“I firmly believe that if we can work hand in hand, then we can live door by door”.

Dear Federal President, ladies and gentlemen.

I can remember very well my first working day, back in 1993, at what was then called Daimler-Benz AG. It was also my first day here in Stuttgart. It was all quite overwhelming at first, but I was very warmly welcomed. And I quickly discovered the opportunities that both this company and, above all, this country could offer.

I was born and grew up in Sweden. But over the past more than 30 years, Germany has become my second home. My wife is German; our children hold two passports. There is much that I love about Germany: the quality of life, cultural diversity and social cohesion, its openness, friendliness and innovative spirit. This is why I applied for German citizenship, which I received last year. That was a very special and emotional moment for me. I feel that I belong in this country, just like millions of other people who also have foreign roots.

In addition to my personal rejection of xenophobia, intolerance and extremism, there are of course myriad rational arguments why it is imperative that the industrial and business community also takes a clear stance here. First, the success of an industrial and business location depends above all on its appeal to professionals and investors both at home and abroad. Second, diversity is a driver of ideas, of renewal and of a pioneering spirit, and is essential to our business.

Mercedes-Benz is active in almost every country of the world. So that we can understand our customers all over the world, our workforce must reflect this diversity.

This is why we embody and promote diversity, tolerance and openness. In Germany alone, almost 115,000 people from 121 nations work alongside each other in our company. And I firmly believe that if we can work hand in hand, then we can live door by door.

In Baden-Württemberg, more than one third of the population has a migrant background. In Stuttgart, this figure is more than 40%. Our company is a reflection of society. Without our employees who have a migrant background, it would be almost impossible to develop, assemble and sell an S-Class.

We need and want these people. And we are happy and proud to see them right at the heart of what we do. This is why I – as a German with dual citizenship and as the Chairman of the Board of Management – am taking a firm stand against the backward attitudes, against the hate and against the xenophobia that have taken hold in certain sections of our society.

We all value Germany's diversity, openness and togetherness and its free and democratic basic order. But as we can all see right now, these values are not a given. This is why it is more important than ever to stand up for and defend these values afresh and with renewed vigour. An open society must firmly reject all forms of fanaticism, extremism and anti-Semitism.

And in today's declaration, we are sending a clear signal: the industrial and business community here in Baden-Württemberg is on your side! Thank you!