On 3 June 2018, Bavaria's Home Secretary, Joachim Herrmann, presented the newly created award "Ehrenamtsfreundlicher Betrieb - Gemeinsam für mehr Sicherheit" for the first time to employers who support their employees in a special way in the performance of voluntary commitment.
In addition to the Max Bögl group of companies from Neumarkt, Brandl from Neufraunhofen and Krones AG from Neutraubling, the four companies honoured include the automation specialist F.EE from Neunburg. Home Secretary Joachim Herrmann emphasized in his laudation that of the approximately 450,000 emergency personnel involved in fire brigades, technical relief organizations and voluntary aid organizations, around 430,000 are volunteers. He thanked the honored companies for the understanding they show their employees with voluntary commitment, despite possible effects on the course of business, and added: "I am aware that a functioning security system requires not only the commitment of volunteers but also a great deal of goodwill on the part of employers, who keep their employees' backs free in the event of an assignment. Thank you very much for your exemplary support!"
F.EE company founder Hans Fleischmann personally accepted the award from the Home Secretary at the "Blaulichtempfang" in Deggendorf, where the mayor of Neunburg Martin Birner and the deputy district administrator of Schwandorf Joachim Hanisch were also present. "This award underscores the great importance that voluntary work has always had at F.EE and we are pleased to be able to make a social contribution in this way. We would like to express our special thanks to the technical aid organization Bavaria, which suggested us for this award on the initiative of our employees", says F.EE Managing Director Hans Fleischmann.