How do you cultivate a shared identity in a decentralized organization? At GUS Germany GmbH (GGG), we’re tackling this challenge head-on. As a network of education institutions operating under a parent company while maintaining local independence, our goal is to strike a balance between unity and individuality. In this presentation, we will share our journey of developing a corporate culture that connects universities across Germany, Europe, and beyond—without losing their unique identities. From creating a sense of togetherness and hope to retaining talent without large budgets, we’ll highlight what worked, what didn’t, and how we’ve navigated harmonization versus localization. We’ll also explore how our cultural efforts tie into talent development, learning, and communication strategies. Whether you’re managing a distributed workforce, merging entities, or simply seeking to strengthen internal culture, this session offers grounded insights and scalable ideas. In this session you will learn

• How to develop a unifying corporate culture across semi-autonomous institutions without erasing local identity.
• How to create low-cost, high-impact initiatives that boost employee engagement, and retention
• How to balance harmonized HR and communication processes with regional flexibility to support sustainable talent development.