Press Release

World Cleanup Day 2026: dataTec trainees take responsibility.

Equipped with trash grabbers, gloves, and trash bags, employees of dataTec AG set out on this year’s World Cleanup Day to work together to collect trash in the West Industrial Park in Reutlingen. Together, they collected 26.4 kilograms of trash — including 1,619 cigarette butts alone — demonstrating what collective local action can achieve.

This event was organized for the fifth time by dataTec’s apprentices and has since become an integral part of the training program at dataTec. The apprentices take full responsibility for planning and organizing the event — from the initial preparations and coordination of the cleanup teams to the accompanying program of activities. In this way, they not only collect trash but also gain valuable experience in project management, teamwork, and organization.

“World Cleanup Day shows just how much we can accomplish together for our region. At the same time, the initiative is a great opportunity for our trainees to take on responsibility, design their own project, and motivate employees and their families,” says Heike Miller, training coordinator at dataTec.

Many of the employees’ children were also in attendance. To introduce them to the topics of environmental protection and resource conservation in a fun way, the trainees had prepared a supporting program. In a quiz, participants of all ages were able to test their knowledge of the environment and sustainability. In addition, participants were able to customize reusable cotton bags and take them home as a small souvenir.