Heart Projects
When Employees Take Responsibility
Social engagement is a matter of the heart for us. For this reason, we launched the "Heart Projects" in 2023. Through our Heart Projects, we support regional and social projects that our employees initiate themselves or actively support. Many of them are also active volunteers outside the office – whether in sports clubs or animal welfare associations, faith communities or social institutions. We want to actively support this commitment!
Twice a year, all employees across the entire group have the opportunity to submit their own projects for funding – projects in which they or their family members are personally engaged. They take on the role of project manager and oversee the implementation on site. Our support is not limited to monetary donations: we provide associations and institutions with financial or material resources that are used for a clearly defined purpose. This allows us to ensure that impact is created exactly where it is needed.
Since the launch of the Heart Projects, we have already been able to support around 50 diverse projects. The following examples show only a small excerpt of the numerous initiatives we support – the range is much broader: whether it's food for an animal shelter, sports equipment or a bicycle campaign for the German Childhood Cancer Foundation – the projects are as diverse as our employees. We give you an insight into selected projects here.
Animal Friends
Back to Table of ContentsThe Animal Welfare Association Frankfurt e.V. places a wide variety of animals through its "Birkenhof" – from classic pets such as dogs and cats, to birds like ducks and chickens, to large animals such as horses and sheep. At the same time, the farm provides old and sick animals with a peaceful, final home. To support the care on the farm, we have provided the association with various donations in kind – including animal feed, cat litter and treats.
Together with our long-standing partner and customer PLATINUM GmbH & Co. KG, we were able to provide animal food for the Animal Welfare Association for Wiesbaden and surrounding areas e.V. in a joint donation campaign. PLATINUM manufactures cat and dog food and doubled our donation amount. This allowed us to hand over around 400 kilograms of animal feed to the animal welfare association.
Fun for Young and Old
Back to Table of ContentsThe kickboxing and self-defense group of SG Weilimdorf e.V. has more than 70 children and young people participating. One of our employees founded this group himself, takes care of its organization and trains some of the children personally. A large part of the children and young people have fled from war zones or come from families with low incomes. To support the children's training in the association, we provided the group with appropriate sports equipment.
The free Montessori School Huckepack in Dresden offers all degrees up to the Abitur and is committed to inclusion and equal opportunities. For a blind female high school graduate at the school, we provided a graphical reading device. Among other things, the device can quickly present tables, websites and images in a tactilely perceptible or acoustically perceptible way. This makes her school life easier and enables independent participation in class.
Jerseys, Training & Teamwork
Back to Table of ContentsSince 1979, VC Essen-Borbeck has had a strong presence of women's teams. Since 2021, the men's teams of the association have also been growing rapidly. This led to a shortage of jerseys – two teams had to share one set of jerseys. We provided the handball team with its own jerseys so both teams now have their own set.
The Lady Luchse of the basketball club VfL 1848 Bad Kreuznach e.V. play in the state league and compete throughout Rhineland-Palatinate. For their new season, they needed new warm-up shirts. Together with our long-standing partner Wasabi, we were able to support the team with a new warm-up jersey set.
Moving Good Together
Back to Table of ContentsThe Jumborun Altenhof am Hausruck is an annual motorcycle tour in and through Upper Austria that connects people with and without disabilities in a special way. Children and adults with physical or mental disabilities have the opportunity to ride as passengers in sidecars, trikes or on specially modified motorcycles. We supported this event with a monetary donation to promote its commitment to connection and inclusion.
One of our employees showed great athletic commitment together with the Team Rynkeby. Every year, over 2,000 cyclists ride approximately 1,300 kilometers to Paris in an eight-day bicycle tour. With this event, they collect donations for seriously ill children. In Germany, Team Rynkeby raises money for the German Childhood Cancer Foundation. We have supported the team as a Gold Sponsor for two years in a row.
IT with Impact
Back to Table of ContentsWe have been supporting racing driver Niklas Koch of the motorsport team Smyrlis Racing for several years. An explosion caused widespread damage to the Smyrlis Racing race shop and seriously injured employees. The equipment of the pit crew and command center were severely affected. With a donation of eight new monitors, we were able to contribute to the re-equipment of the command center.
For the kindergarten Ave Maria in the Ostalbkreis district in Baden-Württemberg, we were able to purchase three child-friendly tablets and thus make an important contribution to early childhood media literacy. Digital media are now an integral part of children's everyday life and accompany them in their environment almost naturally. It is therefore all the more important to teach them early on to use these technologies responsibly, in a reflected and safe manner.
What the Future Holds
The range of possible CSR projects is enormous, and we are particularly proud that our employees are involved in such a diverse and committed way. In the coming months, we want to continue to expand this commitment and realize numerous additional heart projects that benefit our region and society.
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