Social issues

Customer relationship and loyalty

The relationship with our guests and their satisfaction on board is very important to us. In this context, we regularly conduct passenger surveys on board of our ships. We collect feedback on the passenger experience in the areas of service quality, comfort, cleanliness, catering and recommendations. If you have any suggestions, you can also contact us directly by email. The insights gained are not only used to identify current development potential, but also to respond specifically to the wishes of our guests.

Responsibility for customer relations and loyalty is not the sole responsibility of a specific department, but is firmly anchored in all departments with direct customer contact. This holistic approach enables each department to actively contribute to maintaining customer relationships, thereby ensuring consistent service quality. Any evaluations and feedback is documentedby the respective departments and passed on to management in order to ensure continuous improvements across the organisation.

Passenger safety is a key concern for us. All passengers on board should rightly feel safe during their stay on board. Accordingly, we conduct monthly briefings for the nautical-technical crew and on-board personnel, thus ensuring continuous training and sensitisation to safety aspects. This includes not only the applicable regulations, but also specific processes and emergency procedures. In addition, we create a comprehensive safety structure through regular safety checks and the display of safety data plans, which helps to ensure that our passengers feel that they are in good hands in every situation.

By providing barrier-free access to our ships, we are able to maintain customer relations with all our guests. A total of seven of our ships are barrier-free: MS Asbach, MS Godesburg, MS RheinGalaxie, MS RheinMagie (former MS RheinEnergie), MS RheinFantasie, MS RheinHarmonie (former MS Jan von Werth) and MS RheinVision (former MS Loreley). The ships MS Asbach and MS Godesburg were checked for accessibility by an external third party on the basis of recognised quality criteria and were awarded the nationwide "Travel for all" label. This assessment is valid until July 2025. This certification demonstrates our commitment to the needs of people with limited mobility. This measure goes beyond mere safety aspects and helps to ensure that the ships are accessible to a wider audience.

Overall, KD demonstrates a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and loyalty through its wide range of measures and activities. The combination of regular surveys, direct communication, accessibility and a holistic approach in all departments helps to build and consolidate a positive customer relationship in the long term.

Working conditions

Our attractiveness as an employer is significantly enhanced by the good working conditions at KD. A positive working environment not only promotes employee satisfaction, but also contributes to the long-term retention of qualified specialists. Through clear structures and targeted support, we aim to create a working environment in which our employees feel comfortable and can develop their individual skill set to the full extent. The main operational responsibility here lies with the HR department and our managers. In addition to promoting open communication, they set clear expectations and support the professional development of our employees. This includes not only professional development, but also the creation of clear prospects and promotion opportunities within the company.

An important basis for good working conditions is appropriate remuneration for our employees. We are guided by the collective wage agreement for the hotel and catering industry to ensure fair salaries. All employees are paid above the standard pay scale. In this way, we want to emphasise our recognition of the work performed and our appreciation of our employees. Transparent and fair remuneration not only contributes to the financial security of our employees, but also strengthens trust and loyalty to the company.

From 1 August 2024, this principle will also be extended to KD trainees. This measure strengthens our commitment to the social security and professional development of junior staff and emphasises our appreciation of trainees as an integral part of the team.

The health of our employees is at the centre of our responsibility. Our HR department is responsible for occupational health management and, in particular, the implementation and development of occupational health measures for our employees.

We always provide the right protective equipment to safeguard our employees on board. An external safety expert is available to advise on occupational safety and support the implementation of appropriate measures. Annual occupational safety meetings are held to discuss general sources of danger and define preventative measures. These include first aid courses and training on fire safety, handling and use of cranes and industrial trucks. Annual inspections of the ships help to recognise potential sources of danger. The most important occupational safety topics are taught in the occupational safety training courses for shipboard personnel. First-aid kits and defibrillators are available on all ships to ensure immediate assistance in the event of an emergency. This holistic approach enables us to fulfil our responsibility for the health and safety of our employees in all areas of work.

We implement comprehensive measures to promote employee health in our offices. These include support for many initiatives, participation in health programmes or company runs as well as flexible working time models and offers for stress management. Our employees can also make use of the company doctor, who carries out health checks and helps to identify work-related health risks. Annual inspections of the office premises are carried out to identify potential sources of danger. Our employees receive training on health aspects such as the alignment of workstations, desk height, monitor positioning and sitting posture. First-aid kits and defibrillators are also available in all office buildings in the event of an emergency.

Appropriate training and development of our employees is important to us. We offer a variety of training programmes to ensure that our workforce always has up-to-date specialist knowledge and that individual skills can be developed. These include internal training courses, external seminars and e-learning programmes conducted by internal experts, external trainers or certified instructors. Our employees can also complete other content independently via online learning platforms. Through targeted talent development, we promote individual skills and strengthen professional development.

Our aim is not only to develop the existing skills of our employees, but also to discover and promote new talents. Training needs are identified in close cooperation with the specialist departments. The HR department then draws up individual training plans that take into account both personal and organisational goals. We prioritise support: all employees are given the time and financial support they need to take part in the training courses. The content of the training courses ranges from personal development to professional qualifications, including specialist knowledge and personnel management. We invest around 40 hours or 5 days per employee per year in further training programmes.

