Turning a forgotten playground in Braubach, Germany, back into a place for fun and adventure – this has been the goal of #proKidsBraubach, a private and independent parents' initiative that operates on a voluntary and donation basis.The wish to include the nearby stream and thus put the element of water centre stage led to the plan to build a mud table with a water course. On the initiative of Yvonne Akkermans, employee of Zschimmer & Schwarz in Lahnstein, the chemical company supported #proKidsBraubach in this project with a donation of almost 9,000 euros.

For months, dedicated helpers worked on the playground, digging, screwing, sawing tree trunks and spreading gravel until the mud table and a sand digger were finally completed. “From day one, the mud table has invited children to get involved with the element of water”, explains Mira Zwick, initiator of #proKidsBraubach. “Especially in this day and age, such play opportunities are extremely valuable for children to gain a variety of experiences in the midst of nature. #proKidsBraubach is incredibly grateful to Zschimmer & Schwarz for their generous financial support, without which this amazing mud table and the sand digger would not have been possible.”

On the occasion of the company’s 125-year anniversary in 2019, the shareholders of the Zschimmer & Schwarz Group started a special charitable programme: all employees around the world were asked to present local initiatives that the company could support with a donation. This donation campaign is now repeated every two years and already entered its third round in 2024. 

#proKidsBraubach is one of 39 facilities and projects across Europe, North and South America as well as Asia supported by Zschimmer & Schwarz as part of the donation campaign with a total sum of around 350,000 euros. “Social responsibility and sustainable action have been part of the DNA of our family business Zschimmer & Schwarz ever since it was founded”, explains Gisela Rochow, shareholder of the Zschimmer & Schwarz Group. “We are happy that our donations have a direct impact at the locations where our companies are based and that we can thus give something valuable back to society”, adds Thomas Schwarz, also shareholder of Zschimmer & Schwarz.