Looking back at Christopher Street Day 2026
2026-07-22 People 2 min
by
Dennis Lueneburger
Tens of thousands of people celebrated Christopher Street Day in Frankfurt am Main from July 17 to 19, 2026, advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. KION and our brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Dematic, were there.
This year marked a CSD first — A CSD debut: after Dematic laid the groundwork for our participation over the past two years, this year marked the first time we took part in the event together with our three largest brands. With a large information booth on the Info Mile in downtown Frankfurt, we engaged with visitors over three days, discussing what KION does, what it's like to work here, and the role diversity, equity, and inclusion play for KION employees.
With around 150,000 expected visitors, Frankfurt’s CSD is now one of the largest in Germany and the most attended in the Rhine-Main region. Since KION, Dematic, and Linde Material Handling are headquartered in this region, having a joint presence for the first time was a significant step for us. We are especially delighted that our colleagues from STILL in Hamburg joined us to send a strong message of diversity and inclusion.
"Seen, Heard, and Valued"
Doing the right thing, fostering new ideas, and valuing different opinions and diversity: Integrity and courage are among KION’s core values, which guide our actions. After all, as Valeria Gargiulo, Chief People & Sustainability Officer at KION, emphasizes, one thing is clear:
"I truly believe that when people feel seen, heard, and valued, they unlock their full potential. That's what drives me and what makes diversity and inclusion such a powerful force at KION."
Valeria Gargiulo, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, KIONThe fact that this principle was fully embodied this weekend is also evident from the impressions of the approximately 40 employees from KION and its brands who were on duty at the booth in Frankfurt:
“A brighter future begins where people feel they belong. By participating in Frankfurt Pride, KION made a visible statement about the values we stand for. I'm proud to help foster a culture of belonging at KION, where people can be their authentic selves and unleash their full potential.”
Alice Schönewolf, Manager People Development, KION
"Participating in Christopher Street Day on behalf of KION was a wonderful experience. The interactions with visitors and KION colleagues at our booth and the openness of our conversations were valuable. Seeing just how much our support is appreciated has shown me once again how important diversity is—not only in my personal life, but also in my professional environment."
Susann Sophie Schütze, Director Talent Experience, KION:
"CSD Frankfurt was far more than just an event. It created space for perspectives that aren't always visible in everyday life. The special energy of this weekend came from open conversations, active listening, and the sense of unity that came from coming together as a team across brands, roles, and backgrounds. That’s exactly what fosters a sense of belonging: when people feel seen, heard, and valued."
Dominic Fischer, Global Brand Communication and Experiential Lead, Dematic
"I was particularly pleased that this year, as KION, we participated together with Linde Material Handling and STILL. This allowed us to reach significantly more colleagues and demonstrate that Pride isn’t just an issue for individual brands or people. At the same time, visitor interest in our companies was remarkably high, precisely because our industry is often perceived as traditional. It was all the more important, then, to highlight the diversity of the people behind it and demonstrate that openness and a sense of belonging are also lived out here.”
Sandy Baumgart, Internal Communications and Sustainability Manager, DematicRelated stories
