Four people sit around a table in a brightly lit room, engaged in discussion. A woman in glasses and a beige scarf is speaking with an expressive hand gesture, while the others listen attentively. Laptops, notebooks, and pens are on the table.

Mutual respect and trust, room for self-organisation as well as creativity, willingness to learn and change are the guiding principles of work at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT). Over the past few months, the Human Resources Development reflected on these principles together with the ZMT management and developed principles for good cooperation and leadership. The programme area heads, the members of the Scientific Council, the Works Council, the Work and Family Working Group, the Equal Opportunities Officers and the ZMT Academy have also contributed to the development of these principles.

These ZMT guidelines are intended to further improve the working environment at ZMT and promote a positive institute culture. They set quality standards which will be used by ZMT for regular self-assessment.

“Our principles show how we shape and actively live good teamwork and leadership at ZMT in our day-to-day work, regardless of our respective tasks,” says Professor Raimund Bleischwitz, Scientific Director of ZMT. “They also clearly describe the expectations and requirements placed on all employees in research, in the science-supporting units, in science management and in the infrastructure­.”

Click here for the principles of good teamwork and leadership at ZMT.