The internationally active family-owned company Zschimmer & Schwarz, headquartered in Lahnstein, Germany, is committed to supporting projects worldwide in the areas of social welfare, education, research and science, as well as environmental protection and nature conservation. People – both within and outside the company – are always at the center of its efforts.

On the occasion of the company’s 125^th anniversary in 2019, an international donation program was launched at the initiative of the shareholder families and has since become firmly established within the company. Every two years, the company’s more than 1,500 employees worldwide are invited to submit social projects and personal initiatives close to their hearts from their local communities. This year, 20 projects were selected to receive a total of just under 80,000 euros in funding.

“Social engagement is an important part of our corporate culture. The active participation of our employees is particularly valuable, as their suggestions demonstrate the many ways in which support can make a difference,” explains Dr. Christoph Riemer, Chief Executive Officer of Zschimmer & Schwarz.

This year, the ideas submitted are once again characterized by great diversity: 

• Thanks to Dr. Eva Olmo Gil, employee at the Lahnstein site, the University of Koblenz is receiving support for the doctoral project “Climistry Lab,” which aims to help students in lower secondary school and above understand the chemical aspects of climate change. During hands-on experiment days, students independently explore questions on topics such as the greenhouse effect and ocean acidification. The goal is to foster a deep understanding of ecological phenomena and, in the process, inspire young people to pursue STEM careers.

• The “Summer Smile” project, submitted by Alessandro Martinotti, employee at the Italian subsidiary in Tricerro, is aimed at children and teenagers from immigrant families in the small town of Trino. As the community has seen a significant increase in the number of immigrant families, a two-month summer camp at a nearby water park in Tricerro is intended to combat social isolation and promote the integration of these young people.

• Dr. Carmina Alfonso, who works at the Vila-real site in Spain, has championed the “Bereavement groups” project run by the “Atrapasueños” association in the province of Castellón. The initiative is specifically aimed at people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Such a loss presents those affected with extreme emotional challenges. Through this project, the association offers professional and structured support to help people cope with their grief.

• Among the funded initiatives is the “Virando Verde” project, submitted by Aline da Silva, Managing Director of Zschimmer & Schwarz do Brasil Ltda. This environmental initiative focuses on collecting organic waste from private households, restaurants, and businesses. The goal is to prevent hundreds of metric tons of food waste from ending up in landfills. Instead, these resources are converted into nutrient-rich soil through professional composting. In the spirit of community, a portion of the compost produced is distributed to social institutions, schools, and community gardens.

• Thanks to Tony Reed, employee at the Milledgeville site in Georgia, USA, the nonprofit organization Atlanta CASA is receiving support. Atlanta CASA is deeply committed to the well-being and safety of foster children who have previously experienced abuse or neglect. Faced with an overburdened legal and social services system, the organization recruits and trains volunteers to serve as legal representatives in juvenile court. These volunteers ensure that the affected children are not lost in the system and that they find permanent, safe placements.

More information about these and the 15 other projects will be published shortly on the company’s website under the “Community and Solidarity” section.

Dr. Monika Börner and Thomas Schwarz, who represent the shareholder families in the area of philanthropy, are also proud of the success achieved so far and look forward to the implementation of the newly selected projects. “As a family-owned company deeply rooted in our local sites, we bear responsibility for our employees, their families, and the communities where we operate around the world. This tradition is also reflected in our donation campaign, which – thanks to the tremendous response – has now become a well-established institution,” says Dr. Monika Börner. Thomas Schwarz adds: “To date, we have been able to support 39 projects in Europe, North and South America as well as Asia in the areas of youth work, senior care, education, sports, integration, and the environment, with a total of approximately 350,000 euros. We are very pleased with what we have achieved so far, look forward to the implementation of the newly selected initiatives, and would like to sincerely thank our entire staff for the many great suggestions.”

A tradition of responsibility

Sustainable practices and social engagement have been deeply rooted in the family-owned company Zschimmer & Schwarz since its founding. In addition to the donation initiative, which supports projects close to the hearts of Z&S employees, Zschimmer & Schwarz and the shareholder families also regularly demonstrate social commitment in other ways. For example, annual donations are made to the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, the German University Foundation, local and international cultural scenes, and various regional institutions in the vicinity of the company’s main site in Lahnstein.