Karl Schlecht – Businessman, Benefactor, and Economic Sage

 

Karl Schlecht – Businessman, Benefactor, and Economic Sage

by Thorsten Pattberg

BEIJING – Karl Schlecht built a global business empire in the construction industry that during its peak achieved a nine billion euro turnover before selling his main business and global champion, Putzmeister, to the one competitor he could not wish to beat in terms of quantity –China’s Sany Heavy Industries.

The proceeds of the amicable sale went into the Karl Schlecht Public Benefit Foundation (KSG), over which Karl Schlecht reigns as chairman. With his passion for Asia and philanthropy he now, among hundreds of other projects, helps to promote the idea of the so-called Weltethos or “World Ethics” and sponsors not only the Global Ethic Foundation and the World Ethics Institute Tübingen (WEIT), but also the new World Ethics Institute Beijing (WEIB) at Peking University, the best university in China.

The Beijing deal has been made possible because of the friendship of Karl Schlecht with Liang Wengen, the once richest man in China and chairman of Sany (both are jointly sponsoring the WEIB), and because of the strong spiritual ties between Tübingen University and Peking University; in particular the academic collaboration between two global cultural masters: the Swiss theologian and farther of the world ethics idea Hans Küng, and the Chinese ethicists and leading Confucian scholar Tu Weiming.

Karl Schlecht is joyful and positive about the future cooperation withChina. About Tu Weiming, the new director of WEIB, he said for Chinese National TV, CCTV4: “Because he [Tu Weiming] is open-minded for the whole world, he knows everything: the American point of view, the Chinese view, the international one; and he of course understood the idea of Global Ethics. We must discover what the respective religions have in common, not what divides them. And it is in mutual agreement that the goal of harmony is purposed. And harmony bears fruit and makes us strong: If we think together in the same way.”

Congratulations and Good Luck and much Success, Master Schlecht!

Essentials about Karl Schlecht:

世界道德基金会主席Karl Schlecht先生; KSG基金会董事长习理德先生; 德国大象(Putzmeister)公司创始人

Karl Schlecht’s Nickname:	Karl Schlecht is also known as KS “Anyone who is called Schlecht (meaning ‘bad’ in German), must be good; but he does not only want to do everything well, he wants to do it better” –KS
习理德先生:昵称:	“任何人被称为Schlecht（德文意思是’坏’）的人，肯定是个好人，但他不只是想做好每一件事，而是做的更好” – KS
Karl Schlecht’s formula of Success:	The true success factors we recognized to be traditional values and virtues that exist for their own sake.
习理德先生:什么成功:	真正的成功因素，我们认为是自在的传统价值观的和道德观.
Karl Schlecht’s Principles:	Truthfulness in perception and in depth problem solving are then the main principles.
习理德先生:什么是原则:	面对问题时，知行以诚.
What is Putzmeister?	Top in Mind and Top in Choice.
普茨迈斯特:	至上的心灵，至高的选择.
Putzmeister’s Company slogan:	Enjoy – to Serve, Improve and Create Values.
普茨迈斯特经营宗旨是:	服务、进步、创造价值.
Meaning of ‘Putzmeister’ (Plaster Master):	To qualify things by making them better and more beautiful in a masterly way.
Putzmeister的含义:	尽善尽美，极高明以达道.
Karl Schlecht on Benefactors:	Benefactors are not only patrons and philanthropists; they see themselves also as investors for a good cause. So, they are also businessmen.
习理德先生:助益人:	助益人不仅是资助者和慈善家，他们也认为自己是一种投资者，一种专门为“善”的投资。因此，他们也是商人.
Karl Schlecht and the 4-Way-Test:	KS practices the ‘Four-Way-Test': 1)      Is it the truth? 2)      Is it fair to all concerned? 3)      Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4)      Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
习理德先生:4准:	KS实行”四准”：1）它是真实的吗？2）有关各方是公平的吗？ 3）将建立商誉和更好的友谊吗？ 4）将对各方有利吗？
Karl Schlecht on Inspiring Confidence:	The 4-Way-Test stands in the preamble of every contract or agreement at Putzmeister as a way of inspiring confidence.
习理德先生:励志:	在普茨迈斯特中，四准将用在所有合同和决定之上以励志.
Karl Schlecht values Harmonious family life:	KS values family and has good relations to his family members, his two daughters and his son, his two step-sons, his three sisters, and so on.
习理德先生:和谐的家庭生活:	KS注重家庭价值观，他跟他两个女儿和一个儿子，两个继儿子，和三个姐妹等都保持良好的关系.
Karl Schlecht on Health:	KS goes swimming or does gymnastics on a daily basis. He loves healthy eating.
习理德先生:健康:	KS每天去游泳或健身。他喜欢健康的饮食.
Karl Schlecht and the Global Ethic Foundation	KS sponsors the Global Ethic Foundation in Tübingen. Its aims are: To mediate for interfaith and intercultural dialogue on all levels. To implement the Global Ethic ideal into the economy.
习理德先生:全球伦理基金会:	KS在图宾根大学赞助全球伦理基金会。目的是调和不同的信仰和文化。在经济当中实现全球伦理的理想.
Karl Schlecht and the Tübingen Global Ethic Lectures:	KS sponsors these lectures; speakers included Tony Blair (Former Prime Minister ofU.K.), Horst Köhler (Former President ofGermany), Helmut Schmidt (Former Chancellor ofGermany), and so on.
习理德先生:图宾根全球伦理讲座:	KS举办这些讲座，讲者包括英国前首相托尼·布莱尔，德国前总统霍斯特·克勒，德国前总统赫尔穆特·施密特，等等.