreements with the Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie (BAVC), notably the collective agreement on minimum annual salaries for academically trained employees in the chemical industry and the framework collective agreement for academically trained employees. Together with the DGB-affiliated Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie und Energie (IGBCE), the VAA represents employee interests in the chemical sector. It is supported in political work by the German executives' association ULA and is a direct member of FECCIA, the European federation of managers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and is represented in the European managers' confederation CEC via ULA and FECCIA. The association is headquartered in Cologne with an office in Berlin. Its governing body is the Delegiertentagung (delegates' assembly), and its board consists of seven honorary members elected for three years. Since 7 May 2021, Birgit Schwab of Wacker Chemie has been the first chairwoman. The association celebrated its 100th anniversary on 17 May 2019. It offers services including legal advice and protection, career support, a job application network for student members, the VAA connect network for women, and services for members aged 60plus and retirees. It also conducts annual income and workplace-satisfaction surveys, the latter in cooperation with the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, and awards the Deutsche Chemie-Preis Köln.

The VAA traces its origins to the Bund angestellter Akademiker und Ingenieure (Budaci), founded on 10 May 1919 in Halle/Saale. In 1933 the association was forcibly dissolved by the National Socialist government. It was re-founded in 1946. In 1972 the delegates' assembly decided to change the name to Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industrie. After merging with the Verband der Führungskräfte der chemischen Industrie der DDR (VFCI), the association has operated under the name VAA since 1991. On 17 May 2019 the VAA celebrated its 100th anniversary. Over its history the VAA has developed into the largest professional association of executives and junior executives in Germany, representing around 30,000 natural scientists, engineers and commercial professionals who work as non-tariff or senior employees in responsible positions in the chemical industry. It forms a social partnership with the Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie (BAVC) and the DGB-affiliated Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie und Energie (IGBCE). Together with IGBCE, the VAA represents employee interests in the chemical sector. The association's organisational structure includes works groups (Werksgruppen) at company sites and regional groups (Landesgruppen). Around 84 percent of VAA members are organised in one of the roughly 190 works groups, especially at larger chemical companies. Larger works groups exist at companies including BASF, Bayer, Clariant, Evonik, Henkel, Merck, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi and Wacker. Employees from smaller companies primarily join as individual members. Works groups and individual members are grouped regionally into one of eight regional groups. The highest decision-making body is the Delegiertentagung, at which up to 200 representatives from the regional and works groups set the guidelines of association policy annually. The board consists of seven honorary members elected for three years. It leads the VAA and is supported by the Beirat, to which each of the nine regional groups sends a representative, as well as by commissions. Since 7 May 2021, Birgit Schwab of Wacker Chemie has been the first chairwoman. Christoph Gürtler of Covestro is second chairman, and Ruth Kessler of Bayer AG is treasurer. Further board members include Monika Brink (Boehringer Ingelheim), Roland Fornika (Röhm GmbH), Thomas Sauer (Evonik) and Martin Wolf (B. Braun Melsungen). The association's business is conducted by full-time staff at the office in Cologne and the Berlin office. Stephan Gilow is the chief executive, and Klaus Bernhard Hofmann is the press spokesperson. As a professional association, the VAA represents the interests of managers in the chemical industry and adjacent sectors. Its works groups provide individual support to members on site and form the organisational infrastructure of association work. They also serve as the base for the representation body of senior employees, the Sprecherausschuss, as well as for the association's representatives on works councils and supervisory boards. The VAA's tasks include advancing the concerns of managers in tax, social and environmental policy and in legislation. At association level, the VAA represents its members across companies and sectors by concluding collective agreements and through talks and negotiations with other chemical organisations. With the BAVC, the VAA negotiates the collective agreement on minimum annual salaries for academically trained employees in the chemical industry, which sets starting salaries for academics with natural science or technical university degrees. The framework collective agreement for academically trained employees in the chemical industry regulates general working conditions, often more favourably than statutory requirements, for example regarding notice periods and compensation for non-compete clauses. Both collective agreements apply only to VAA members. In its political work, the VAA is supported by the German executives' association ULA. It also holds direct membership in FECCIA, the European federation of managers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Paris. Through ULA and FECCIA, the VAA is represented in the European managers' confederation CEC, based in Brussels. The VAA advises and represents its members in professional life matters. Through the Führungskräfte Institut (FKI), the VAA organises further education seminars for managers in the chemical industry. The VAA organises several surveys: an annual income survey among members, organised jointly with the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker e.V.; an annual workplace satisfaction survey examining working conditions and company personnel strategies, on whose results the Deutsche Chemie-Preis Köln is awarded; and at multi-year intervals a equal opportunities survey, a student survey among student members (every five years, most recently at the end of 2014), and others.

• 2021

  Birgit Schwab becomes first chairwoman on 7 May.

• 2019

  VAA celebrates its 100th anniversary on 17 May.

• 2007

  VAA signs the Charta der Vielfalt (Diversity Charter).

• 1991

  After merging with the Verband der Führungskräfte der chemischen Industrie der DDR (VFCI), the association operates under the name VAA.

• 1972

  Delegates' assembly decides to rename the association Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industrie.

• 1946

  Re-founded after World War II.

• 1933

  Forcibly dissolved by the National Socialist government.

• 1919

  Bund angestellter Akademiker und Ingenieure (Budaci) founded on 10 May in Halle/Saale.

The largest professional association and white-collar union for managers and specialists in the German chemical and pharmaceutical industry, operating as a social partner alongside IGBCE and BAVC.

• Tarifvertrag über Mindestjahresbezüge für akademisch gebildete Angestellte der chemischen Industrie

  Collective agreement negotiated with BAVC setting starting salaries for academics with natural science or technical university degrees.

• Manteltarifvertrag für akademisch gebildete Angestellte in der chemischen Industrie

  Framework collective agreement regulating general working conditions, often more favourable than statutory rules, e.g. notice periods and non-compete compensation.

• VAA connect

  Network for female members supporting career development and bringing more women into leadership positions.

• VAA-Bewerbungsnetzwerk

  Application network giving student members background information and advantages before applying to companies.

• 60plus & Ruhestand

  Services for members transitioning to retirement and beyond, including legal advice, information and community events.

• Führungskräfte Institut (FKI)

  Provides further education seminars for managers in the chemical industry.

1. 1VAA – Fach- und Führungskräfte Chemievaa.de
2. 2Über uns: Was ist der VAA?vaa.de
3. 360plus & Ruhestandvaa.de
4. 4Netzwerk & VAA connectvaa.de
5. 5Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industriede.wikipedia.org
6. 6Verband angestellter Akademiker und leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industriewikidata.org