We are also proud to offer apprenticeships in the fields of nautical science, catering and administration. Each training year offers space for 15 trainees in various professional fields such as cook, restaurant specialist, event technician, event clerk, bargeman, office management clerk and tourism and leisure clerk. In 2023, we successfully supervised three trainees. In order to continue to focus on qualified and practical training for our talented junior staff in the future, we will be offering our employees further training as certified trainers for the seven IHK training professions mentioned above from 2024. This year, 15 employees will already be certified. This means that we will have 20 certified trainers from next year onwards.

For us, corporate culture is characterised by trust, openness and teamwork. The development of a good management culture and the promotion of a feedback culture are at the centre of our efforts. We focus on targeted employee development, offer mentoring for young employees and strive for an improved work-life balance. These elements of our corporate culture reflect our commitment to a positive working atmosphere and individual employee development.

Our vision: KD is the first choice for unforgettable shipping experiences. Our almost 200-year history is testament to our commitment to providing outstanding experiences on the Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers. We combine breathtaking views, culinary delights and the best service to create unique moments that will stay with our guests for a lifetime.

Purpose: Our purpose is to connect people through unforgettable moments on the water and turn them into unique memories. We offer our guests breathtaking experiences and events on the water, accompanied by high-quality catering and the best service on board of our modern ships. We are actively committed to sustainability and the protection of our environment, taking responsibility for society and nature.

Our values: The cornerstones of our corporate culture are the values of hospitality, sustainability, respect, fun, innovation, uniqueness and passion. We warmly welcome every guest. We are committed to the environment and society in a sustainable manner, treat each other with respect, promote fun at work, strive for continuous innovation, value uniqueness and live a passionate dedication to first-class experiences on the water. These values are at the heart of our corporate philosophy and characterise our daily actions.

A good work-life balance

For us, a good corporate culture also includes a good work-life balance. We understand the importance of balancend work and personal life and actively implement measures to make this possible. Through flexible and hybrid working models, we create space for the individual needs of our employees. Depending on the location, we enable flextime and trust-based working hours, while in the service and customer area fixed start and shift times are established. We recognise the diversity of our team members' life situations and offer both full-time and part-time employment. This approach allows our employees to balance their professional responsibilities with their personal lives, promoting a healthy and productive working environment.

We are actively committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities in the workplace. Our KD values and Code of Conduct raise awareness of diversity and promote an inclusive working environment. At KD, responsibility for these issues lies firmly in the hands of our dedicated HR department. We are proud of our diverse team of 244 employees at KD, 35% of whom work full-time and 65% of whom work seasonally, particularly in the catering industry. The mix of different working time models enables us to respond flexibly to the requirements of our industry.

We are also a diverse organisation, employing people from over 50 countries, including the Philippines, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine. This international diversity not only enriches our work culture, but also reflects the global perspectives that are crucial to our success. In KD Administration, which employs a total of 65 people, we place particular emphasis on gender equality, with 57% female and 43% male employees. The average age in this area is 41, and we value the different experiences and skills that each person brings to our team.

Our corporate culture is characterised by openness and inclusion, where everyone is given the same opportunities, regardless of gender, nationality or background. Access to a whistleblower system helps us to deal with cases of discrimination and ensure that every voice is heard. Equal pay is actively implemented in our organisation, with a focus on eliminating gender-based differences.

As KD, we rely on close collaboration and local co-operation. The construction of shore power supply systems is carried out in co-operation with operators of landing stages, energy suppliers, local authorities and their own operations, grid companies and service providers. This diverse co-operation enables us to provide an environmentally friendly shore power infrastructure for our ships and to work together on innovative solutions to reduce our environmental impact.

In the tourism sector, we maintain successful partnerships with cities, tourist information centres and higher-level marketing companies. These partnerships not only strengthen our own tourism offering, but also help to promote and strengthen local attractions and industries. We are also a member of numerous tourism associations and organisations, which enables us to play an active role in shaping and developing the industry. This diversity reflects our commitment to sustainable and community-orientated business practices.

Support for local initiatives

As an integral part of our responsibility to the community, we are actively involved in supporting local initiatives that have a positive impact on our environment and quality of life. One of our favourite projects is our collaboration with Rheinkrake e.V. The Rheinkrake is a floating rubbish collection tank that collects rubbish in the Rhine before it ends up in the Wadden Sea nature reserve. Whether through targeted messages on our website, in social media or through ticket sponsorship - we are committed to supporting the important work of Rheinkrake e.V. in environmental protection and the preservation of the ecological diversity of the Rhine and the nature reserve.

Another important commitment that we will be supporting from 2024 is the Rhine Clean up initiative. In a clear commitment to environmental responsibility, our employees will actively collect rubbish in an assigned section of the Rhine. On this day, they will be released from work to help other volunteers to keep our lifeline, the Rhine, clean and protected. Our support for this initiative is based on our deep connection to this river, which serves as a habitat for unique flora and fauna. We consider the promotion of all efforts to improve water quality and raise awareness of environmental protection to be essential and worthwhile.